Applying for Canadian citizenship? Here's why you must disclose your full travel history

Individuals applying for Canadian citizenship must provide a full record of their travel history and all immigration statuses held throughout their life, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ( IRCC). This requirement applies not just to the past five or ten years, but to all countries and territories visited since birth.

Why full travel disclosure matters
Failure to disclose complete travel history can result in delays or complications in processing citizenship applications. IRCC’s guidance clarifies that even short visits, including layovers of a few hours, must be reported. Applicants should provide exact entry and exit dates along with the immigration status they held during each visit. For example, a brief layover would typically be recorded under “visitor” status.

This disclosure is mandatory for both paper and online applications. Paper applicants must answer question 13 of the CIT 002 form, while online applicants will provide the information when prompted in their digital application. IRCC also allows the use of the “other” option in the status dropdown menu to specify immigration statuses not listed.

How to compile your travel history
While gathering a lifelong travel record may seem tedious, there are several tools to simplify the process:

• Passports: Reviewing current and expired passports helps track entry and exit dates. Since some countries may not stamp on exit, passports should be used alongside other records.
• Electronic Travel Authorizations (eTAs): For countries with visa exemptions, eTA confirmations sent via email can serve as proof of travel. Searching email inboxes with keywords like “eTA” or the country name can help locate these records.
• Travel Itineraries and Airline Bookings: Old flight confirmations often contain exact dates of travel and layovers. Frequent airline users may also access archived travel history through online accounts.
• Hotel or Accommodation Records: Platforms like Airbnb, hotel booking sites, and online travel accounts can provide information on arrival and departure dates.
• Photos and Social Media Posts: Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X, along with cloud-stored photos, can help recall trips and verify dates.
• Bank and Credit Card Statements: Transactions related to travel, including hotel payments or currency conversions, can serve as markers for trip timelines.

IRCC’s emphasis on full disclosure reinforces the importance of transparency in naturalization. By providing detailed information about all travel and immigration experiences, applicants increase the likelihood of a smooth and timely citizenship process.