Travel Outside Canada While a Citizenship Application Is Processing
Travel Outside Canada While a Citizenship Application Is Processing
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I leave Canada after submitting
my citizenship application?
Yes. IRCC allows you to travel after it receives your
application, provided you maintain your permanent resident status, remain able
to receive and respond to IRCC communications, and comply with any appointments
or requests made during processing.
2. Will travelling after I apply reduce
my 1,095 days?
Travel after the application date does not normally
change the physical presence calculation submitted with your application.
The relevant physical presence period is the five
years immediately before the date you sign your application.
3. Do I need to tell IRCC every time I
leave Canada?
Not for every short trip. However, IRCC specifically
instructs citizenship applicants to let them know if they plan to leave Canada
for more than two weeks in a row.
4. Can I take the online citizenship
test while I am outside Canada?
Yes. IRCC currently states that applicants do not
need to be in Canada to take the online citizenship test.
You should still follow the instructions in your
particular test invitation because IRCC may require a different test format in
some cases.
5. What if IRCC schedules an interview
while I am outside Canada?
Follow the instructions in the notice and contact
IRCC promptly if you cannot attend.
You should not simply miss the appointment. Failure
to respond to IRCC or attend a required event without an acceptable explanation
can affect the processing of your application.
6. What if I receive my citizenship
ceremony invitation while I am outside Canada?
Reply to the ceremony invitation and tell IRCC that
you are outside Canada. IRCC asks applicants to provide information including
when they last left Canada, when they plan to return and the reason for any
request concerning the ceremony.
IRCC will then provide further instructions.
7. Can I attend a virtual citizenship
ceremony while I am outside Canada?
You should not assume that a virtual ceremony can
automatically be attended from another country.
If you are outside Canada when you receive the
ceremony invitation, IRCC specifically requires you to disclose that fact and
wait for instructions.
8. What happens if my PR card expires
while I am travelling?
An expired PR card does not automatically end your
permanent resident status. However, it can create difficulties returning to
Canada on a commercial carrier.
If you are abroad without a valid PR card, you may
need to obtain a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) before
returning.
9. Can I travel after my citizenship
application has been approved but before the ceremony?
Yes, but you remain a permanent resident until you
take the Oath of Citizenship.
You should make sure you can return to Canada as required and closely monitor any ceremony correspondence from IRCC.
Submitting a Canadian citizenship application does
not mean that you must remain in Canada until a decision is made. IRCC allows
applicants to travel outside Canada while their application is being processed,
but there are important conditions to keep in mind.
You must continue to have permanent resident
status until you take the Oath of Citizenship. If you travel, you should
also make sure that you have the documents required to return to Canada.
Permanent residents returning on a commercial carrier generally need a valid PR
card. If you are outside Canada without one, you may need a Permanent Resident
Travel Document.
Travel after submitting the application does not
change the five-year physical presence period that was used to determine
whether you had the required 1,095 days when you applied. However, you
must still maintain your PR status and continue to meet the citizenship
requirements that apply until you become a citizen.
Applicants must also remain available to receive and
respond to IRCC correspondence. IRCC advises applicants to notify them if they
will be outside Canada for more than two weeks in a row.
Travel can become particularly important if IRCC
schedules a citizenship test, interview, hearing or ceremony while you are
away. Most citizenship tests are now completed online, and IRCC states that an
online test can be taken from outside Canada. Other appointments may require
you to be in Canada or to follow specific instructions.
If you receive a citizenship ceremony invitation
while outside Canada, you should contact IRCC as directed in the invitation
rather than assuming that you can take the oath from abroad.
