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China News Digest - Canadian Regional Services (Bo Xiong) --------------- Date: Tue, 11 Apr 1995 10:22:46 -0300 Reply-To: FCSSCN-L stands for FCSSC News Release Sender: FCSSCN-L stands for FCSSC News Release >From: Roland Xinlei Wang Subject: FCSSC News Release 6-42, Tuesday April 11, 1995 To: Multiple recipients of list FCSSCN-L Status: RO ******************************************************************** # FCSSC News Release 6-42 Tuesday, April 11, 1995 # # # # m"m D mm" "m" ""D mmmmmmm m"m m"m # # m" "m mmmDmmmm mmmmm D""" D D """D D D "D" "D" # # m" "m D D D D D""" m"m """D D"""D mDmD DmDm # # n" mmmmmmmmm "m D D D D D"""""""""""""D DmmmD mmmD Dmmm # # D D D D D " """""D" " D D D D D D # # mmmmDmmmm D D D D "D DmmmD"DmmD D D # # D m" m" DmmmD """""""D""""" "" D " D D"" # # mmmmmmDmmmmmm m" mm" " " "Md D m" D # # # # # # Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars in Canada # # # ******************************************************************** ******************************************************************** Special Issue of Canadian Citizenship ******************************************************************** [Editor's Note] As many of our Chinese students, scholars and professionals in Canada start to apply for Canadian Citizenship, FCSSC Immigration Centre selects the following document from Citizenship and Immigration Canada's WWW site. We hope this will bring some basic information to our readers. This is the third FAQ provided by the Immigration Centre, FCSSC. The FAQ for INDEPENDENT IMMIGRATION TO CANADA has been published in the FCSSC News Release NR6.35. The FAQ for CANADIAN RETURNING RESIDENT PERMIT has been published in the FCSSC News Release NR6.40. If you have any more concern about immigration to Canada, or any comments to the FCSSC Immigration Centre, please contact us at fcssc-imm@uwalpha.uwinnipeg.ca or Mr. Changming Yan at (819)246-9298(tel/fax). Table of Contents ============================================================================ 1. HOW TO BECOME A CANADIAN CITIZEN 2. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO BECOME A CANADIAN CITIZEN? 3. OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT CANADA CITIZENSHIP 4. CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP OFFICES ============================================================================ +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ 1. HOW TO BECOME A CANADIAN CITIZEN +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ >From: Citizenship and Immigration Canada Web Address:http://www.ingenia.com/cicnet/ Who can become a Canadian Citizen? ---------------------------------- You must be over 18 years of age to apply to become a Canadian citizen. If you are the parent of a child under 18 you can apply for your child if you are already a Canadian citizen or if you are applying to become a citizen. You must be a Permanent Resident You must be in Canada legally as a "permanent resident." In the past, this was called being a "landed immigrant". You must have lived here for three years You must have lived in Canada for a total of three years out of the four years before the day you apply. Within these four years, all the time you lived in Canada before you became a permanent resident counts as "1/2 time". All the time you lived in Canada after you became a permanent resident counts as full time. You must know English or French English and French are the official languages of Canada. If you want to become a Canadian citizen, you must learn enough English or French to carry on a simple conversation. You must learn about Canada You must know about the rights and responsibilities that Canadians have, such as the right to vote. You must also know some things about Canada's history and geography, and about our political system. When you apply to become a Canadian we will give you copies of the free publications A Look at Canada and the Canadian Citizen. You should be able to answer questions about all of the information in A Look at Canada and the Canadian Citizen when you go for your citizenship test. Who cannot become a Canadian citizen? ------------------------------------- You cannot become a Canadian citizen if: o you are under a deportation order and are not allowed to be in Canada now; o you have been charged with a crime - an indictable offense; o you were convicted of an indictable crime in the past three years; or o you are in prison, on parole or on probation. The Citizenship Act states that you must tell us this information on your application form. We will check with the police to find out if you have a criminal record that would keep you from becoming a Canadian citizen. We will also check immigration records to make sure that you are in Canada legally. If you think you may not qualify because you have been charged with a crime or have a criminal record, or if you need any more information on this subject, please contact the Citizenship Office nearest you. +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ 2. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO BECOME A CANADIAN CITIZEN? +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ >From: Citizenship and Immigration Canada Web Address:http://www.ingenia.com/cicnet/ To apply to become a Canadian citizen you must follow these five steps: 1. Call or write to us to get an "Application for Citizenship" form. You can get this form by calling or writing to the Citizenship Office closest to you. At the same time you can: o make an appointment to meet with a citizenship officer o ask how much it will cost to apply for citizenship o ask whether a citizenship class is being offered near you. A citizenship class can help you prepare for your citizenship test. There are Citizenship Offices in all of Canada's large cities and in many smaller cities and towns. 