Canada Citizenship

Canada Citizenship Applications

A person is a citizen if they were:

• Born in Canada after February 15, 1977
• They were born outside Canada and one of their parents was a Canadian citizen
  at the time of their birth because the parent was either born in Canada or
  naturalized (i.e., they were a permanent resident before they became a citizen) in
  Canada. Then this person in this case is the first generation born outside Canada
• A person may be a Canadian Citizen if they were born outside Canada from
  January 1,1947, up to and including April 16,2009, to a Canadian parent who
  was also born outside Canada to a Canadian parent (in this case, the person is
  the second or subsequent generation born outside Canada).
• A person may be a Canadian citizen if they were adopted outside Canada by a
  Canadian parent on or after January 1, 1947.
• A person who has been through the naturalization process in Canada (e.i, they
  were a permanent resident before they became a citizen).

You may be a citizen

There are a few ways you can become a Canadian citizen without applying to be one. In
these cases, you may still want to get proof of citizenship.
There are also times when you might think you became a citizen, but you did not. In
those cases, you may be eligible to apply for citizenship.
You likely are a Canadian citizen if you…

• were born in Canada
• became a citizen because of changes to the Citizenship Act
• applied for and received your Canadian citizenship (became
  a naturalized citizen)
• received Canadian citizenship as a minor when a parent or legal guardian
  naturalized you by applying for your citizenship
• were born outside Canada and at least one of your parents was:
  • born in Canada
  • naturalized in Canada before your birth

You likely aren’t a Canadian citizen if you…

• were born in Canada to foreign diplomats
• had your citizenship taken away (revoked)
• renounced your Canadian citizenship and never applied to get it back

You aren’t automatically a Canadian citizen if you…

• Marry a Canadian citizen
• Are adopted by a Canadian citizen
• Have your refugee claim accepted
• Live in Canada as a permanent resident for many years
• Were born outside Canada to Canadian parent(s) on or after April 17, 2009, but
  neither parent was born or naturalized in Canada

To become a Canadian citizen, an individual must be at least 18 years old and must
have a permanent resident status in Canada, and that status must not be in doubt. For
example, an individual must not be the subject of an immigration investigation, an
immigration inquiry or a removal order (an order from Canadian officials to leave
Canada).

Who Can apply?

To be eligible to become a Canadian citizen, you must:

• Be a permanent resident
• Have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years
• Have filed your taxes if you need to
• Pass a test on your rights, responsibilities and knowledge of Canada
• Prove your language skills

There are additional or different requirements if you are:

• Applying for a minor (under age 18)
• A Canadian applying for your adopted child born outside Canada
• A current or former Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member applying under
  the fast-track process
• A past Canadian citizen who want their Canadian citizenship back (including
  current and former CAF members)

Spouses of Canadian citizens

They don’t automatically become a citizen when you marry a Canadian.
If you’re the spouse of a Canadian citizen, you must meet the same requirements listed
above (no exception).

Children and grandchildren of Canadian citizens

If you have a Canadian parent or grandparent, you may be a Canadian citizen.

• See if you may be a Canadian citizen (above)
• To find out for sure, apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate

Steps to apply

1. Get the application Package:
The application package includes the instruction
guide and all the forms needed to be filled out. Using the instruction guide and
the document checklist, a complete application is to be filled out.

NOTE: The application packages are chosen according to the different situations.
Please contact us for more details.

2. Pay the application fees:
Your application fees depend on whether you are an
adult or a minor. Your fees may include:

a. The processing fee
b. The right of citizenship fee

3. Send your application:
You must be eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship the
day before you sign the application form or earlier. The complete application
form, along with all the documents on the checklist must be sent by mail or
courier.

3. Send your application:

You must be eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship the
day before you sign the application form or earlier. The complete application
form, along with all the documents on the checklist must be sent by mail or
courier.

Processing Time
The general processing time for a citizenship application is 12 months. The application
is then reviewed to make sure that:

• All the questions were answered correctly on the form
• All the required documents were sent
• The fees is paid

If all the requirements are met, applicant receives an acknowledgment of receipt (AOR)
letter which has the Unique Client Identifier (UCI).
After Completing the documentation and receiving the AOR, the applicant has to take
the test and go to the interview. Whether you have to take the test or go to the interview
depends on your age and application.

Citizenship test
The test comprises of 20 questions about the rights and responsibilities of Canadians
and Canada’s:

• History
• Geography
• Economy
• Government
• Laws
• Symbols

The test is based on the official citizenship study guide: Discover Canada: The Rights
and Responsibilities of Citizenship. The test is not asses language skills.

In most cases, the invitation to the test will be received within a few weeks after AOR
letter along with the date, time and location. The candidate is required to carry the
following:

• Notice to appear
• PR card (if you had one)
• 2 piece of ID
  • 1 piece of ID with the photograph and signature, such as a driver’s license
    or a health card
  • Foreign ID documents must be govt. issued (Canadian ones don’t need to
    be govt. issued.)
  • If not in English or French, provide a translation with an affidavit from the
    translator
• All your passports or travel documents, current and expired, that you listed on the
  application form.
• A certificate, diploma, degree or transcripts that proves your English or French
  language skills
• Other documents asked in the Notice to Appear.

The test is:

• In English or French
• 30 minutes long
• 20 questions
• Multiple-choice and true or false questions

To pass the test, one must give 15 correct answers.
After the test, the candidate will meet with a citizenship official for an interview. During
the interview, the citizenship official will:

• Give the results of your test,
• Check the language skills, if the candidate is between 18 and 54 years of age
• Verify the application and original documents
• Ask questions they may have about the application
• Make sure the candidate meet all the requirements for citizenship

If the candidate pass and meet the other requirements for citizenship, the official may:

• give the candidate a ceremony date at the same time the candidate is given the
  test results or
• email or send the candidate a letter with the date and time of the ceremony

If a candidate fails to pass the first test but meets all the other requirements for
citizenship, the official will schedule you for a second test. The second test usually takes
place 4 to 8 weeks after the first test, but it may be longer.

If you don’t pass your second test, we’ll send you a notice telling you to attend a
hearing with a citizenship official. The hearing:

• will last 30 to 90 minutes
• may be in person or by videoconference
• may be used to assess one or more requirements for citizenship, for example:
  • knowledge of Canada
  • language

If you don’t pass the test after 3 tries, we’ll refuse your application. You can re-apply to
try again.
To help you with the application process and submission, please get in touch with us.
Our team of professionals will be more than happy to assist you in getting your
Canadian Citizenship.

Related Topics:-

Related Services

• Provincial Nominee Program