What is the best way to prove physical presence in Canada when unemployed?

[chelavnzuo]

In my opinion:
- Utility/phone bills and rent receipts are NOT good enough because they can be paid by others. Same logic applies to credit card / debit card transaction history.
- CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) record is NOT good enough either because they do not record the exit dates.

So I am curious to know what you guys can think of that may be used to efficiently prove an unemployed person's physical presence (assume he/she doesn't attend school either).

Thanks

 

[nguyentu2001]

In my opinion:
- Utility/phone bills and rent receipts are NOT good enough because they can be paid by others. Same logic applies to credit card / debit card transaction history.
- CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) record is NOT good enough either because they do not record the exit dates.

So I am curious to know what you guys can think of that may be used to efficiently prove an unemployed person's physical presence (assume he/she doesn't attend school either).

Thanks

if you are not pregnant or disability, how could you be unemployed for 3 years.

 

[Intel]

• Passports covering the 4-year period (with translation for non-English/non-French stamps).
• Provincial Medical Visit History Reports.
• CRA's Notices of Assesment.

In some scenario, where an applicant passport has a valid residency permit from another country, the CIC may request a record of movement from that country.

Even with you being unemployed, you should have filed taxes if you physically live here in order to receive governmental benefits.

 

[farrous13]

In my opinion:
- Utility/phone bills and rent receipts are NOT good enough because they can be paid by others. Same logic applies to credit card / debit card transaction history.
- CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) record is NOT good enough either because they do not record the exit dates.

So I am curious to know what you guys can think of that may be used to efficiently prove an unemployed person's physical presence (assume he/she doesn't attend school either).

Thanks

So there is no source of income? Do you have enough savings to sustain your life in Canada? You must have been working to support yourself. No? Unless, you are currently working under the table.

 

[rayman_m]

1st of all, apart from bills and CBSA record, do you have last 4 years passport after landing with initial landing entry stamp and thereafter all stamps related to the travels?

CIC will like to see if you are unemployed how you have supported yourself/family? I know many immigrants who came to Canada who is unemployed or self-employed where they manage their investments/funds with corporations/real estate properties (inside and outside Canada) and they submit income tax declaring their investment/other income. Also they submit Canadian and Overseas asset and income statements (T1135) to the CRA which shows a person's financial ability and residency in Canada.

So, I am not sure while you are unemployed, how you supported you family? have you submitted income tax ? was there any income declared? or you had sufficient funds inside or outside Canada (bank statement is proof) from where you paid all your bills, rents/mortgage and other expenses? Whatever the source of fund you have to show the proof to CIC. I am not sure, if a person living on social assistance for entire period what happens to them? Most probably their files goes to CJ for review and hearing..

Bottom line is, if you can produce NOA for last 3/4 year even nil income that will establish your residency as you have received Govt. assistance to support yourself and possibly save you from seeing a CJ..

 

[nguyentu2001]

Agree!
no matter how well you support your case, if unemployed for 3 years, chances of getting RQ is quite high

 

[chelavnzuo]

I guess what I really meant to ask is more close to the scenario below:

Consider a person who became PR in Apr 2011 and had been working full-time from Apr 2011 until Feb 2014, and then became unemployed since March 2014. Assume he/she is eligible for citizenship application in April 2014. How can this person justify that he/she was actually living in Canada in the months of unemployed March and April?

 

[nguyentu2001]

I guess what I really meant to ask is more close to the scenario below:

Consider a person who became PR in Apr 2011 and had been working full-time from Apr 2011 until Feb 2014, and then became unemployed since March 2014. Assume he/she is eligible for citizenship application in April 2014. How can this person justify that he/she was actually living in Canada in the months of unemployed March and April?

Oh this case is much better then!!!! You can just explain by a letter, a few months is not a problem at all. I was unemployed for 6 months as I travelled the world for 6 months, I put it in there. I got RQ since I was out of the country. For your case, much simpler than mine, just put actively looking for a job along with other evidence of staying in canada

 

[rayman_m]

If unemployed since March 2014, does the person filed for unemployment insurance benefit? filed 2014 income tax yet? did any cash withdrawal from banks in person? have visited to the doctor? these proofs can establish the person's physical presence inin Canada while unemployed..

 

[Kamloops]

Bills, bank statements, job letters, etc can be accessed online and be obtained from outside Canada. As long as Canada does not have exit control, we have to deal with some hassles.

The best way to prove you were in Canada is your passport(s). NEVER lose it. Whenever you leave Canada and enter into a new country (sometimes USA does not stamp), you will get a stamp for arrival. When you return to Canada, CBSA has a history of entries. CIC looks for the arrival dates (in other countries) and entry dates possibly in your passport and CBSA report.

The above is the only way to prove our physical presence in Canada. I learned it form my citizenship interviewer who only went through my passports. So you better photocopy, scan or take a photo of your arrival / entry records whenever you travel, just in case you lose your passport.

 

[FL1040]

if you are not pregnant or disability, how could you be unemployed for 3 years.

Going to school?...I have been unemployed for four years but I send schools records and they had no problem with that

 

[rayman_m]

I agree with "Kamloops". In fact passports covering from the date became PR is 1st level proof of presence in Canada (Also Airline ticket/Boarding Pass if passports lost). Medical record is the 2nd level of proof if an applicant visited few times to the doctor's office. These proofs can't be produced from outside Canada whatsoever.

Employment letter, T4, NOA, Bank statements, CC ETC.. all are possible to gather even one is outside Canada as most of these documents can be gathered over online or by other means. These documents does proof the overall residency but not 1095 physical residency. Even applicant's physical presence declaration of 1095 is genuine while having few travels and up until it is proved CIC may think otherwise.

 

[SenoritaBella]

Very good suggestions. I plan to submit additional evidence like:
1. recently signed letter of employment
2. total number of hours worked each year for the 4 years in question.
3. photocopy of entire passports - CBSA now stamps PRs passports when they re-enter Canada.
4. phtotocopy of boarding passes

 

[chelavnzuo]

Very good suggestions. I plan to submit additional evidence like:
1. recently signed letter of employment
2. total number of hours worked each year for the 4 years in question.
3. photocopy of entire passports - CBSA now stamps PRs passports when they re-enter Canada.
4. phtotocopy of boarding passes

I would add one more thing if you have ever travelled to any non-English speaking countries, which is the passport stamps translation. This along with CBSA record should be good enough to prove your physical presence in Canada.

And our work/education history, bills, bank statements are used to prove our strong ties to Canada.

 

[chelavnzuo]

Bills, bank statements, job letters, etc can be accessed online and be obtained from outside Canada. As long as Canada does not have exit control, we have to deal with some hassles.

The best way to prove you were in Canada is your passport(s). NEVER lose it. Whenever you leave Canada and enter into a new country (sometimes USA does not stamp), you will get a stamp for arrival. When you return to Canada, CBSA has a history of entries. CIC looks for the arrival dates (in other countries) and entry dates possibly in your passport and CBSA report.

The above is the only way to prove our physical presence in Canada. I learned it form my citizenship interviewer who only went through my passports. So you better photocopy, scan or take a photo of your arrival / entry records whenever you travel, just in case you lose your passport.

Do we need to keep the old passports that were more than 4 years old than the day I apply for citizenship? Does CIC care about the travel history that's before the physical presence requirement range?