Every year over 150,000 permanent residents become citizens of Canada. Having Canadian citizenship is so prestigious that it is hard to believe it has only existed for the past decades; up until 1947 Canadians were officially UK nationals.

To apply for Canadian citizenship one must be 18 years of age and hold a Permanent Resident/Landed Immigrant status in Canada. One of the necessary conditions is a residency requirement obliging one to have lived in Canada for no less than three years out of four prior do date of application for citizenship. If during these four years you have resided in Canada without a Permanent Resident status, then the residency requirement is calculated from the date you do receive your official papers. For instance, this applies to persons who entered the country as students (student visas).

Canada recognizes dual and multiple citizenships. For this reason you will not have to give up your other citizenship unless the laws of your country prohibit dual citizenships.

The processing of citizenship applications takes a few months.

The first step in this process is obtaining the “Application for Citizenship” kit and filling in the required form for you and all family members (spouse, children).

One ought to be meticulous and attentive when filling in the forms, especially if there is a possibility of having a prior criminal record; all provided information will be verified by the police before the application for citizenship is approved. Additionally, the permanent resident status will be confirmed. Therefore, if you have any questions or doubts, please contact our professional immigration consultants at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call us at (416) 572-2055.

After your application for citizenship is submitted, you will be mailed a booklet “A Look at Canada” containing information about rights and obligation of Canadians as well as a brief description of geographical and political systems. Some time later you will receive a notification by mail regarding time and date of the citizenship examination. This is a written test in English or French and is meant to assess your basic knowledge of Canada, based on information provided in “A Look at Canada.”

On the day of the test, you must bring with you the following original documents:

• Immigration Landing Record (IMM 1000)

• Two pieces of identification, such as a valid driver’s license, bank card, OHIP card

• Two photographs taken within the past year (done according to strict guidelines). On the other side of the photograph there should be a stamp of the studio/photographer with the name and contact information, date the picture was taken and your signature. Children over 14 years of age also sign their photographs.

• Receipt showing that you have paid the processing fees

Children do not have to fulfill the residency requirement. A parent/guardian of the child can apply for citizenship on the child’s behalf immediately after the child receives a Permanent Resident status. By this time, the parent/guardian must be a citizen of Canada or in the process of obtaining citizenship. Additionally, children do not have to take the citizenship exam.

If you meet the requirements for citizenship, you will be notified of the time and date of the citizenship ceremony where you will receive a citizenship certificate.

After receiving your citizenship you may apply for a Canadian passport. These applications must be certified by a guarantor who confirms the identity of the applicant. On August 15 of 2007, the government of Canada changed the rules regarding who can be a guarantor. Now, almost any citizen of Canada can fulfil this role as long as s/he has known the applicant for at least two years. Previously, only licensed professionals such as lawyers, doctors, engineers, and some others had the authority to be guarantors.  The passport application process has been simplified; now, even a relative can be a guarantor.

After you submit the application for a Canadian passport, it takes approximately 2 to 4 weeks to be processed. Finally, only a couple of weeks later, you will be a proud holder of one of the most respected passports in the world. A Canadian passport allows you to travel the world without worrying about entrance visas (including the USA and member-countries of the European Union).