Exploring Possibilities
We know from the fact that to become a Canadian citizen, most applicants must:
- be a permanent resident
- have lived in Canada for at least 3 out of the last 5 years (1,095 days)
- have filed their taxes
- pass a citizenship test
- prove their language skills in English or French
Although you don’t need a valid PR card to apply for citizenship, as you can apply with an expired PR card, a Permanent Resident (PR) outside of Canada must maintain their status, which means you must not:
- be under review for immigration or fraud reasons
- be asked by Canadian officials to leave Canada (removal order)
- have unfulfilled conditions related to your PR status, for example: medical screening
Responses to some basic concerns in applying to the Canadian Citizenship from outside Canada:
Q. I am a PR of Canada and I am currently stuck outside of Canada, can I apply for citizenship?
R. YES!
Provided you meet the physical presence requirements, and your PR status is valid.
Q. Can I take citizenship test from outside Canada?
R. YES!
Provided you write to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to gain approval for taking the test online from your location overseas.
Q. Can I take Canadian citizenship Oath from outside Canada?
R. YES!
Generally, one has to be physically present in Canada in order to take the Oath of Citizenship. IRCC will ask you to confirm your location before you can participate in the ceremony. If you are not physically in Canada, you may have to do the citizenship ceremony once you are back in the country. Usually, it is scheduled within 3 months from you passing the citizenship test. However, oath can be taken outside Canada before a Canadian foreign service officer if you explain your situation in detail and is approved by IRCC.
Coming to our original point of discussion i.e. If you can apply for Canadian Citizenship from Outside Canada, think of the following as a series of checkpoints you have to clear to know if you can:
- Have you spent 1095 days, in the 5 years before the date of application, physically present in Canada?
- If the answer is yes, you passed the first checkpoint. Move on to Checkpoint 2.
- If the answer is no, then
- You or your partner/spouse you accompanied were employed by the Canadian Armed Forces, federal public administration or provincial/territorial public service – OR –
- you’re going to have to wait until you return to Canada and can accumulate the 1095 days, before you can apply for citizenship
- If the answer is still no, then you are not eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship.
**Remember unlike Permanent Residency (PR) Obligation, Citizenship Application does NOT consider an full-time employment outside Canada by Canadian business as time spent in Canada
- Do you have a residential and mailing address in Canada that you can use?
- If yes, then mention it.
- If no, please contact family or friends in Canada and set up a Canadian residential/mailing address.
**Please remember to list your current, overseas address in the address history section of your citizenship application.
3. Have you maintained your PR status, by having at least 730 days of physical presence in Canada over the last 5 years, during your application getting processed?
This is only relevant if there have been long delays between applying for citizenship and taking the test. Otherwise, your status as being eligible to apply for citizenship (1095 days over the last 5 years) ensures your PR status also remains valid.
- If the answer is yes, then proceed to checkpoint 4.
- If the answer is no, then you’re going to have to return to Canada (or work for the military or federal/provincial/territorial governments overseas or have your spouse do so) and accumulate sufficient days physically present in Canada to reach 730 in the last 5 years.
4. Will you be back in Canada for taking the oath?
- If the answer is yes, then wait for your oath-taking ceremony.
- If the answer is no, then you need to ensure that you maintain your PR status and do not apply for citizenship unless you are employed by the Crown.
Prohibitions
You are not eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship, if:
- You have not filed taxes / declared income in Canada for at least 3 years during the 5 years before the date you apply; or
- committed a crime in or outside Canada; or
- time spent serving a term of imprisonment, on parole, or on probation – doesn’t count towards the time you’ve lived in Canada.