Canadian Permanent Residents (PRs) can travel outside Canada after submitting their citizenship application to IRCC. To maintain Canadian citizenship eligibility while abroad, PRs must adhere to IRCC guidelines, stay informed about steps for eligibility maintenance, strictly follow IRCC instructions, and regularly check for updates on policies regarding international travel during the citizenship application period. Staying compliant with these measures ensures a smooth citizenship application process for PRs traveling outside Canada. Explore tips for traveling outside Canada during citizenship application.
Tips for traveling outside Canada during citizenship application
Must hold Canadian PR status at the time of their citizenship application
Only those who hold Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) status are eligible to seek for citizenship. Put more simply, foreign workers and students who are temporarily residing in Canada are ineligible to apply for Canadian citizenship. The only people qualified to start the application procedure for Canadian citizenship are those with permanent resident status in Canada.
Sustain compliance with the residency requirement to uphold PR status
IRCC stipulates that residents must be met by Canadian Permanent Residents (PRs). In order to maintain their PR status, foreign people possessing Canadian permanent residence (PR) must have lived in Canada for at least 730 days in the previous five years. Notably, the 730 days do not have to be completed in a straight line; in fact, time spent outside of Canada may count toward this total, giving PRs freedom to keep their status while fulfilling their residency requirements.
Sustain PR status until the Oath of Citizenship is taken
To retain their eligibility for Canadian citizenship, Permanent Residents (PRs) must guarantee the maintenance of their PR status until they take the Oath of Citizenship, in addition to the previously mentioned residency requirement. As part of the ongoing commitment necessary for the citizenship process, PRs must ensure they maintain their status prior to the formal Oath of Citizenship being taken.
Utilize their PR card for uncomplicated re-entry when traveling outside Canada
According to the IRCC, possessing your PR card when traveling overseas is essential for a seamless re-entry into Canada. For the purpose of traveling back by bus, train, airplane, or boat, Canadian Permanent Residents (PRs) must have a valid PR card. If the PR card is scheduled to expire during the trip, the IRCC advises renewing it prior to departure to guarantee hassle-free travel. Renewing a PR card is notably limited to residents of Canada; the IRCC has made it clear that they will not ship cards to non-Canadian locations or permit third parties to retrieve them. In order to re-enter Canada, travelers without a valid PR card must apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) outside of the nation, as the IRCC forbids applying for PRTDs from within.
If one of these documents is not presented, one may not be allowed to board the boat, train, bus, or airplane that will take them back to Canada.
Key points outlined by IRCC regarding the citizenship procedure for Canadian PRs
The IRCC draws attention to particular factors that Canadian PRs should take into account when coordinating and communicating appointments and events within the department. Notably, the IRCC may use email to interact with Canadian immigration applicants in addition to the mail that it normally uses to reach addresses within Canada. Responding to letters or emails from the IRCC within the allotted time is vital. If this isn’t done and there isn’t a good cause for the person to miss appointments or not provide the information that is needed, the IRCC may stop processing the person’s application.
The IRCC reserves the right to decide to stop processing an applicant’s application if they do not reply and do not provide a legitimate explanation for missing appointments or do not provide the relevant information.
Moreover, IRCC emphasizes that immigration candidates must show up for all scheduled meetings and activities, including as citizenship exams, ceremonies, interviews, or hearings, held at IRCC locations across Canada. If candidates are unable to attend, they are advised to send an email or letter to the local office that published the notice of the event. IRCC enables applicants to contact the immigration department via an online form.
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