Must be above 18 years old
Must be fluent in English or French
Must have a record of income taxes filed for three years
The Canadian citizenship application is peculiar for those already permanent citizens of Canada. There are other things to consider when you want to apply for citizenship, and they are listed below.
Must be physically resident in the country for a minimum of 1095 days within the last five years to apply:
Must not violate any of the citizenship acts under sections 21 and 22
Must be knowledgeable on the Canada Citizen privileges and responsibilities
Note: If you are 55 years and above, you might not be required to meet the English or French language requirement. Also, if the applicant suffers from an ear defect, then a Canadian audiologist must provide proof of this condition.
How you can become a Canadian citizen
You will be considered for citizen if you are any of the following.
- You were a Canadian armed force, public servant or federal administrator as a permanent resident
- If your spouse, parent or common-law partner lived outside the country with you when you were in any of the above professions. Therefore, you should have records of travels or time spent outside Canada
Note that Canada emphasizes physical presence for this application, and it is only recognized if you have:
- Been married to a permanent resident of Canada
- Been a permanent resident yourself
Ineligibility for Citizenship
Some of the things that can prevent you from being eligible to apply are the following:
- If you have been convicted outside Canada or you have a criminal record
- If you have had been a citizen before and it has been revoked
- If you were deported or ordered to be removed from the country
- If you have been denied citizenship before due to false information
How to apply for Citizenship
Once you meet all the eligibility requirements, follow the steps below for the application.
Step 1- Citizenship Application Package
The package depends on the following
- Adult application (18 years or above)
- Minor application without a Canadian parents
- The parent applying for their child
- A member of the armed forces or someone who has served before
- Adopted by a Canadian citizen
- A stateless person with a Canadian parent
All of these application package have different documents to include in the application. You can also apply for more than one person at a time by combining the application.
Step 2- Citizenship Application Fees
The fee you will be paying must be in Canadian dollars, and you can pay for your family’s application at once.
Step 3- Submit your Citizenship Application
After paying the application fee, the next step is to submit it to the Case Processing Center-Sydney (CPC-S). Ensure you fill out every section correctly, as the incomplete document will be sent back to the applicant.
Step 4- Citizenship Application Processing Times
The processing time for Canadian citizenship is not fixed as it depends on when the application is submitted. However, it will take about 12 months for it to be processed.
Step 5- Knowledge Testing for Citizenship
The knowledge testing will come after the application has been processed, which is applicable to adults younger than 55. You will either have to write or do oral hearing to show proficiency. If you get at least a 75% score on the test, you will be eligible for a citizenship grant. After the test, you will be invited for an interview which is the final lap before the oath.
Step 6- Oath Requirements
The applicant will be asked to take a citizenship oath after the interview. The oath is also to test for fluency either in English or French.
