canadian citizenship status

[lolo2306]

Hi, I am a permanent resident here in Canada, and I just would like to ask if there is any problem to get married (outside Canada) while my application for canadian citizenship is on going? Does it affect my application?

[Reba]

no, why would it?

[Steven]

No, you don't even need to be in Canada to be granted citizenship, you simply need to have fulfilled the physical presence test and have done the citizenship test. Obviously you should schedule the test when you are in Canada or a Canadian embassy wherever you are going to be (better to do it in Canada I strongly suspect).

[canexpat]

Two questions.

Does Canada require a physical presence or actual residency for the three years required for citizenship? In other words, does one need to set up actual residence or does time spent traveling around in Canada (for example) count toward the three years.

-and-

As Canada does not have exit controls how does it currently determine if an individual has fulfilled the requirement. Is it the responsibility of the individual applying for citizenship to prove that they have been in Canada?

Thanks

[agnelson]

I assume you are asking about naturalization? Yes, there is a physical residency requirement. One needs to live 1095 days in the past 4 years in canada to be eligible for citizenship (or gets a judicial exemption). Days during the past 4 years when one is absent for any reason from canada cannot count towards those 1095 days.

The citizenship application requires that one submit a list of all residences they've had in the past 4 years as well as a detailed presence calculation that establishes the total days, which is part of one's application, both of which are submitted subject to the penalties related to making false declarations, including deportation -- that is how it is enforced.

[Steven]

You need to be physically present in Canada for three years in five, doesn't matter where.

Good question as to how Canada proves it, I'm sure there are people who fudge it, the application form asks for details of all absences and residences in the last five years but how they verify that is an open question. Obviously it looks more suspicious if you don't have support for it, DL etc. They are empowered to investigate the claim. How closely they check is an interesting question, but a Canadian citizenship application currently takes 14 months, whereas in the US it is 5 months, so even if you lie it's going to be a tough lie to maintain for 14 months given that there are other requirements to complete before it is granted that require a Canadian address, such as the citizenship test.

[agnelson]

3 years in 4 for citizenship.

2 years in 5 for PR status.