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How to become a Canadian citizen?
Who can become a citizen?
To become a Canadian citizen..
You must be a permanent resident of Canada and be at least 18 years
Children under 18 and those adopted by Canadians may also acquire
citizenship, but they did not meet the same criteria as those for adults
to meet (see " How to apply for citizenship for a child and " Citizenship for persons adopted outside Canada ).
You must have lived here for at least three years
You must have lived in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days)
during the four years immediately preceding the date of your citizenship
application. For example, if you submitted your application for citizenship on 1 June 2008, we are counting down until June 1, 2004. Every day you lived in Canada after obtaining permanent resident status account for a full day. Every day you lived in Canada before obtaining permanent resident status account for a half day. You can use the calculator to the period of residence , available on the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) at the following address: www.cic.gc.ca for dateà know that you can apply for citizenship, or contact the CIC .
You have to know French or English
French and English are official languages of Canada.
You must speak sufficient French or English to communicate with other
people, that is to say about one or other of these languages to
understand others and so others can understand.
You must have some knowledge of Canada
You must understand the responsibilities and rights of citizenship as
the right to vote in elections and the ensuing responsibilities. You must also understand the history, values, institutions and symbols.
You should know what are the responsibilities and rights of Canadians,
including the right to vote and the resulting responsibilities. You should also have some knowledge of history, geography and political system of Canada. When we receive your application for citizenship, we will send you a receipt and a free copy of the publication Discover Canada: Rights and responsibilities of citizenship . The questions you will be asked when you attend your review will be based on information contained herein.
How to apply for citizenship for a child
Parents, including adoptive parents or legal guardians can apply for citizenship on behalf of a minor (under 18).
One parent, including adoptive parents, but not a legal guardian, must
already be a Canadian citizen or must apply for citizenship for himself
together for the child.
To become a Canadian citizen, minor children must be a permanent
resident but is not required to have lived three years in Canada. In addition, minor children do not have to pass the citizenship test.
Citizenship for persons adopted outside Canada
People born abroad and adopted by a Canadian citizen on 1 January 1947 or after that date may be eligible for citizenship without having to obtain permanent residence or live in Canada. For more information on the citizenship process that applies to adopted persons, please contact the Call Centre .
Who can not become a citizen
In general, you can not become a citizen if:
- you are in prison, on parole or under a probation order;
- over the past four years you have been in prison, on parole or probation for at least one year;
- you have been convicted of a crime or an offense under the Citizenship Act in the three years preceding the submission of your application;
- you are currently charged with a crime or an offense under the Citizenship Act;
- you become a removal order (Canadian authorities have ordered you to leave Canada);
- you are being investigated for war crimes or crimes against humanity or have been accused or convicted of such a crime;
- your Canadian citizenship has been withdrawn (it was revoked) in the past five years.
The above facts constitute grounds for banning that could prevent you from obtaining Canadian citizenship.
The citizenship application form contains questions about these
restrictions and you must tell the truth when you answer these
questions.
If you do not qualify for Canadian citizenship because you are accused
of a crime or have criminal records, or if you want more information
about this, please contact the Call Centre CIC.
How to apply for Canadian citizenship
To apply for Canadian citizenship, please follow these six steps:
1. Make sure you have the proper application form
To apply for Canadian citizenship, you must complete the application
form and follow the instructions in the guide provided with the form.
If you are an adult (18 years or more), you must complete the " Application for Canadian Citizenship - Adults ". If you are applying on behalf of your children (aged under 18 years), you must complete a separate form for each child. The form for children entitled " Application for Canadian Citizenship - Minors . "
You can also visit the CIC website ( www.cic.gc.ca ) to download and print application forms and guide.
You can order the application forms necessary to the Call Centre CIC to know the toll.
Be prepared to give name, age, date of admission as a permanent
resident of each person for whom you apply for citizenship, and your
full address (including zip code), and the number of forms adults and
children that you need.
2. Read the guide Application for Canadian citizenship before completing this form
Read the instructions in the guide before completing the application form for citizenship.
The fee for processing your application and that of your children are
not refundable, so make sure you complete all the requirements before
applying.
3. Complete the application form and attach the necessary documents
The application form contains instructions. Check them out, fill out the form, pay fees, provide the required photographs and attach photocopies of documents. The guide will show you the documents to be included. You will be asked to present original documents during the examination or interview, so remember to bring them with you.
If your documents are neither French nor English, you must provide
original documents along with a translation and an affidavit from the
person who translated. Translations made by a family member are not accepted.
4. Mail form and documents to the Central Claims Processing
After completing the application form, you must post it in the envelope provided at the following address:
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Claims Processing Center
PO Box 7000
Sydney (NS) B1P 6V6
Claims Processing Center
PO Box 7000
Sydney (NS) B1P 6V6
Remember
- sign and date the form and sign your photos;
- include the receipt of payment (IMM 5401);
- put your request in the envelope;
- put the pictures in the envelope;
- include copies of all required documents.
If your request has expired (that is to say that it was signed more
than three months before its receipt by the Claims Processing Center) or
if your application is post-dated (that is to say that date on the
application has not yet passed), we will return your application.
If you are applying for more than one person, you can put all the forms
and documents in one envelope and applications will be processed
together.
For example, members of one family who want their applications are
processed at the same time must put all the application forms in one
envelope. If these requests are sent separately, they are treated separately. You can also attach a receipt for the entire family.
5. Prepare yourself for the examination
When we receive your request we will send you a copy of the publication Discover Canada . Begin immediately to study the document to prepare for the citizenship test or interview.
If you meet the basic requirements to become a Canadian citizen, and
you are aged 18 to 54 years, you will be invited to the examination or
interview with a citizenship judge.
