Citizenship status of skaters aiming for the Olympics

[Hanna]

I'm curious about what's up with all the skaters currently trying to get citizenship of the country they're skating for. Maybe we can update news about the topic in this thread?

For starters, what's up with Spanish citizenship for Khaliavin and Smart? What about Sörensen Canadian citizenship?

And many others.

Edit: OK never mind about the Spaniards.

 

[honey]

I'm curious about what's up with all the skaters currently trying to get citizenship of the country they're skating for. Maybe we can update news about the topic in this thread?

For starters, what's up with Spanish citizenship for Khaliavin and Smart? What about Sörensen Canadian citizenship?

And many others.

Considering Khaliavin skated in 2018 olympics, one could assume he has Spanish citizenship .

 

[Jeschke]

I need updates on Samoilov passort

 

[Hanna]

Considering Khaliavin skated in 2018 olympics, one could assume he has Spanish citizenship .

Oh dear, my perception of time has to be really off because I was sure that in 2018 it was still Hurtado/Diaz.

So I guess Smart also probably has hers then.

Never mind, carry on! Sörensen at least is definitely valid. And I'm sure there are others that escape me right now.

 

[MsZem]

For starters, what's up with Spanish citizenship for Khaliavin and Smart?

Smart and Khaliavin received their Spanish citizenship even before Bruno Massot became German

 

[Hanna]

Smart and Khaliavin received their Spanish citizenship even before Bruno Massot became German

2017, so embarrassing. The reason I started thinking about this is because I was wondering whether Khaliavin can speak Spanish and if he needs to pass a language test.

Ok carry on with the actual topic.

What about Georgia? Do they just get the citizenship with ?

 

[honey]

Watching the Canadian broadcast of the Free Dance yesterday, the host stated that Soresen received his citizenship "last year". But I really feel like that was a misunderstanding on her part. It just seems like we would have heard about this officially if that was the case? Does anyone know what his status is?

 

[Vagabond]

Smart and Khaliavin received their Spanish citizenship

Would they consider teaming up?

 

[Colonel Green]

Watching the Canadian broadcast of the Free Dance yesterday, the host stated that Soresen received his citizenship "last year". But I really feel like that was a misunderstanding on her part. It just seems like we would have heard about this officially if that was the case? Does anyone know what his status is?

He hasn't said anything on social media about it, so I wasn't sure, but it's not Brenda Irving wouldn't be getting lots of information from Skate Canada about Canada's skaters, so maybe he got it and just didn't tell anyone?

 

[Sylvia]

I can't link to anything official, but I believe Nikolaj Sorensen mentioned during Worlds that he was still in the process of getting Canadian citizenship and seemed optimistic that things were moving along.

ETA - refer to @greenapple's post #27 below with the details.

 

[Vagabond]

What about Georgia? Do they just get the citizenship with ?

Heavens, no! Georgia applies the same exacting standards as Azerbaijan.

https://migration.commission.ge/index.php?article_id=165&clang=1

 

[Sylvia]

Does George Waddell have a chance to get GBR citizenship in time in case he and Sasha Fear (http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103237.htm) can earn a 2nd ice dance spot at Nebelhorn?

 

[skatingguy]

Based on the 3 previous skaters who have received Canadian citizenship, I would think he'd receive his citizenship this summer. I don't think it's anything to worry about because the Canadian system we'll give anyone citizenship if they are inline to go to the Olympics.

 

[Hanna]

Heavens, no! Georgia applies the same exacting standards as Azerbaijan.

https://migration.commission.ge/index.php?article_id=165&clang=1

Thank you!

So I suppose it goes under "a foreign citizen is successful in sport, science and/or art, and he/she is willing to carry on his/her activity on behalf of Georgia."

But how do you define successful enough? (I realize there is probably no answer to that here ) I badly need citizenship for Kazakova. She'd better pass that language test!

 

[skategal]

Watching the Canadian broadcast of the Free Dance yesterday, the host stated that Soresen received his citizenship "last year". But I really feel like that was a misunderstanding on her part. It just seems like we would have heard about this officially if that was the case? Does anyone know what his status is?

He is a permanent resident for sure. He posted that on social media over a year ago, maybe almost 2 years ago IIRC.

That’s all I know.

Anyone know the average time from PR to Citizenship in Canada?

 

[TAHbKA]

2017, so embarrassing. The reason I started thinking about this is because I was wondering whether Khaliavin can speak Spanish and if he needs to pass a language test.

Ok carry on with the actual topic.

What about Georgia? Do they just get the citizenship with ?

