Canadian Citizenship
As a permanent resident of Canada who is at least 18 years of age, you will have the opportunity to apply to become a Canadian citizen after living in Canada for at least three years during a five-year period.
An immigrant who wants to become a citizen of Canada must also pass a Canadian citizenship exam if he or she is 18-54 years of age.
The Canadian citizenship exam is administered in either English or French (the two official languages of Canada), takes about 30 minutes to complete and includes 20 multiple choice and true or false questions about Canada’s history, economy, geography, symbols, laws and government.
At least 15 out of the 20 questions on the Canadian citizenship exam must be answered correctly to pass.
Additionally, an immigrant who is 18-54 years of age must demonstrate that he or she can understand and speak English or French at Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4 or above.
Demonstrating the required level of English or French language abilities can be done by participating in a brief conversation about everyday topics; showing understanding of basic questions, instructions and directions; demonstrating that you know sufficient words and phrases to express yourself; properly using basic grammar; or providing test scores, certificates or diplomas that prove you have the required language skills.
In some cases, a permanent resident may need to have filed Canadian income taxes for three years during the last five years prior to applying to become a Canadian citizen.
The Canadian Citizenship Application can be filed online or with a paper application that is sent by post.
A processing fee and right of citizenship fee must also be paid.
Immigrants who are 18-54 years of age and applying to become a Canadian citizen will usually be required to attend an interview after they complete the Canadian citizenship exam.
At the interview, the immigrant will find out the results of the Canadian citizenship exam; the application and documents will be verified; proof of adequate English or French language skills will be confirmed; questions about the application may be asked; and confirmation will be made as to whether you meet all of the eligibility requirements to become a Canadian citizen.
If all goes well and you satisfy the requirements to become a citizen of Canada, you will be informed in person of the date for your Canadian citizenship ceremony or you might receive a letter or email with that information.
The last step of the process is to take the Oath of Citizenship at the Canadian citizenship ceremony, which is required if the candidate is 14 years of age or older.
Many permanent residents prefer to take the Oath of Citizenship at special Canadian citizenship ceremonies held across the country on the Canada Day national holiday.
After taking the Oath of Citizenship, the immigrant will receive his or her Canadian Citizenship Certificate, sign the Oath of Affirmation of Citizenship form, and sing “O Canada” which is the Canadian national anthem.
Please note that this is an overview of the Canadian citizenship procedure, however, this should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect.
Would you like to become a citizen of Canada one day and receive a Canadian passport?
The first step is to find out if you qualify for immigration to Canada as a Canadian permanent resident.
Since 2012, Canadian Visa Expert has been collaborating with authorized immigration consultants who can provide you with an Eligibility Evaluation and also walk you through each step of the Canadian immigration process if you qualify.
Are you ready to take this first step?
DISCLAIMER: This guide is not and shall not be considered as professional or expert advice.
