Canadian Citizenship
Canada is a parliamentary democracy, a member of NATO, and the Group of 7 (G7) countries comprised of most important economies in the world. Canadians have one of the best health care and education systems in the world. Canada is beautiful, safe, and free country with a rich history. It is also largely a country of immigrants where you can shape and write your own story and where opportunities abound. Although Canada is open to immigrants with skills and education, once here, you should most certainly consider applying for Canadian citizenship.
To apply for Canadian citizenship, you must:
- Be a permanent resident;
- Have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years,
- Have filed your taxes, if you needed to;
- Pass a written test on your rights, responsibilities and knowledge of Canada; and
- Prove your language skills.
Other requirements may apply.
Let’s take a look at these frequently asked questions to find out more about Canadian citizenship.
- I am still a citizen of another country. Will I lose that citizenship if I become a Canadian?
Under Canadian law, a Canadian is allowed to be a citizen of another country. Some countries, however, will not let you keep their citizenship if you become a Canadian citizen. The consulate or embassy of your home country of citizenship can advise you know if this applies to you.
- What is the residence requirement to apply for Canadian citizenship?
You must have accumulated at least three years of residence on the day you sign your application (equal to 1,095 days).
- What happens if I miss my citizenship test?
If you do not appear for your scheduled citizenship test, you will receive a letter by mail telling you to appear for an interview with a citizenship judge.
If you miss that interview, another interview will be scheduled for you and you will receive a notice of that second scheduled date by registered mail. If you do not attend the second scheduled interview, your file will be closed.
- What happens if I do not appear for the citizenship ceremony?
If you do not attend the citizenship ceremony and do not contact the citizenship office within 60 days, your file will be closed. You will then have to fill out another application form and pay the fee to go through the entire process again.
- How long will it take the Canadian government department of citizenship (IRCC, formerly known as CIC) to process my application?
It usually takes approximately twelve months to process citizenship applications.
NEED HELP?
Our immigration professionals can help you through this process in order to ensure that the process is smooth and you have all the vital information you need. We look forward to hearing from you.
