Over 183 days out of Canada

[MountainLife]

Hi guys,

On the website it says if you've been outside of the country for over 183 days on any trip you have to provide a police certificate from that country. Does anyone know if this is within a calendar year or just the duration of the entire trip?

I was out of Canada more than 183 days in Australia but split over sept 2016 to June 2017 and was under the impression it may be ok as it wasn't over 183 days in either year?

Any help greatly appreciated. Cheers

 

[Bs65]

Other can correct me as I read it the 183 days is a cumulative total number spent in any one country from the 4 years prior to your application so going across different years is not relevant it is the total days over the 4 years not a single trip.

 

[Stef.]

Yes. You count all the days together in the four years in a particular country and if over 183 days you need a police certificate. So it does not matter whether 183 days in one go or three times fifty and 33 over the four years. In your case you will need one.

 

[gigig]

I hope this helps:

Instruction Guide for the Application for Canadian citizenship – Adults (18 years of age or older) Applying under subsection 5(1)
:

1. Write all your addresses inside and outside of Canada you used during your eligibility period, including the postal codes, starting with your current home address. If you were residing, employed or attending school outside Canada, you must list all of your foreign addresses, including the postal codes or ZIP codes. Press the (+) plus button if you need more space.
   
   Provide information that covers the entire eligibility period. Do not leave any gaps during this period and do not leave this section blank. If you do, your application will be returned to you.
   
   
2. Within the last 4 years, if you spent 183 days or more in another country (other than Canada), you must provide a police certificate. You must provide a police certificate for each country where you spent 183 days or more. If you cannot get a police certificate, tell us why.
   Example 1
   In the past 4 years, you took one (1) trip to France that lasted 200 days. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from France.
   Example 2
   In the past 4 years, you took 10 trips to the United States of America (USA). Each trip lasted 3 weeks, for a total of 210 days. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from the USA.
   Example 3
   In the past 4 years, you spent one year (365 days) working in Singapore. While working in Singapore, you took a trip to Malaysia (10 days) and Thailand (10 days). You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from Singapore. You would not need to provide police certificates from Malaysia or Thailand.
   Example 4
   In the past 4 years, you took one (1) trip to Europe where you visited Portugal (5 days), Spain (7 days), France (10 days), Belgium (3 days), Netherlands (3 days), Germany (21 days), Switzerland (7 days) and Italy (21 days). You took a second trip to Europe where you visited Ireland (14 days), Scotland (14 days) and England (21 days). You went to Germany for a business trip that lasted 60 days. The total time you were outside of Canada was 186 days but you were not in a single country for 183 days or more. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide police certificates from any of the countries.

 

[Stef.]

I hope this helps:

Instruction Guide for the Application for Canadian citizenship – Adults (18 years of age or older) Applying under subsection 5(1)
:

1. Write all your addresses inside and outside of Canada you used during your eligibility period, including the postal codes, starting with your current home address. If you were residing, employed or attending school outside Canada, you must list all of your foreign addresses, including the postal codes or ZIP codes. Press the (+) plus button if you need more space.
   
   Provide information that covers the entire eligibility period. Do not leave any gaps during this period and do not leave this section blank. If you do, your application will be returned to you.
   
   
2. Within the last 4 years, if you spent 183 days or more in another country (other than Canada), you must provide a police certificate. You must provide a police certificate for each country where you spent 183 days or more. If you cannot get a police certificate, tell us why.
   Example 1
   In the past 4 years, you took one (1) trip to France that lasted 200 days. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from France.
   Example 2
   In the past 4 years, you took 10 trips to the United States of America (USA). Each trip lasted 3 weeks, for a total of 210 days. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from the USA.
   Example 3
   In the past 4 years, you spent one year (365 days) working in Singapore. While working in Singapore, you took a trip to Malaysia (10 days) and Thailand (10 days). You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from Singapore. You would not need to provide police certificates from Malaysia or Thailand.
   Example 4
   In the past 4 years, you took one (1) trip to Europe where you visited Portugal (5 days), Spain (7 days), France (10 days), Belgium (3 days), Netherlands (3 days), Germany (21 days), Switzerland (7 days) and Italy (21 days). You took a second trip to Europe where you visited Ireland (14 days), Scotland (14 days) and England (21 days). You went to Germany for a business trip that lasted 60 days. The total time you were outside of Canada was 186 days but you were not in a single country for 183 days or more. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide police certificates from any of the countries.

It helps to just read the instruction guide...

 

[MountainLife]

Ok thanks! The confusion for me was, on the old rules the 183 days out of the country apparently didn't carry across a calendar year... or so I was told in this forum. On those rules the 183 days or more outside the country meant you're entire 4 in 6 clock reset and you had to start again I believe?
Maybe I'm lucky the laws changed as I may have had to start my clock again!... and whoever informed me at that time was wrong?

Cheers

 

[itsmyid]

Ok thanks! The confusion for me was, on the old rules the 183 days out of the country apparently didn't carry across a calendar year... or so I was told in this forum. On those rules the 183 days or more outside the country meant you're entire 4 in 6 clock reset and you had to start again I believe?
Maybe I'm lucky the laws changed as I may have had to start my clock again!... and whoever informed me at that time was wrong?

