Canada, being one of the most popular and culturally diverse nations in the world, is home to thousands of immigrants and its citizenship is one of the most sought-after citizenships in the world. The immigrants who relocate and obtain permanent residency in Canada can apply for citizenship after a period of time.
Conversion of permanent residency into citizenship is one of our strengths. Our thorough understanding of this procedures helps mitigate any potential issues at the earliest, paving a safe passage for our patrons desiring to become citizens of Canada. While we do undertake new cases, we look into conversion into citizenship option from the very beginning for our clients who immigrate under other programs. This essentially focuses the process into creating an air tight application later.
Eligibility:
While most of our clients are well versed with the eligibility criteria, to recapitulate, to become a citizen of Canada, an applicant must meet the following requirements:
- They must be a permanent resident
- They must have resided in the country for a span of at least 3 years within the last five years
- Should have filed personal income taxes for at least 3 years within the last 5 years, if needed
- They must demonstrate sufficient knowledge about the country and should be proficient in the English or French language
- Must not be under removal order
Application:
Eligible candidates must procure the application package that comes with an instruction manual. The applicant must choose a package based on their situation:
- Adult (18 years or older)
- Parent/guardian applying for a child
- Minor (under 18 years) applying alone
- Adoption by a Canadian citizen
The candidate must then make an online payment towards the application fee which includes processing fee and the right to citizenship fee. The fee receipt must be included with the application during submission. The completed form can then be mailed to the Case Processing Centre, Nova Scotia through postal service. Submitted applications are then reviewed for eligibility. Candidates may check for their application status online, although they must keep in mind that the document processing may take up to 12 months.
Citizenship test and interview:
Selected candidates must appear for a test and interview.
Who needs to take the test/ appear for interview?
| Age and situation | Take the test | Go to the interview |
| Adult 18 to 54 years of age | Yes | Yes |
| Adult 55 and over | No | Yes |
| Minor under 18 with a Canadian parent or a parent applying at the same time | No | No, except in some cases |
| Minor 14 to 17 without a Canadian parent or a parent applying at the same time | No | Yes |
| Minor under 14 without a Canadian parent or a parent applying at the same time | No | No, except in some cases |
Test format and syllabus:
The citizenship test comprises 20 questions about the rights and responsibilities of Canadians and Canada’s history, geography, economy, law, government and symbols. The candidate may prepare for the test using the official study guide titled, “Discover Canada: The rights and responsibilities of citizenship”. The guide is free and available in various formats – online, MP3 version, and PDF / e-book and paper copy.
The candidate will receive an acknowledgement of receipt letter within weeks of submitting the application following which they will be asked to take the test and appear for the interview. The date and time of the test will be intimated to the candidate 1 to 2 weeks prior.
The citizenship test is 30 minutes long with 20 multiple choice/ true or false questions in English or French. The candidate needs to answer at least 15 questions correctly to pass the test.
Citizenship interview:
After the test, the candidate will be interviewed by a citizenship official who will check their language skills, verify the application and documents, and make sure they meet all the necessary requirements. At immigrate-toCanada, we undertake extensive preparations to ensure that our candidates sail through this interview seamlessly.
If the candidate passes the test, they may receive the ceremony date at the same time they get the test results or through an email notifying the date and time of the oath of citizenship and ceremony. For the candidates who fail to pass the test, the second test will be scheduled within 4 to 8 weeks.
Dual citizenship:
The Canadian government allows dual citizenship, which means that an individual may retain his/her citizenship in another country while enjoying the rights and privileges of a Canadian citizen. If you are looking to apply for dual citizenship, contact us today.
Benefits of being a Canadian citizen:
Individuals who are successful in obtaining Canadian citizenship may take part in the federal, provincial and municipal elections. They may also run for the political office and may enter or leave Canada as many times as they want without any restrictions.
