Canadian Citizenship Information
Who can become a Canadian Citizen?
After living in Canada as a permanent resident for at least 3 years you are eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship.
Who is entitled to apply for Canadian Citizenship?
To apply for Canadian citizenship:
- You must be 18 years of age or older;
- You must have been a legal permanent resident in Canada for at least three years;
- You must know the rights and responsibilities of Canadian Citizens;
- You must know enough English or French so that you can understand other people, and they can understand you.
Who cannot become a Canadian Citizen?
You may not be eligible to become a Canadian citizen if you:
- Are under a deportation order and are not allowed to be in Canada now;
- Are in prison, on parole, or on probation;
- Have been charged or convicted of an indictable offense.
- You are under investigation for a war crime or a crime against humanity
- Your Canadian citizenship has been revoked in the past five years
Applying for children
Children do not have to live in Canada for three years to become Canadian citizens nor do they have to write the citizenship test. If you are a parent of a child who is under 18 years of age, you may apply for your child as soon as the child receives permanent status. To apply for your child, you must already be a Canadian citizen or be applying to become a citizen.
Please note, as in many other countries, a child who is born in Canada-even if the child’s parents are neither citizens nor permanent residents-is automatically a Canadian Citizen.
How do you apply for Canadian Citizenship?
If you meet the requirements for Citizenship, you can receive a download of the application for Canadian Citizenship as well as other legal forms you may need from our website by clicking here. Follow the instructions provided and fill out the form. You must pay both a processing fee and a Right of citizenship fee at the time of the application.
You will have to take a test to show that you meet the requirements for knowledge of Canada, and of English and French. If you meet the basic requirements for citizenship, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony where you will take an oath and receive your citizenship certificate.
What is Dual Citizenship?
Dual Citizenship is defined as holding citizenship in one or more countries in addition to Canada. Canada has recognized dual citizenship since 1977. This means that in some cases, you may become a Canadian citizen while remaining a citizen of another country.
Some countries will not allow their citizens to keep their citizenship if they become a citizen of another country. You should check with the embassy or consulate of your country of origin to be sure of the rules and laws.
Click here for our complete informative Guide to Canadian Immigration & Citizenship