# Permanent residence vs. Citizenship



## born_expat (Mar 18, 2011)

Hi all

Some questions about citizenship: 

From what point can you apply for citizenship in Canada? Must you be a PR permit holder, or can you apply from the instant you set foot in the country? 

Can you keep a dual Canada + x nationality, if your own country allows it?


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

born_expat said:


> Hi all
> 
> Some questions about citizenship:
> 
> ...


You must have been a PR for minimum 3 years

Yes, dual citizenship is permitted.


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## JGK (Dec 12, 2009)

Auld Yin said:


> You must have been a PR for minimum 3 years
> 
> Yes, dual citizenship is permitted.


Not quite true, you have to have been in Canada for about 1095 days and have been a PR for a minimum of two years . However, if you have lived in Canada prior to being granted PR the 4 years prior to your PR can be taken into account. 2 days of pre-PR residence count as 1 day towards the total.


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## shazza151 (Jan 10, 2008)

born_expat said:


> Hi all
> 
> Some questions about citizenship:
> 
> ...


You must be in Canada a required amount of days from the date of your PR, before applying for citizenship.


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## born_expat (Mar 18, 2011)

JGK said:


> Not quite true, you have to have been in Canada for about 1095 days and have been a PR for a minimum of two years . However, if you have lived in Canada prior to being granted PR the 4 years prior to your PR can be taken into account. 2 days of pre-PR residence count as 1 day towards the total.


Thank you very much, JGK. 

So, best case scenario = 

1/ I get a TRP for 2 year; then
2 /I get a PR for the next 2 years. 

Real-life lead time = 4 years. 

Immigration total = 3 years (as TRP years count 1/2, right?).


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## born_expat (Mar 18, 2011)

Auld Yin said:


> You must have been a PR for minimum 3 years
> 
> Yes, dual citizenship is permitted.


Fab. 

I think that, if we are staying (if we even get there... So much work already and I still haven't a secured transfer offer. Ah well noone said it would be easy), it would really be handy for airport, etc. to have Canadian citizenship. 

*new question (soooooooorry): 5*: With a PR (and a TRP, for that matter), do you queue with the US/Canada queue at emmigration, or with non US/Canada? If I have to pop in and out of US all the time for my job, I won't be a happy bunny having to queue for hours with the non US/CA queue. 


*Question 6*: Is the success rate of applying for citizenship from RP status high, provided you abide by the law and are, basically, an 'outstanding citizen' during your stay? 

*Question 7*: What are the potential consequences of being refused citizenship. Could that bring our PR status into jeopardy, or is the PR status, once granted, a given (provided you do not mess up, of course). 



Lovely that we could maybe keep our EU passports if we apply for citizenship, at the face of it. I'd need to investigate with our respective embassies, of course, but good to know. 

My kid already has 2 sets of ID papers already, he'll be the 3-nationalities kid of the block, lol!


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