Navigating the course Citizen Application and RQ as the owner of a Start Up

[Cromium969]

Hi every one, Happy 2014!

I have have a somewhat unique situation and I wanted to get some experienced opinions on how to prep and plan for this to have the right details for when I qualify for citizenship

As a Canadian PR I moved from the US to Canada end of last year to be with my wife who is a Canadian citizen. At the time I continued to work for my US company as a remote worker. I was on a project that would require me to travel a few days a month back to the US. During that time I was living in Canada, had a lease and was paying utilities but did not have a local cellphone or health card (Ontario regulations because I was traveling every month I didnt qualify).

I quit the US company a few months ago and since then have been working on a start up venture. I got a Canadian cell phone, I registered my business and we are currently working on bring this to you all in the next year but still dont have any INCOME per say because we are in early development phase

Reading all the threads, my question is, HOW or what documentation should I be putting together to show that I have been here in Canada with a full intention to move and stay since mid 2012 when I didnt have an income here then or now (with startup) didnt have a cellphone till recently and I didnt have health card here till recently.

Any advice on how I could make a strong case that I have been here and legally fulfilling the time requirements in pursuit of a citizenship

Kindest regards

 

[canadp]

1. First of all, people here will definitely help you out, but if you haven't gone through the CIC website for how to apply and what is required for citizenship, then go there and read instruction guide, which will give you most of the information. And when people like me help you here you will be able to understand that.

2. Now in your situation, Since day 1 you became PR, you need to track and get the details on how many days you were Out of Canada. every single trip you have to keep track with dates when you left canada and dates when you arrived. if you were in Canada before you became PR then consider those days as half day.

3. Now you have moved here permanently, keep the details of your business activity even though you do not have income. keep documents on utility bills, home bills, telephone, bank information, credit card information which will have proof your presence here. However, if for certain period of time, you do not have any income then you may need to show how you are going to managing your expenses. Unemployment for long period of time will trigger different issues. even if your wife has job, you have something, or you should be able to show that you had enough saving for that period of time. You understand what I mean.

4. Your intention or belief or trust does not work for CIC, they need to know that your presence is enough for 1095 days in last 4 years to be eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship.

5. So start counting how many days you lived, and wait till you cross 1095 days. DO NOT APPLY as soon as you cross 1096 days. In your case, wait for another month or two and then apply for Citizenship.


Hope this will help.

canadp

 

[Cromium969]

1. First of all, people here will definitely help you out, but if you haven't gone through the CIC website for how to apply and what is required for citizenship, then go there and read instruction guide, which will give you most of the information. And when people like me help you here you will be able to understand that.

2. Now in your situation, Since day 1 you became PR, you need to track and get the details on how many days you were Out of Canada. every single trip you have to keep track with dates when you left canada and dates when you arrived. if you were in Canada before you became PR then consider those days as half day.

3. Now you have moved here permanently, keep the details of your business activity even though you do not have income. keep documents on utility bills, home bills, telephone, bank information, credit card information which will have proof your presence here. However, if for certain period of time, you do not have any income then you may need to show how you are going to managing your expenses. Unemployment for long period of time will trigger different issues. even if your wife has job, you have something, or you should be able to show that you had enough saving for that period of time. You understand what I mean.

4. Your intention or belief or trust does not work for CIC, they need to know that your presence is enough for 1095 days in last 4 years to be eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship.

5. So start counting how many days you lived, and wait till you cross 1095 days. DO NOT APPLY as soon as you cross 1096 days. In your case, wait for another month or two and then apply for Citizenship.


Hope this will help.

canadp

Canadp,
thanks for the response, I am hoping for Hero members like your selves to weigh in on this. I will shed some more light to your points to see if we can get me closer to the answers

to #1 - I have read the requirements on the CIC website and understand them for the most part in terms of meeting the conditions to apply with the days and all but I will go read them again

to #2 - I have been tracking my days in and out of Canada since 2010 and every trip is documented. I got my PR card in 2009 so i dont think any time in Canada before that would qualify with I count my 3 in 4 years.

to #3 - I am concerned that the time when I was working for the US company but living in Canada (from late 2012 to late 2013) might be difficult to prove to them because although I had a lease, I had cable, electricity and gas bills, I didnt have a Canadian income or provincial health card or cell phone. I now have a Canadian phone and am eligible for health card, still missing the income bit as noted. What type of documentation should i gather to make sure those 12 months are not questioned.

As for the business and my income, I am a start up in early phase, working with off shore developers out of my house with a boot strapped budget. I dont currently have an income and i am minimizing expenses not sure what I can show for this situation, I get monthly bank statements for the business. We have good savings and my wife works for a Canadian company so that is how we are taking care of our expenses. What type of different issues can be triggered and how do I avoid them

thanks again

 

[canadp]

Canadp,
thanks for the response, I am hoping for Hero members like your selves to weigh in on this. I will shed some more light to your points to see if we can get me closer to the answers

to #1 - I have read the requirements on the CIC website and understand them for the most part in terms of meeting the conditions to apply with the days and all but I will go read them again

to #2 - I have been tracking my days in and out of Canada since 2010 and every trip is documented. I got my PR card in 2009 so i dont think any time in Canada before that would qualify with I count my 3 in 4 years.

to #3 - I am concerned that the time when I was working for the US company but living in Canada (from late 2012 to late 2013) might be difficult to prove to them because although I had a lease, I had cable, electricity and gas bills, I didnt have a Canadian income or provincial health card or cell phone. I now have a Canadian phone and am eligible for health card, still missing the income bit as noted. What type of documentation should i gather to make sure those 12 months are not questioned.

As for the business and my income, I am a start up in early phase, working with off shore developers out of my house with a boot strapped budget. I dont currently have an income and i am minimizing expenses not sure what I can show for this situation, I get monthly bank statements for the business. We have good savings and my wife works for a Canadian company so that is how we are taking care of our expenses. What type of different issues can be triggered and how do I avoid them

thanks again

Ok. Regarding point 3.

Let me explain, what I will do if I am in your situation.

1. From CIC point of view what they will look is you were in canada but you were working outside and keep traveling to US, besides you do not have any other intention of tie to Canada even though your presence is there.

2. Now what I will do is that I will keep all my US employer information as well as my income. Also I will collect proof of my presence in Canada during that period, where I lived or anything else, regardless of I had no income or no health card.

3. when I will apply for citizenship, I will include a covering letter to that and I will point out that after I became PR, during this period to this period I was working with US company and I had to travel a lot. As I was already settled working with US company and I was earning good income, I had to keep saving some money so that I can start my business in Canada and invest that money. Once I reached that goal, I finally started my own business in Canada. Like wise. and then you can provide documents of your business.

Also as you can see that there is not much income from my business yet, but because I had some savings and my spouse is working, we are able to manage our domestic expenses as well as business related activities.

I hope you got my point.. you need to explain that 12 months you kept working outside was a temporary plan so that finally you can setup business in Canada.


*** I have one question for you, did you paid taxes in Canada while you worked for USA. ***


As much as you will stick to the fact, you will have no trouble. so do not worry, there are many people like you.

canadp