2. Complete the application and attach the necessary documents. The application form comes with instructions. Complete the form and attach: o Proof of where and when you were born - your passport or birth certificate, for example. Bring your children's birth certificates if you are applying for citizenship for them. o Two other pieces of identification, such as a driver's license and a bank or a medical card. o Your immigration document as proof that you are in Canada legally. o Two copies of a color or black-and-white photograph of you that was taken in the last year. Tell the photographer that you want a "citizenship photo". The photographs must be stamped on the back with the photographer's name and address and the date the photographs were taken. You cannot wear a head covering when this photograph is taken unless you have to wear one under religious law. Check the application form for more important information about the photographs. o A certified cheque or money order made payable to the "Receiver General for Canada", for the application fee. 3. Meet with a Citizenship Officer at the Citizenship Office or mail us your application. After you have filled in the application form, you can meet with a citizenship officer to review your application and swear or affirm that everything you have said in it is true. You must sign the bottom of your photographs in front of the citizenship officer. The citizenship officer will check your documents and then return them to you. You can send us your application by mail. If you apply by mail you must see a Notary Public, a Justice of the Peace or a Commissioner for Oaths to swear or affirm that the information in your application is true. You must also get him or her to certify that copies of documents such as your passport and birth certificates are true copies. You must send us all of the pages of your passport and other documents with your application. o Many lawyers are Notarizes Public. They are listed in the Yellow Pages of your phone book. o Justices of the peace are at the Provincial Court or Territorial Court. o Some lawyers, legal secretaries, Members of Parliament and business people are Commissioners for Oaths. Remember to send a certified cheque or money order for your application fee with your application, photographs and documents. 4. Get ready Your application may take several months to process. You can use this time to study the books A Look at Canada and The Canadian Citizen to prepare for your citizenship test. You may also want to go to a citizenship class if one is being held near you. If you meet the conditions for citizenship, we will send you a "Notice to Appear", telling you the date and time when you will be given your citizenship test. You may be given a written test OR an interview with a citizenship judge. In either case, your answers to the test questions will show whether you can speak English or French, and whether you know the information in the books A Look at Canada and The Canadian Citizen. 5. Take the Oath of Citizenship If you meet the requirements to become a Canadian citizen, we will send you a "Notice to Appear to Take the Oath of Citizenship" telling you when and where your citizenship ceremony will take place. If you wish to swear the oath of citizenship on your holy book, please bring it with you to the ceremony. We will give you your certificate of citizenship at the citizenship ceremony. The certificate is a small card that you can use to identify yourself and to prove that you are a Canadian citizen. We will also give you a commemorative document that shows the date when you became a Canadian. You should keep these documents in a safe place. +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ 3. OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT CANADA CITIZENSHIP +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ >From: Citizenship and Immigration Canada Web Address:http://www.ingenia.com/cicnet/ We will send you two notices in the mail, about the citizenship test and about the citizenship ceremony. If we do not hear from you after that, or if you do not show up for your citizenship test we will close your file. You will have to fill in another application form and pay the fee to go through the process again. Let us know if you: o cannot come to the Citizenship Office on the day of your test; o move or change your telephone number; or o will be away from your home for two weeks or more. How much does it cost to become a Canadian citizen? --------------------------------------------------- As of April 1, 1994, the fee for adults is less than $100.00. The fee for children under 18 is less than $50.00. How long does it take to become a Canadian citizen? --------------------------------------------------- After we get your application, it usually takes several months before you become a Canadian citizen. If the Citizenship Office closest to you is very busy it could take longer. Do children have to write a test? --------------------------------- No. Only people over 18 have to write a test. However, children over 14 must take the Oath of Citizenship. I am still a citizen of another country. Will I lose that citizenship if I become a Canadian? