Getting Canadian Citizenship

Legally, you do not have to become a Canadian citizen to stay long-term in Canada as long as you are a permanent resident. If you would like to become a Canadian citizen, there are several requirements:

• You must be 18 years or older.
• You must be a permanent resident who is not subject to a removal order, immigration investigation or immigration inquiry.
• You must have lived in Canada for at least three of the four years before applying for citizenship (time spent living in Canada before you become a permanent resident can count towards this if it falls within the four years before your citizenship application).
• You must be able to communicate in at least one of Canada's two official languages: English or French.
• You must know about Canada and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

To apply for citizenship, you must fill out an application. You can download the application from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. You will have to pay a fee of $200 (Canadian) and pass a citizenship test.

If you meet all the requirements and pass the test, you will take part in a citizenship ceremony where you will take the oath of citizenship and receive a certificate.

If you would like to apply for citizenship for your children, you must already be a Canadian citizen or apply for citizenship for your children at the same time as you apply for yourself. The fee for children under the age of 18 is $100 (Canadian) each. They do not have to take a citizenship test. If your children are 18 years old or older, they have to take a citizenship test and pay a fee of $200 (Canadian) each.

Dual Citizenship
If you become a citizen of Canada, you will not necessarily lose your citizenship status from your home country. This depends on your home country and its immigration policies. It is possible for you to hold dual citizenship, which means being recognized and receiving all the benefits as a citizen in two countries, in this case, Canada and your home country.