New Permanet Resident of USA....

[mim219s 0]

When is my wife, the US Citizen, able to apply for citizenship for my country, Canada? Do I have to be a citizen of the United States prior, inorder for her to be able to do so?

[Boiler 45,519]

When is my wife, the US Citizen, able to apply for citizenship for my country, Canada? Do I have to be a citizen of the United States prior, inorder for her to be able to do so?

When are you moving to Canada would be the first thing you would need to know.

Your dual Citizenship would be immaterial.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I believe (may be wrong) that she would have to actually be living in Canada to become a citizen of Canada, don't believe one can apply just through marriage alone.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I believe (may be wrong) that she would have to actually be living in Canada to become a citizen of Canada, don't believe one can apply just through marriage alone.

Spouse may, however, be able to apply for PR (in Canada) based on marriage (haven't checked into this--I had already become a USC when married), and may be able to have LESS time (2 years vs. 3?) as PR before applying.

But, as with US, the foreign spouse of a Canuck cannot apply for citizenship without fulfilling some PR (and physical residence in Canada) requirements.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

US and Canada are very similar in requirements for citizenship. Both require the individual to have obtained permanent residency in the country and then, after satisfying a specific length of time (3 years living in canada as a permanent resident, 3 years living in the US after receiving permanent residency as a spouse to a USC or 5 years for others), an application is made to the appropriate government department. Both countries require security checks as certain criminal or civil charges may make an individual ineligible for citizenship. Both have English (or French in Canada) proficiency requirements, and a written citizenship exam, the Canadian one having 2 parts: one for general Canadian knowledge, and the second for specific knowledge about where you live in Canada. After successfully passing the exam - and in some cases an interview with a citizenship judge - a citizenship Court is called and the applicant is sworn in. The citizenship process currently takes about a year and residency requirements are still in effect until the applicant is sworn in. Being married to a Canadian, just like being married to an American, does not confer automatic citizenship.

Canada does not have a shorter PR time for spouses. It does allow someone to count one half day for every full day of being physically present in Canada on other certain valid visas (student authorization, employment authorization) before receiving permanent residency to apply 2 years of physical presence towards 1 year of the residency requirements for citizenship, so someone can, potentially, apply for citizenship two years after becoming a Canadian permanent resident.

Edited September 14, 2006 by Kathryn41