Applying 1st time for canadian passport RESIDING IN USA

raju4usa

Registered Users (C)
I recently got my canadian citizenship and Moved to USA On H1(b) Visa stamped on my Indian Passport.

As India dont recongnise dual citizenship, I want to apply for canadian passport and surrender indian passport to Indian consutlate General in USA.


I have couple of question for Citizenship Gurus.

1. how long will it take to obtain canadian Passport.
2. I know there is application i need to down load form CIC web site.
3. what are the Back Ground checks that they will do when you apply for canadian passport to Passport and citizenship department in Ottawa..?

4. The application say I need a guranter who knows me for last 2 years in usa.

5. If I dont have a gurrantor, what are legal hassles I will have for get a canadian passport..?

Please share your experiences/difficulties for geting a canadian passport..?

Thanks in advance..

Raj
 
If you don't mind telling me please how long t tool you to become a citizen in Canada. I mean the whole process. What is time bracket? I have applied for my citizenship in September and so far i have not heard anything back from Canadian Immigration. Please help.
 
I filed my canadian citizenship In Novemeber-25, 2001 and I got citizenship certificate in Oct-10,2002. It took almost about 11 months. It is taking longer time to canadian citizenship oath beacuse of september-11
 
Originally posted by raju4usa
I recently got my canadian citizenship and Moved to USA On H1(b) Visa stamped on my Indian Passport.

As India dont recongnise dual citizenship, I want to apply for canadian passport and surrender indian passport to Indian consutlate General in USA.

If I am not mistaken effective Jan 2003, India is allowing dual citizenships for the following countries(USA, Canada, UK, Australia and Newzeland). I saw this on yahoo news. If you obtain your Canadian passport, you don't have to surrender your Indian Passport. Legally you will not be entitled to renew your passport. Call the Indian Consulate in the US and ask them about the Dual Citizenship.

I have couple of question for Citizenship Gurus.

1. how long will it take to obtain canadian Passport.
(If you file it in Canada, I think it's 3 weeks).

2. I know there is application i need to down load form CIC web site.
(Yes, you can download the application from CIC's web site)

3. what are the Back Ground checks that they will do when you apply for canadian passport to Passport and citizenship department in Ottawa..?

Criminal background check.

4. The application say I need a guranter who knows me for last 2 years in usa.

I didn't see it on the app. Just ask your Canadian accountant to sign it, or your physician in Canada to sign it.

5. If I dont have a gurrantor, what are legal hassles I will have for get a canadian passport..?

If you don;t get one, your application will not be processed.

Please share your experiences/difficulties for geting a canadian passport..?

Thanks in advance..

Raj
 
Originally posted by raju4usa
It took about 11 months for processing of canadian citizenship application

wow, that is a long time.

I hope you dont mind me asking some questions:

1) Does one have to stay in Canada when the process is ongoing?

2) Can one just give an address in Canada to prove the 3 years requirement or do they ask proof of appartment like Lease etc and do they investigate?

I came here in July 2000 and for the first 3 months was in USA with basically a friends address in Canada for receiving SIN Card and Bank correspondence. Can I use those 3 months as staying in Canada.

3) Do they do the whole background check once again?

Thanks
 
wow, that is a long time.

Yes now it takes long time.

I hope you dont mind me asking some questions:

1) Does one have to stay in Canada when the process is ongoing?

Well, according to Law a person have to stay (365*3=1095) days before he apply for canadian citizenship application.

Yes you have stay when application is in processing

2) Can one just give an address in Canada to prove the 3 years requirement or do they ask proof of appartment like Lease etc and do they investigate?

I think they just check your criminal Record FROM RCMP and local police. They dont ask proof of apartment or lease

I came here in July 2000 and for the first 3 months was in USA with basically a friends address in Canada for receiving SIN Card and Bank correspondence. Can I use those 3 months as staying in Canada.

As per law You have declare that you were out of country for 3 months.

3) Do they do the whole background check once again?

Yes, if they find any criminal record, they do whole back ground check.

Thanks
 
Hi raju4usa, I also have some questions regarding applying Canadian Citizenship:

1) Did they ask you to provide any income tax filing to prove the person who works in Canada or not?

2) How long you waited for taking a citizenship test after you received an appointment notice from CIC?

3) During the process, do you think they will first check a person who is now residing in U.S. or Canada? Or will they find out the actual time an applicant who stay in Canada?

4) On the testing date, did they ask you other question other than your written test? I mean did they ask you to provide other evidences or check your passport?

Thank you so much and hope you can answer these questions. :)
 
Hi raju4usa, I also have some questions regarding applying Canadian Citizenship:

1) Did they ask you to provide any income tax filing to prove the person who works in Canada or not?

->They didnt ask my taxes..even though I filed my taxes for 4 yrs with income in canada

2) How long you waited for taking a citizenship test after you received an appointment notice from CIC?

-> About 2 months

3) During the process, do you think they will first check a person who is now residing in U.S. or Canada? Or will they find out the actual time an applicant who stay in Canada?

->They do verify what you declared in your citizenship application form with immigration and customs of canada, Beacuse they do have a record whenever you return to canada.

4) On the testing date, did they ask you other question other than your written test? I mean did they ask you to provide other evidences or check your passport?

-> Yes on my testing date she asked me how many times I was out canada, duration of the stay, what are the places I visited for and Purpose of the trips. She took my passport and browsed all the passport papers to make sure I dont have any illegal stamps on my passport.

Thank you so much and hope you can answer these questions.
 
Raj4usa,

You should be able to work on TN visa now if I am not wrong.

Any advantage on working in H1 for Canadian citizens?
 
I work for Multinational company those who has offices in both canada and USA. My company sponsored me Greencard Processing in USA while I was working in canada. After I Got citizenship, I moved to USA as US employee on H1(B) visa which makes my life easier to continue processes my greencard application. As you guys know Greencard is for future employment, thats why I could able to continue to process my greencard application.
 
I work for Multinational company those who has offices in both canada and USA. My company sponsored me Greencard Processing in USA while I was working in canada. After I Got canadian citizenship, I moved to USA as US employee on H1(B) visa which makes my life easier to continue processes my greencard application. As you guys know US Greencard is for future employment, thats why I could able to continue to process my greencard application.
 
Thanks for all the info, Raj4usa.

Just one Q: I read somewhere that short absences from Canada, for vacations, family visits or business trips are allowed for in the citizenship process. Can u confirm this, i.e, did u include vacation time spent overseas as part of the 1095 days residency requirement? If so, did u have to show proof in the form of hotel reservations, airline tkts etc.??

Thanks.
 
gc7777,

It it left to the descretion of the Immigration Judge. As long as one can prove ties to Canada, I don't think it will be an issue. It is good to maintain records.
 
You dont need to carry proof each and every visit you have been out of the country.

Yes, I excluded vacation days which I took when I was of canada.
 
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