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Canadian is allowed to be a citizen of another country as well. Some countries will not let you keep their citizenship if you become a Canadian. You can find this out from a consulate or embassy of your homeland. What if my application is turned down? -------------------------------------- If the Citizenship Office decides that you do not meet all of the requirements to become a Canadian citizen, we will send you a letter and explain why you cannot become a citizen now and what your next step should be. Could I be a Canadian citizen and not know it? ---------------------------------------------- In general, if you were born in Canada you are a Canadian citizen. You are also a Canadian if you were born in another country after February 15, 1977 and one of your parents was a Canadian citizen before your birth. You may be a Canadian if you were born in another country before February 15, 1977 and one of your parents was a Canadian citizen at the time of your birth. Call the Citizenship Office closest to you to find out. MORE INFORMATION ---------------- For more information, call or write to the Citizenship Office closest to you or write to: Registrar of Canadian Citizenship Citizenship and Immigration Canada Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 6V6 +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ 4. CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP OFFICES +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ >From: Citizenship and Immigration Canada Web Address:http://www.ingenia.com/cicnet/ REGISTRAR OF CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP P.O. Box 7000 SYDNEY NS B1P 6V6 (902) 564-7800 NEWFOUNDLAND NF Building 223, Pleasantville P.O. Box 13667 ST. JOHN'S NF A1B 4G1 (709) 772-0661 1-800-563-0883 NOVA SCOTIA NS 5281 Duke Street HALIFAX NS B3J 3M1 (902) 426-6812 NEW BRUNSWICK NB also serving Prince Edward Island P.O. Box/CP 850 1045 Main 3rd Floor MONCTON NB E1C 8N6 (506) 851-7050 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND PE see New Brunswick QUIBEC QC Complexe Guy-Favreau 200, boulevard Reni-Livesque Ouest 10e itage Tour Ouest MONTRIAL QC H2Z 1X4 (514) 283-6679 3950, Ctte-Vertu 2e itage VILLE ST-LAURENT QC H4R 1V4 (514) 283-6817 6420 rue St-Denis MONTRIAL QC H2S 2R7 (514) 283-6835 365, rue Dorchester QUIBEC QC G1K 8P8 (418) 648-3831 ONTARIO ON 150 Main Street West Room 412 HAMILTON ON L8P 1H8 (905) 572-2361 86 Clarence Street 1st Floor KINGSTON ON K7L 1X3 (613) 545-8015 451 Talbot Street Main Floor LONDON ON N6A 5C9 (519) 645-4334 77 City Centre Drive Suite 151 MISSISSAUGA ON L5B 1M5 (416) 973-6424 4580 Dufferin Street Room 300 NORTH YORK ON M3H 5Y2 (416) 973-6424 78 Richmond Street West 2nd Floor OSHAWA ON L1G 1E1 (905) 723-1216 350 Albert Street Suite 300 OTTAWA ON K1A 1K5 (613) 992-7787 200 Town Centre Court Suite 217 SCARBOROUGH ON M1P 4X8 (416) 973-6424 19 Lisgar Street Room 327 SUDBURY ON P3E 3L4 (705) 671-0621 Federal Building 33 South Court Street Room 234 THUNDER BAY ON P7B 2W6 (807) 345-2316 55 St. Clair Avenue East Suite 816 TORONTO ON M4T 1M2 (416) 973-6424 100 Regina Street, 3rd Floor WATERLOO ON N2J 4P9 (519) 886-3120 467 University Avenue West Room 201 WINDSOR ON N9A 5R2 (519) 252-7852 MANITOBA MB 303 Main Street Room 200 WINNIPEG MB R3C 4S3 (204) 983-3792 SASKATCHEWAN SK 2101 scarth Street Room 300 REGINA SK S4P 2H9 (306) 780-5535 #415, 101-22nd Street East SASKATOON SK S7K 0E1 (306) 975-4115 ALBERTA AB 220-4th Avenue South East Room 254 CALGARY AB T2G 4X3 (403) 292-5539 9700 Jasper Avenue Room 225 EDMONTON AB T5J 4C3 (403) 495-3355 also serving NWT BRITISH COLUMBIA 1433 St. Paul Street Room 102 KELOWNA BC V1Y 2E4 (604) 861-3317 550 Victoria Street Suite 300A PRINCE GEORGE BC V2L 2K1 (604) 561-5303 7093 King George Hwy Suite 240 SURREY BC V3W 5A2 (604) 775-7005 Sinclair Centre 757 West Hastings Street Suite 200 VANCOUVER BC V6C 1A1 (604) 666-3971 816 Government Street Room 105 VICTORIA BC V8W 1W9 (604) 363-3464 YUKON YT 300 Main Street Room 215 WHITEHORSE YT Y1A 2B5 (403) 667-5011 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES NT See Edmonton, AB +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Executive Editor: Xinlei Wang (xwang@ug.cs.dal.ca) | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | This FCSSC NR is sent to 5,000--10,000 worldwide subscribers and readers. | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | To sign on/off FCSSC public list, send a msg to the listserv address with | | command: "subscribe " or "unsubscribe " | | LIST NAME LISTSERV ADDRESS USED FOR | | fcsscN-l listserv@vm.ucs.ualberta.ca English News Release | | fcsscD-l listserv@vm.ucs.ualberta.ca Discussion and info exchange | | fhy-ps listserv@uwalpha.uwinnipeg.ca Chinese Magazine for printing | | fhy-gb listserv@cunews.carleton.ca CM jiantizi version for reading | | fhy-hz listserv@uwalpha.uwinnipeg.ca CM for on-line reading | | fhy-big5 listserv@uwalpha.uwinnipeg.ca CM fantizi version for reading | | Please send your technical request to: fcssc-cic@md.physics.uoguelph.ca | | send news contributions & comments to: fcssc-nr@uwalpha.uwinnipeg.ca | | send immigration related questions to: fcssc-imm@uwalpha.uwinnipeg.ca | | send questions on student services to: fcssc-service@uwalpha.uwinnipeg.ca | | All issues of NR are on the ftp site: uwalpha.uwinnipeg.ca:/pub/fcssc/nr | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+