Cheers

You are mixing two different things ... one is for police certificate , the other is for residency requirement under the old rule that one has to be in the country for more than 183 days to be eligible , has nothing to do with police certificate

 

[MountainLife]

You are mixing two different things ... one is for police certificate , the other is for residency requirement under the old rule that one has to be in the country for more than 183 days to be eligible , has nothing to do with police certificate

Yep exactly, my mistake. Cheers

 

[NewUser2018]

Just fill the forms and calculator then its upto to them to request Police certificate or NO.

If you spent 183 days outside in 2 countries split its not likely they will ask for P.C. even if you spend 180 days in one single country its short of couple of days and they will not ask for.

My wife spent 181 in Netherlands during her PR Status and they did not ask for police certificate and got her citizenship oath last week and when she mate judge he said to her you are very lucky to not spend 2 days in Holland. also EU don't give police certificate without Canadian government request.

 

[dpenabill]

Ok thanks! The confusion for me was, on the old rules the 183 days out of the country apparently didn't carry across a calendar year... or so I was told in this forum. On those rules the 183 days or more outside the country meant you're entire 4 in 6 clock reset and you had to start again I believe?
Maybe I'm lucky the laws changed as I may have had to start my clock again!... and whoever informed me at that time was wrong?

Not sure what you were told before. Or why.

The requirement to acknowledge, in the application, having been present in another country for a total of 183 days or more within the preceding four years, and include a police certificate, has been part of the application since June 2015. It has not changed since then although the respective item in the application has been renumbered and the specific language changed slightly. This requirement is based on a 2014 change in the law which took effect in May 2015, and which, again, became part of the application in June 2015 (Citizenship Act Subsection 22(3) imposing a prohibition for foreign convictions within the preceding four years, which came into force in May 2015).

There are different rules for who must submit police certificates, and from which countries, when making a visa application; those requirements are ordinarily triggered by having lived or resided in a country for six months or more. This has no applicability for citizenship applications.

 

[Stef.]

Just fill the forms and calculator then its upto to them to request Police certificate or NO.

If you spent 183 days outside in 2 countries split its not likely they will ask for P.C. even if you spend 180 days in one single country its short of couple of days and they will not ask for.

My wife spent 181 in Netherlands during her PR Status and they did not ask for police certificate and got her citizenship oath last week and when she mate judge he said to her you are very lucky to not spend 2 days in Holland. also EU don't give police certificate without Canadian government request.

The moment you spend a single day over the allowed time they will very likely ask you for one.

 

[avigtr]

I hope this helps:

Instruction Guide for the Application for Canadian citizenship – Adults (18 years of age or older) Applying under subsection 5(1)
:

1. Write all your addresses inside and outside of Canada you used during your eligibility period, including the postal codes, starting with your current home address. If you were residing, employed or attending school outside Canada, you must list all of your foreign addresses, including the postal codes or ZIP codes. Press the (+) plus button if you need more space.
   
   Provide information that covers the entire eligibility period. Do not leave any gaps during this period and do not leave this section blank. If you do, your application will be returned to you.
   
   
2. Within the last 4 years, if you spent 183 days or more in another country (other than Canada), you must provide a police certificate. You must provide a police certificate for each country where you spent 183 days or more. If you cannot get a police certificate, tell us why.
   Example 1
   In the past 4 years, you took one (1) trip to France that lasted 200 days. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from France.
   Example 2
   In the past 4 years, you took 10 trips to the United States of America (USA). Each trip lasted 3 weeks, for a total of 210 days. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from the USA.
   Example 3
   In the past 4 years, you spent one year (365 days) working in Singapore. While working in Singapore, you took a trip to Malaysia (10 days) and Thailand (10 days). You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from Singapore. You would not need to provide police certificates from Malaysia or Thailand.
   Example 4
   In the past 4 years, you took one (1) trip to Europe where you visited Portugal (5 days), Spain (7 days), France (10 days), Belgium (3 days), Netherlands (3 days), Germany (21 days), Switzerland (7 days) and Italy (21 days). You took a second trip to Europe where you visited Ireland (14 days), Scotland (14 days) and England (21 days). You went to Germany for a business trip that lasted 60 days. The total time you were outside of Canada was 186 days but you were not in a single country for 183 days or more. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide police certificates from any of the countries.

What he said the help info-tip is great.

 

[avigtr]

Just fill the forms and calculator then its upto to them to request Police certificate or NO.

If you spent 183 days outside in 2 countries split its not likely they will ask for P.C. even if you spend 180 days in one single country its short of couple of days and they will not ask for.

My wife spent 181 in Netherlands during her PR Status and they did not ask for police certificate and got her citizenship oath last week and when she mate judge he said to her you are very lucky to not spend 2 days in Holland. also EU don't give police certificate without Canadian government request.

That is lucky. Don't forget that they are not machines, which means they know that people know how the law works, which means that if you spent just about almost the legal limit,you'll still raise a flag,as in your case where you went to a judge.

 

[MountainLife]

Sounds like police certificate it is ... I was in Australia for over 250 days and Indonesia for approx 30

 

[newbiecitizen]

Hi Folks, I landed in Canada in Oct 2015 and will be completing my 1095 days soon. As per the cic website if we have lived more than 183 days in past 5 years outside of Canada we need to provide police clearance. In that case I need to produce police clearance? Can someone please confirm?