We will send you a "Notice - Review of citizenship" or a "Notice of
Meeting - Interview with Citizenship Judge", which will specify the date
and time of examination or interview.
When you arrive for the examination or interview, you should bring the
original documents (identity documents, immigration documents, etc..)
You submitted with your application and your passport or travel
documents relevant to the four years preceding the date on which you
submitted your application. The citizenship test or interview used to determine if you speak sufficient French or English to become a citizen. It will also assess your knowledge of Canada, as well as rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
If you are 55 years or more, you do not have to take the exam. We will assign a local office to review the original documents (identity documents, immigration documents, etc..)
You submitted with your application and your passport or travel
documents relevant for the four years preceding the date on which you
submitted your application. You may also be invited to an interview with a citizenship judge.
6. Take the oath of citizenship at the citizenship ceremony
The citizenship ceremony is a legal and symbolic importance.
At the ceremony, new citizens are officially welcomed into the Canadian
family and formally accept the rights and responsibilities of Canadian
citizenship.
If you meet all the requirements to become a Canadian citizen, we will
send you a "Notice of Meeting - To take the oath of citizenship," which
will inform you of the date, time and place where the ceremony takes
place. During the ceremony, you can choose to swear on a holy book or make an affirmation.
The oath is for people who want to refer to their religious beliefs,
while the affirmation is for people who do not use a holy book at the
ceremony. If you want to take the oath of citizenship on your holy book, please bring it to the ceremony.
You must provide, at the ceremony, all original immigration documents which are in your possession. If you hold a permanent resident card, you must bring it. If you acquired the status of permanent resident before June 28, 2002, you must bring your admission document (IMM 1000). If you have these two documents, you must take them at the ceremony.
After taking the oath of citizenship at the ceremony, you will be officially a Canadian citizen. You will receive your certificate of citizenship at the ceremony. This is a small card that is used to prove your Canadian citizenship. You will also receive a souvenir paper stating the date you became a citizen of Canada. Keep these documents in a safe place.
Questions
What should I do if I move after submitting my application for citizenship?
You can make your change of address online ( www.cic.gc.ca ) or contact the Call Centre to know the toll). When you change your address, do not forget to include your old address and your new address.
How much does it take to apply for citizenship?
The fee is $ 200 CDN for adults, which includes processing fee of $ 100 CAN and CAN $ 100 fee required for citizenship. For children under 18 years, only the processing fee of $ 100 CDN is required.
What happens if my application is refused?
If you do not meet all the requirements to become a Canadian citizen,
you will receive a letter stating the reasons for refusal and the next
steps.
Can I get a refund if my application is refused?
If the citizenship application of an adult is denied, we will refund the fee of $ 100 Cdn citizenship fees. However, the processing fee of C $ 100 are not refundable.
A child can not become a citizen unless a parent is already a citizen or becomes at the same time. The costs of C $ 100 that relate to the request of the child are not refundable.
If you are not already a Canadian citizen, make sure you meet all the
requirements at the beginning of this booklet before you apply for your
child.
Where can I obtain information on the status of my citizenship application and processing times?
For more information on the status of your application for citizenship or for how long it takes to become a citizen of Canada, visit the CIC website ( www.cic.gc.ca ) or contact the Call Centre CIC.
Does the child must pass a written exam and take the oath of citizenship?
Children under 18 during the presentation of the application are not required to pass the citizenship test. Only those aged between 18 and 54 years must pass this exam (written or oral or both).
People aged 55 or over are exempt, but they are still called the local
office to review the original documents (identity documents, immigration
papers, etc.). They presented copies
with their application, as well as their passport or travel documents
relevant to the four years preceding the date on which they submitted
their application.
Children aged 14 or over must attend a citizenship ceremony to take the oath. Children aged under 14 are not required to swear, but they are welcome at the ceremony.
Can I apply for a child that I am not the natural parent?
The legal guardian of a child can apply for citizenship on her behalf
if at least one parent (natural or adopted) the child is a Canadian.
If a child has a legal guardian in Canada, but none of his parents
(natural or adoptive) is Canadian, he can not become a Canadian citizen.
I'm still a citizen of another country. Will I lose that citizenship if I become a Canadian citizen?
Under Canadian law, a Canadian has the right to be both a citizen of Canada and other countries. However, some countries will not allow you to retain your citizenship if you become a Canadian citizen. Check with the consulate or embassy in your country of citizenship.
Is it possible that I am a citizen of Canada without knowing it?
In general, if you were born in Canada, you are a Canadian citizen.
You are not a Canadian citizen if you were born in Canada and at the
time of your birth, your parents were neither citizens nor permanent
residents, and at least one parent had diplomatic status in Canada.
In general, you are a citizen if born outside of Canada and one of your
parents was a citizen at the time of your birth because he was born in
Canada or has been naturalized Canadian ( that is to say he was a
permanent resident [a landed immigrant] before becoming a citizen). You're the first generation born outside Canada.
You might be a Canadian citizen if you were born outside Canada between 1
January 1947 and April 16, 2009 (inclusive) to a Canadian parent who
was also born outside Canada to a Canadian parent (you're the second
generation born abroad or subsequent generation). If you think this applies to you, contact the Call Centre for details.
If you were a British subject who resided in Canada at the time of entry into force of the Citizenship Act of Canada on 1
January 1947, or if you were born outside Canada to a British subject
who would could become a citizen on that date, please contact the Call Centre to confirm whether or not you are a Canadian citizen.
What happens if I am not able to attend the citizenship test, an interview or ceremony?
We will send you notice by mail about your review and citizenship ceremony. If you do not pass, you will be invited for an interview with a citizenship judge. If you do not attend this interview or the ceremony, we will close your file. You will need to fill out another form and pay fees again to start the application process.
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