Time Spent before Applying for Citizenship

[omfaonline]

Hello,

My permanent residency started in September 2008, after which I've spent almost a year and a half in Canada. In May of 2010 I had to leave back to Lebanon because my mother was (and still is) sick. She has undergone a number of heart-related surgeries and I stayed in Lebanon during this time. By the end of this year (and after spending almost two years and a half) I intend to go back to Canada and stay until I am eligible to apply for my citizenship. My PR expires on October 2013.

>>To summarize all of the above, I spent 1.5 years in Canada, left for 2.5 years, then will spend the remaining 1 year in Canada. My questions are:

- How much time should I spend in Canada before I am eligible for citizenship?

- Like I said, after renewing my PR card, I intend to spend time in Canada until I am eligible for citizenship. How much time is that? Is the last year I spent in Canada before the PR expired counted or discounted (meaning do I spend 2 years after renewing the PR to complete a total of 3 years or do I have to spend 3 years all over again since it is a new PR card)?

- What papers/letters (and addressed to whom) do I need in order to clarify this whole situation and facilitate the processing?

 

[scylla]

Since you left for 2.5 years, you will have to spend three years in Canada when you return before you can qualify to apply for citizenship. (To qualify for citizenship, you must have spent 3 out of the last 4 years in Canada).

Renewing your PR card and citizenship have nothing to do with each other.

Information on applying for citizenship is here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/become-how.asp

Hope this helps.

 

[omfaonline]

Thank you for your reply. I just need to know this:
If I spend that last year before the PR expires inside Canada and then renew it, do I get to spend 2 years after I renew it and then apply for citizenship or do I spend 3 years all over again?
Since you said "Renewing your PR card and citizenship have nothing to do with each other" then I'm assuming the total time I have to spend in Canada prior to applying for citizenship should amount to 3 years regardless of whether I renewed the PR card during this time.. am I right?

 

[scylla]

Since you said "Renewing your PR card and citizenship have nothing to do with each other" then I'm assuming the total time I have to spend in Canada prior to applying for citizenship should amount to 3 years regardless of whether I renewed the PR card during this time.. am I right?

Yes - that's exactly right.

 

[omfaonline]

Thanks a million!