Introduction A Canadian citizen is a person who is Canadian by birth or who has applied for Canadian citizenship through Citizenship and Immigration Canada and has received a citizenship certificate. Application Requirements To be eligible to become a Canadian citizen, a person must: · be at least 18 years of age to apply. When applying for a child under 18 years of age, the person applying must be the child’s parent, adoptive parent, or legal guardian; · have permanent resident status in Canada, and not be the subject of an immigration investigation, an immigration inquiry or a removal order; · have lived in Canada for at least three years in the past four years before applying. Children do not need to meet this requirement; · have adequate knowledge of either English or French languages; · understand the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; and · have knowledge and understanding of Canada’s history, values, institutions, and symbols. Who Is Eligible to Become a Canadian Citizen A person can become a Canadian citizen if he or she meets certain criminal history checks, including: · no conviction of a criminal offence or an offence under the Citizenship Act in the past three years before applying; · not being in prison, on probation or parole; · not having a removal order; · not being the subject of an investigation for, or charged with, or have been convicted of a war crime or a crime against humanity; or · not having had your Canadian citizenship taken away in the past five years. The Application Process An application package for both adults and children is available on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/become-how.asp. Ensure that you read the instruction guide carefully before you complete the citizenship application form. The fee for processing your form and your children’s forms is not refundable, so make sure you are eligible and ready to become a citizen before you apply. To apply as an adult, a person must have the following documents ready. These include: · a record of Landing or a Confirmation of Permanent Residence; · a permanent resident card, and a copy of both sides; · two pieces of identification, at least one of which contains a photo; · two signed citizenship photos; and · the receipt of payment, showing that you have paid the $200 fee. To apply on behalf of a child, a person must include: · the child’s birth certificate or the child’s adoption order showing the names of the adoptive parents; · the child’s Record of Landing or a Confirmation of Permanent Residence; · a copy of both sides of the child’s permanent resident card; · two pieces of identification for the child, such as school records, a provincial/territorial health card, or an immunization record; · two citizenship photos of the child; and · the original receipt of payment, showing that you have paid the $100 fee. If you are a legal guardian applying on behalf of a child, you must also provide legal documentation proving guardianship. If you apply for more than one person and want your applications processed together, you can submit all the forms and documents in the same envelope. If the applications are sent in different envelopes, they will be processed separately. Once Citizenship and Immigration Canada starts processing your case, you will receive a notice confirming the receipt of your application. Citizenship Test If you are between the ages of 18-54 and meet the basic citizenship requirements you must write the citizenship test. The date of your test will be sent to you in a notice. Based on the information provided by the applicant, the test committee will decide whether the test will be written or oral. The citizenship test is meant to evaluate the knowledge of Canada and the person’s language abilities in either English or French. You must be able to understand spoken statements and questions and be able to communicate information. The questions in the citizenship test are based on the information in the free study guide Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship. A copy of the study guide will be sent to you once Citizenship and Immigration Canada have received your application for citizenship. If you pass the test and the citizenship judge determines that you meet all the other requirements for citizenship, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony. During that ceremony, you will take the oath of citizenship and receive a certificate of Canadian citizenship. Seeking the Advice of a Professional If you have decided it is time to seek the advice of a professional ensure to email us your contact information and one of our lawyers will contact you promptly. Disclaimer Nothing on this website constitutes legal advice. If you face a legal issue, you should take specific legal advice from a lawyer before taking any action. Three60Legal takes every reasonable step to ensure the accuracy of the information on this website. However, Three60Legal accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising in any way from the use of this site. 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