Stewart84

If London helping Pakistan is going to significantly increase timescales, will there be a statement on the CIC website?

prairiechicken

Sorry I know the answer to this must be on here somewhere, I just can't find exactly what I am looking for.

Can someone tell me how soon a sponsored spouse can apply for citizenship. I thought it was after 3 years of residency, but then I thought I had seen somewhere that it was 2 years out of the previous 5.

And is a citizenship application a quick process or can we expect it to be ages after application before my husband can apply for a Canadian passport? We're getting ahead of ourselves here, but we're just looking at passport expiry dates and wondering!!

apt2208

Based on what others have said it sounds like its normal for London to process Pakistan's applications, so there probably won't be a statement on the CIC website.

christmasoompa

Unlikely, as this isn't a new thing so why would it suddenly increase timescales? London has processed the majority of Pakistan's applications for the past 4 years, and they've always taken extra cases on from other offices when needed, as all visa offices do.

If timescales do change (unlikely imo - it's far more likely that they'll increase just from the usual summer slowdown with so many staff off), then it'll be reflected in the processing times webpage, I really don't see any special announcement being made.

apt2208

Very strange, the currency for both is GBP, only difference being Scotland print their own bank notes.

apt2208

Thank you for clarifying this all christmasoompa and sorry if I worried everyone for no reason!

Becki567

I found this on their website:

Time you have lived in Canada
You must have resided in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) in the past four years before you apply. This does not apply to children under 18.

You may be able to count time you spent in Canada before you became a permanent resident if it was during the past four years.

Use our online tool to find out if you have lived in Canada long enough to apply to become a citizen.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizen...ility.asp#time

christmasoompa

Yep, as Becki has said, it's 3 years out of the previous 4 - note though that will be changing to a minimum of 4 years as a PR required in the upcoming changes, so judging from your timeline it'll be about 2019 before your husband can apply.

It's certainly not a quick process! http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/informa...processing.asp

HTH.

prairiechicken

Thanks both, that's good to know. It's not that we are in a hurry (good thing really!!), I just like to know what's ahead of us.

SchnookoLoly

As in when you log in to ECAS it says delivered? The date that's on the spreadsheet is the date that your application actually arrived in Mississauga. If you get an acknowledgement of receipt from CIC then we'll add it to the "notes" section of the spreadsheet.

Your question has been answered, but just pointing out the 2 out of 5 requirement you are thinking of is the residency requirement to maintain PR. That's 2 years in 5 that have to be spent physically in Canada, OR abroad with you as the Canadian spouse. If you continue living together but do so in another country, as long as you are still living together PR can be renewed.

Citizenship is strictly time physically in Canada, regardless of where you are. Currently that's 3 out of 4 years, but as has been said, that is changing to 4 in 6.

Stewart84

I actually just meant that the Royal Mail tracker says it has been delivered, so maybe im jumping the gun!

SchnookoLoly

Ah ok, so that would be the date that it arrived in Mississauga. Is that delivered as of today?

I've added you, let me know if I need to change the date. Also, Married or CL, I don't remember...

Stewart84

Yesterday! (18th).

Sidenote, on the back of another thread that was posted on the BE forum, my GF is panicking a little as when we included our payment of fees reciept we didn't write out our details by hand. It has the payment reference and is included in our package so I think that should be ok...whats your take, maybe send an email in to make sure?

SchnookoLoly

Okee, all updated, and since you say GF, I assume CL.

I don't remember writing anything by hand myself, but I did my application 2 years ago so details like that are a bit fuzzy! I'd say to look at the checklist and the guide and whatever it says on there is what you were meant to do. If that said you were supposed to write something by hand, then .......

Stewart84

I don't think it says anything in the guide it was just on the receipt