Tinkerblue

Now I am Austranadian

Last Tuesday, January 20th I officially became a Canadian Citizen.  

J'affirme solennellement que je serai fidèle et porterai sincère allégeance à Sa Majesté la Reine Elizabeth Deux, Reine du Canada, à ses héritiers et successeurs, que j’observerai fidèlement les lois du Canada et que je remplirai loyalement mes obligations de citoyen canadien

I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her MajestyQueen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen.

Yep, we had to say the oath in French and English, because Canada is officially a bilingual country.

It was a long morning.  Hubby, my in-laws, my sister-in-law (Jen), my niece (Taylor), my friend (Steph) and I all arrived at the Surrey Immigration office at 8am.  

About 20 mins later they let everyone in.  I had to stand in a long line up to sign in.  

There were 91 people from 24 countries taking their oath of citizenship.  It took over 1/2 an hour to sign everyone in. 

 

Finally around 9:15am the Judge entered the room and the ceremony began.  The Judge thanked everyone for choosing Canada over everywhere else and then proceeded to almost insult every other country in the world.  I'm sure that wasn't how he meant to come across, at least I hope not.  

We had cookies and coffee afterwards.  Then Steph and I headed to work, and everyone else went out for breakfast!

Steph thought I needed moose ears.  

O Canada, I guess I passed!

Over two months ago I received a summons.  Actually a notice to appear for my Canadian citizenship test.  On Wednesday October 29th at 8:35am.  It was a tad unexpected.

I sent my application in at the end of May.  Sometime in September I received a letter advising my application had been received and would be reviewed, and that this step would take 12-18 months.  Then I would sit the test.  I certainly didn't expect to take it this year.  Let alone with a weeks notice.

I have not crammed for a test in 18 years! 

8:00 - 8:30am arrive at the test centre, join the line up to have my ID and my notification letter checked

8:30am doors open, the line moves forward slowly as each person is given a number and told where to sit

8:45 - 9:00am wait patiently for my number (5) to be called.  Wait patiently while a citizenship and immigration officer checks over my application to make sure nothing is missing.  I sign the back of the answer sheet, so she can check my signature matches the one on the appliction.  All is good, so

9:00 - 9:30am take my assigned seat for the test.  Fill in my name and number on answer sheet.  Wait patiently for everyone elses application to be verified.

9:30am - 9:45am citizenship and immigration officer explains test - don't talk, don't look at another person's answers, make sure top half of form is filled in correctly etc etc

9:45 -9:50am - test is handed out.  I have version C.  There's 6 versions.  Make sure to note which version you have on the answer sheet. 

9:50am start test.  There are 20 questions. Questions 1-15 are general knowledge about Canadian history, geography, economy and people.  I think you need to get 12/15 to pass.  Questions 16-18 were about Canadian government, and you had to answer at least 1 of the 3 correctly.  Questions 19+20 were about elections and voting and you had to get both correct.

10:15am I'm done.  Hand in my answer sheet.  Now I have to wait 4 months to find out if I passed.

Here's a practise test.  See how you would fare.

Over the holidays I received another notice to appear. On January 20th 2009 at 8:30am to take the oath of citizenship. I guess that means I passed the test. I have to show up with the above notice, 2 pieces of ID with photo and signature, all my original documents including record of landing, confirmation of permanent residence and permanent residence card, a holy book for my choice and finally all my passports (current and expired). I'll lug them all there and they probably won't even look at them. It says I can bring family and friends. Hubby and my friend Steph are coming. Do you want to come too? Or you can come for a celebration party that evening. Hubby and Steph are throwing me a welcome to Canada party. (they seem to forget I've already been here for almost 12 years!) It feels kinda weird. Everyone here is excited for me, yet I feel bad. Why? Not really sure, but it feels like I'm giving up my home. I'm not. I get to keep my Aussie citizenship and passport. I hope my family is not upset or insulted.

Decision 08

Today is election day in the US. 

Are you a US citizen?  Did you vote?  I hope so.

Just under a month ago a federal election was held in Canada.  Barely 59% of eligible voters voted.  The lowest turnout in Canadian election history.  I couldn't vote, I'm still not a citizen.  But I'll be voting in the next election.  I'm not overly passionate about politics, but I am passionate about voting.  About having my say.

replica of a 1968 Herb Lubalin poster

The televised debate between Canada's party leaders was outrated by the US debates.  And tonight the US election is all over our TV channels.  I'm not complaining, I'm watching.

History in the making.

The thing about being an Aussie in Canada...

Is that it's costing me a fortune.  Both time and $$ wise.

I have an Australian passport. 

In Canada I'm what is called a landed immigrant or permanent resident.  I became a Canadian resident in 2000. The application fee was a few pennies under $1000.00.  I had to have a full medical including lung xrays, blood tests etc.  That was $100.00+.  Then I had to have a criminal record check for every country I had lived in for 6 months or more.  That meant Australia, Japan, The UK, Mexico and the USA.  Each country charged me $85.00 - $100.00.

Now that I am a permanent resident I have to have a PRC - permanent resident card.  It has to be renewed every 5 years.  It's only $50.00. Plus a set of passport photos.

When I travel to the US on my Australian passport I have to get a visa waiver.  It costs $6.00 each time.  But I can't enter into the US in a private plane, or boat only on commercial flights.  Which sucks when we live so close to the Washington State border, and Seattle is only an hours flight away as opposed to a 4 hour drive.

To be able to fly to Seattle in our plane I have to have a US visa, not a visa waiver.  A US visa is $131.00.  It's valid for 10 years - I think.

I spend a lot of time standing in queues or sitting in waiting rooms.  For visa applications, to have photos taken, to get a guarantor's signature, to pay fees, for interviews, to drop off or pick up the approved document etc etc.

My applications for renewing my PRC, US Visa and Canadian Citizenship.

For the longest time I refused to apply for Canadian Citizenship.  It seemed so final.  My family are in Australia, lots of my friends are in Australia, I'm Australian and in my head and my heart Australia is still home. 

So finally this year I did it. I applied to become a Canadian Citizen.  I will still be an Australian Citizen and I get to keep my Australian passport. 

I haven't heard anything about my application yet. So far I've filled in lots of paperwork. You know the thing.... list all the addresses I've lived at in the last 5 years, all the jobs I've had, every time I left Canada and for how long, all my medical details etc etc.  If they approve the application I have to sit a test and go for an interview.

Are you one of my Canadian friends? Can you pass the test? 

Wish me luck.