CITIZENSHIP CANADA
Canadians are proud to hold one of the most prized citizenships in the world.
Every year about 150,000 people become new citizens of Canada.
Who can apply
To be eligible to become a Canadian citizen, you must meet the requirements in all of the following areas:
Age
You must be at least 18 years old to apply for Canadian citizenship.
To apply for citizenship for a child under 18, make sure that the following conditions are met:
The person applying is the child’S parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian.
One parent is already a Canadian citizen or is applying to become a citizen at the same time. This also applies to adoptive parents.
The child is a permanent resident but does not need to have lived in Canada for three years.
Permanent Resident Status
To become a Canadian citizen, you must have permanent resident status in Canada, and that status must not be in doubt. This means that you must not be the subject of an immigration investigation, an immigration inquiry, or a removal order (an order from Canadian officials to leave Canada).
Time lived in Canada
To become Canadian citizens, adults must have lived in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) in the past four years before applying. Children do not need to meet this requirement.
You may be able to count time you spent in Canada before you became a permanent resident if that time falls within the four-year period.
Use the citizenship calculator to find out if you have lived in Canada long enough to apply for citizenship.
Language abilities
Canada has two official languages—English and French. You need to be able to speak one of these two languages well enough to communicate with people. In other words, you must know enough English or French to understand other people and for them to understand you.
Criminal history (Prohibitions)
You cannot become a citizen if you have been convicted of an indictable (criminal) offence or an offence under the Citizenship Act in the three years before you apply
are currently charged with an indictable offence or an offence under the Citizenship Act
are in prison, on parole or on probation
are under a removal order (have been ordered by Canadian officials to leave Canada)
are under investigation for, are charged with, or have been convicted of a war crime or a crime against humanity
have had your Canadian citizenship taken away in the past five years
If you are on probation or are charged with an offence and are awaiting trial, you should wait until after the probation has ended or the trial is over to apply for citizenship.
If you have spent time on probation, on parole or in prison in the last four years, you may not meet the residence requirement for citizenship.
Time in prison or on parole does not count as residence in Canada. Time on probation also does not count as residence in Canada if you were convicted of an offence. If you have spent time on probation from a conditional discharge, it may be counted toward residence. For details, contact the Call Centre (see Contact Us at the top of this page).
Knowledge of Canada
To become a citizen, you must know the rights and responsibilities of citizens, such as the right and responsibility to vote. You must also know some things about Canada’s history and geography, and about its political system.
Canadians are proud of their citizenship. We value the rights and freedoms, and accept the responsibilities, that this status gives us.CIC manages the application process and guides applicants through the steps to becoming Canadian citizens. CIC staff process citizenship applications, requests for proof of citizenship and searches of citizenship records.
Each year, approximately 160,000 people become Canadian citizens (representing about 85 percent of all immigrants) and take an oath of citizenship at ceremonies across the country. The oath is a personal commitment to accept the responsibilities and privileges of Canadian citizenship.
How long does it take to get my Canadian citizenship application?
After submitting your citizenship application, you can do nothing except for WAITING. The waiting period could last more than one year. The worse thing is that you cannot know the status of your case. What you are told is that your case is "in process". People often feel anxious when they are waiting, especially when the progress cannot be known. But freinds, have patience , you will hear eventually about your file.
