Proof to submit with your RQ

[Swede]

So, I have available to me the following list of documentation:

• Complete photocopies of my passports
• Apartment rental contracts since 2008
• Home insurance policies since 2008
• T4 slips for the years I had income
• Complete set of monthly credit card statements since 2008

I was sponsored for residency by my common law spouse. Do I need to provide proof of our relationship to prove my family ties to Canada?

What else do I need?

 

[EasyRider]

I posted this list on other forum for starters:

There are no sticky threads on common issues here I'm not a moderator to make one, but here's the docs needed in the most common scenarios:

1. Color copies of all you passports pages-- at least covering relevant 4 year period + the current one, even if it was renewed after application, with stamp translations (I wouldn't bother to translate simple self-describing stamps), plus the table with references to the stamps in the passport pages with dates on stamps, country and entry/exit direction is good to have.

2. CBSA-- there's a consent in RQ form, so you don't need to provide one to CIC, however you may want to request it for yourself for verification. It may take 30 days or more to get report. Plus you may need to specify you need highway passage report, which is for car crossings, based on car license plates.

3. US CBP-- not generally required, but won't hurt, if you're frequent traveler to the US and have US visas. You can request it electronically. The problem with this report is that CBP is currently backlogged, so it may take several months to receive it (my request took 11 months, highly recommend to try request expedited processing).

4. Copies of your travel tickets, boarding passes, reservations and itineraries.

5. T4, T4A, T5 and similar forms plus CRA notices of assessment (NOA's) (very important!).

6. Rental agreements, rental receipts or cheques, or mortgage documents.

7. School records-- attendance letter with dates attended, courses and hours, attendance tables and transcripts.

8. Letters of employments and records of employment (ROE's), if available.

9. Medical history (check out eileen's site, below).

10. Driving records, vehicle registration info and auto insurance records-- from your provincial licensing/insurance company.

11. May be much more-- if you have your own business in Canada, children activities etc.-- see sections in RQ form.

12. I would also submit credit card or bank statements showing account activities, with indication of who is the primary holder.

Though there are examples of documents to provide in RQ form, the list is not exhaustive. You have to demonstrate you have had presence and activities in Canada during the period and it depends on your situation.

Also check out eileen's site: http://residencequestionnaire.wordpress.com/

 

[EasyRider]

One more point I think it's important to make regarding RQ response-- even if you have a perfect travel declaration (no discrepancies with initial application) and supporting documents (all stamps in passports matching, CBSA record, travel records from other countries, boarding passes & itineraries)-- it's only the beginning, a first step that defines the periods for which you should demonstrate your activity in Canada.

Ideally, you should cover and confirm all these supposed presence periods with in-country activity proof-- rent and job comes to mind 1st, but keep in mind that paying rent and having a title in some corporation, for example, does not necessarily imply physical presence. I have a friend who had a job and rented in one country, but was physically in another country for couple years-- simply because company transferred him to their office in that another country and was paying for accommodation there as well.

So, I think it may be important to additionally submit you credit card/bank account records with indication of primary holder and transactions showing locations or at least merchant names, if possible. Also, phone, internet and/or utility bills and records. Also, school/university records with attendance reports are very good in proving one's residency. Health records are good too, if you're a frequent doctor-goer.

 

[Swede]

Thanks for you reply.

What I listed is pretty much what I have. I threw out a lot of papers when I moved 1½ years ago and my credit card statements were the only ones I could get without paying hundreds of dollars. The problem, however, is that I didn't use my credit card for months. Since coming to Canada I haven't attended school, I've been to the hospital once (before I became a PR), I don't have businesses or kids and I've never owned a car. I've made three day-trips to the states and I've made two (5 weeks and 2 weeks) visits to the old country. All my trips have stamps. I never did hand back the 90 day US visiting visa the last time I left the States, so I don't think asking CBP for information will help my case.

Do you think they'll reject me? If so I might as well withdraw my application now and re-apply in a few months when I can prove presence since I'll have had the same job for 3 years straight.

 

[professional 1]

Do you think they'll reject me? If so I might as well withdraw my application now and re-apply in a few months when I can prove presence since I'll have had the same job for 3 years straight.

I don't think they will reject your application as long as you provide all the documents they request "if applicable." Write an explanation letter of whatever is not available.

It might just take longer to process if any of the documents they are requesting is not available "considering that you explain the reason to them in an explanation letter."

If the only point of withdrawing your application is to be able to cover the full period of residence with documents, don't forget that withdrawing an application is a reason itself to trigger another RQ in your new citizenship application.

In that case, you won't be saving any processing time, as you have already been waiting for almost a year now and your new application will start from zero point to be processed again. Then if there is a new RQ in it, you will have to wait long for it to be processed.

 

[OKK]

Thanks for you reply.

What I listed is pretty much what I have. I threw out a lot of papers when I moved 1½ years ago and my credit card statements were the only ones I could get without paying hundreds of dollars. The problem, however, is that I didn't use my credit card for months. Since coming to Canada I haven't attended school, I've been to the hospital once (before I became a PR), I don't have businesses or kids and I've never owned a car. I've made three day-trips to the states and I've made two (5 weeks and 2 weeks) visits to the old country. All my trips have stamps. I never did hand back the 90 day US visiting visa the last time I left the States, so I don't think asking CBP for information will help my case.

Do you think they'll reject me? If so I might as well withdraw my application now and re-apply in a few months when I can prove presence since I'll have had the same job for 3 years straight.

Well i don't really see a reason for a refusal however you do have very limited proof do write a letter explaining your situation and withdrawing your application wont help you at all as whenever you will reapply you will be slammed with another RQ

 

[Swede]

I don't think they will reject your application as long as you provide all the documents they request "if applicable." Write an explanation letter of whatever is not available.

It might just take longer to process if any of the documents they are requesting is not available "considering that you explain the reason to them in an explanation letter."

If the only point of withdrawing your application is to be able to cover the full period of residence with documents, don't forget that withdrawing an application is a reason itself to trigger another RQ in your new citizenship application.

In that case, you won't be saving any processing time, as you have already been waiting for almost a year now and your new application will start from zero point to be processed again. Then if there is a new RQ in it, you will have to wait long for it to be processed.

Well i don't really see a reason for a refusal however you do have very limited proof do write a letter explaining your situation and withdrawing your application wont help you at all as whenever you will reapply you will be slammed with another RQ

I realize that I'd automatically get an RQ if I withdrew my application and re-applied, but if this application would take me all the way to a judge, I won't see a Canadian passport until the next decade.

If I re-applied in six months I could simply have my employer print me all my pay stubs and write me a letter stating that I've been working there since February 2011 and send that, along with a complete RQ, to CIC in one go.

 

[OKK]

I realize that I'd automatically get an RQ if I withdrew my application and re-applied, but if this application would take me all the way to a judge, I won't see a Canadian passport until the next decade.

If I re-applied in six months I could simply have my employer print me all my pay stubs and write me a letter stating that I've been working there since February 2011 and send that, along with a complete RQ, to CIC in one go.

I still believe that you are better off by continuing with your current application. It will be alot quicker then the second application all over again. An RQ is guaranteed when you will reply but when they will send you it how do you possibly know??...plus by you withdrawing your application is a victory to them and as per them it will be another justified RQ..however the choice is urs at the end. Good Luck