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Citizenship residence questionnaire or hearing: why IRCC asks, the evidence that answers it, and what happens at the hearing

By Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation · Reviewed November 10, 2026

Published

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2019, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Updated November 10, 2026: sections 5 and 13.2 of the Citizenship Act, IRCC’s Help Centre answer on citizenship hearings (modified April 17, 2026) and IRCC’s instructions on representatives checked that day.

The fix: answer the questionnaire completely, with documents that prove where you were day by day. At a hearing, bring originals and answer consistently with what you sent.

The deadline: the date in IRCC’s letter. Missing it can end the application.

Why a lawyer: this is the stage where IRCC decides whether it believes your days. A thin answer here usually becomes a refusal. Why a lawyer

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The lawyers who handle these files

Sundeep S. Grewal, Barrister and SolicitorSundeep S. GrewalBarrister and SolicitorPrabhpreet Kaur Sangha, Barrister and SolicitorPrabhpreet Kaur SanghaBarrister and SolicitorPardeep S. Grewal, Barrister and SolicitorPardeep S. GrewalBarrister and Solicitor
About our lawyers

Sundeep S. Grewal founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.

Pardeep S. Grewal is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.

If IRCC has sent you a residence questionnaire or called you to a citizenship hearing, the officer is not yet satisfied that you were physically in Canada for the 1,095 days you declared. Common triggers are gaps or differences in your travel history, long periods without Canadian work, school or tax records, or a business or family abroad. The questionnaire asks you to prove your presence with documents. A hearing lets an official question you in person. Neither is a refusal, but this is the stage where most physical presence cases are won or lost, so the answer needs to be thorough.

Lawgical Law Corporation, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, prepares residence questionnaire responses, attends citizenship hearings where permitted, and takes refusals to the Federal Court; this guide is by Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha.

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Why did IRCC ask?

  • Your declared trips do not match your CBSA or passport records.
  • There are long stretches with no Canadian employment, school or tax filings.
  • You have a home, business or spouse outside Canada.
  • Your count is close to 1,095 days.

Why this needs a lawyer

One lawyer, one file, every step:

  • checking your declared trips against your travel records before you answer;
  • a complete questionnaire response, organized by period;
  • preparation for the hearing, and attending where the official permits;
  • judicial review within 30 days if the application is refused.

Immigration lawyers are members of a provincial law society (in our case, the Law Society of British Columbia), and only lawyers can appear for you in the Federal Court.

What evidence answers it?

  • Travel records: every passport (including expired ones), your CBSA travel history and, for US trips, your US entry records.
  • Proof of daily life in Canada: pay stubs and employment letters, school transcripts, leases and utility bills, bank and credit card statements showing local spending, medical and dental records.
  • Tax: notices of assessment for the years in the period.
  • An explanation for any gap or difference, with proof.

What happens at a hearing?

IRCC’s Help Centre says a hearing usually lasts 30 to 90 minutes, and the official may ask oral questions about your knowledge of Canada, your residence and your language ability. Bring the originals of everything you sent. Under IRCC’s instructions on representatives, officers should generally allow a representative to be present in citizenship cases, but a representative “would generally not be allowed to assist or speak on behalf of the client during a citizenship knowledge test or language assessment”.

What are my options?

  1. Answer fully by the deadline, period by period, with documents.
  2. Ask for more time in writing, before the deadline, if records from abroad will take longer.
  3. Prepare for the hearing by going over every trip and every document you sent.
  4. If refused, judicial review within 30 days, or a new application once you clearly meet the requirement.

Questionnaires and hearings at a glance

Question Answer Source
Days you must prove 1,095 in the 5 years before applying Citizenship Act s.5(1)(c)
Deadline to answer The date in IRCC’s letter IRCC letter
Length of a hearing Usually 30 to 90 minutes IRCC Help Centre
Representative at the hearing Generally allowed, but not during the knowledge or language test IRCC instructions
Federal Court deadline after a refusal 30 days, with leave Citizenship Act s.22.1

Worked example: the business owner

Example. A permanent resident in Vancouver who runs an import business receives a residence questionnaire on Monday, January 18, 2027, because his declared trips do not match his CBSA travel history. He requests his travel history, finds two trips he left out, and answers with a corrected travel list, a short explanation, his Canadian bank and credit card statements for each month, and his notices of assessment. His recount still shows more than 1,095 days.

Mistakes I have seen

  • I have seen applicants send a few documents and a letter saying “I was in Canada”, with no breakdown by period.
  • I have seen applicants leave out a trip in the questionnaire that was already in IRCC’s records.
  • I have seen applicants miss a hearing notice sent to an old address.

Frequently asked questions

What if I miss the deadline or the hearing?

Under section 13.2(1)(a) of the Citizenship Act, IRCC may treat the application as abandoned if you miss the deadline for the evidence, or miss a hearing, “without reasonable excuse”. It is a discretionary decision, and IRCC usually sends a final notice for a missed questionnaire and a second invitation after a missed hearing. If something stopped you, contact IRCC right away, explain why, ask for more time if you need it, and meet the new deadline. If the file is closed as abandoned, processing stops and you would have to apply again and pay the fees again.

Does a questionnaire mean IRCC thinks I lied?

Not necessarily. It means the officer wants more proof. But if your declared trips were wrong, correct them openly.

Can I bring an interpreter?

For the residence questions, ask IRCC in advance. The language assessment itself has to be in English or French.

See our guides on citizenship refused for physical presence, citizenship refused or delayed and getting your CBSA records.

What should I do right now?

Find the deadline in IRCC’s letter. Request your CBSA travel history now, because it takes time. Gather passports, tax notices and proof of where you lived and worked.

Book a consultation with our immigration lawyers in Surrey, Abbotsford or Vancouver, or online from anywhere.

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Sources (official)

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.