They have Georgian roots/close family in Georgia, so guess it should be ok

 

[morqet]

Does George Waddell have a chance to get GBR citizenship in time in case he and Sasha Fear (http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103237.htm) can earn a 2nd ice dance spot at Nebelhorn?

Unless he has a British parent, it's very very unlikely, would usually need permanent residence in the UK for 5 years before he could apply & they are based in Montreal. But as far as I know Joe Buckland & Robynne Tweedale are still skating together and they'd be more likely to go to Nebelhorn & get the 2nd spot.

 

[RoseRed]

Does George Waddell have a chance to get GBR citizenship in time in case he and Sasha Fear (http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103237.htm) can earn a 2nd ice dance spot at Nebelhorn?

He has British citizenship (his father is Scottish according to Wikipedia), along with Canadian and American.

 

[skatingguy]

He is a permanent resident for sure. He posted that on social media over a year ago, maybe almost 2 years ago IIRC.

That’s all I know.

Anyone know the average time from PR to Citizenship in Canada?

Sorenson will fall outside the regular process, and will get his citizenship based on the following:

Citizenship: Ministerial discretion to grant citizenship in special cases - Canada.ca

Citizenship: Ministerial discretion to grant citizenship in special cases

www.canada.ca

 

[Sylvia]

From this September 2017 profile: https://www.ice-dance.com/site/getting-to-know-sasha-fear-george-waddell/

Waddell: This year I had made the decision to skate for Great Britain. I have always had a British passport as my dad is from Scotland, but up until this year had skated for Canada. With Sasha also looking for a partner and also having a British passport, it was a great opportunity for both of us.

But as far as I know Joe Buckland & Robynne Tweedale are still skating together

That's what I wasn't sure about.

 

[Seerek]

Elizaveta Zhuk? Ioulia Chtchetinina?

 

[Sylvia]

Ioulia Chtchetinina?

I posted about Chtchetinina in the OES news thread when she got Hungarian ciitizenship in October 2020: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGmCvW2pOmu/

 

[Hanna]

They have Georgian roots/close family in Georgia, so guess it should be ok

Oh I know he does, but not sure about her? But maybe if one of them meets the criteria (him) maybe the other one can get pulled along.

 

[Laney]

Larry Loupolover? He switched from Azerbeidshan to Bulgaria, right? Does he has that passport? Not that I think he'll make it to Olympics, but to Nebelhorn...

 

[Sylvia]

Elizaveta Zhuk?

If she doesn't already have Czech citizenship, I think her chances of getting it in time seem promising: https://www.instagram.com/p/CM4MsXOrh7L/

 

[kwanfan1818]

He is a permanent resident for sure. He posted that on social media over a year ago, maybe almost 2 years ago IIRC.

That’s all I know.

Anyone know the average time from PR to Citizenship in Canada?

According to the CIC website, 1. They can't give times because of cv, so you have to look up your own application but 2. If you select "Citizenship" and "Citizenship Grant" from the drop-down boxes, it says 12 months, which is based on the 80/20 rule.

But in order to apply for citizenship, by the standard rules, he'd have had to meet the criteria for applying for citizenship, which includes being physically present in Canada for three out of the last five years, with possibly 50% of the time he was present in Canada as a "temporary resident" (before PR) counting towards the 1095 days.

Ministerial discretion could either expedite processing, if he's met all of the requirements, or grant citizenship based on not having met all of them, which likely would depend on exactly when PR was granted and the calculation started.

 

[greenapple]

Watching the Canadian broadcast of the Free Dance yesterday, the host stated that Soresen received his citizenship "last year". But I really feel like that was a misunderstanding on her part. It just seems like we would have heard about this officially if that was the case? Does anyone know what his status is?

Nikolaj Sørensen received notification in February that his application is being processed and he should prepare for his exam. So he will obtain citizenship in the next few months. He was supposed to receive it last year but with YKZ everything got delayed.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Nikolaj Sørensen received notification in February that his application is being processed and he should prepare for his exam. So he will obtain citizenship in the next few months. He was supposed to receive it last year but with YKZ everything got delayed.

 

[Hanna]

What about Galyavieva and Lopareva French citizenships? Even if it will likely be a mootpoint, but I guess they should still be prepared, just in case.

 

[Colonel Green]

But in order to apply for citizenship, by the standard rules, he'd have had to meet the criteria for applying for citizenship, which includes being physically present in Canada for three out of the last five years, with possibly 50% of the time he was present in Canada as a "temporary resident" (before PR) counting towards the 1095 days.

Sorensen has trained in Canada since 2010, he surely satisfies all those criteria easily.