Citizenship Program

The Citizenship Program receives and processes applications for Canadian citizenship and grants Canadian citizenship to successful applicants.

Delivered by: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)

Eligibility Information

Adult applicants for citizenship must meet the following requirements:

• be 18 years of age or older at the time of application
• be permanent residents of Canada
• have lived in Canada for at least three of the four years preceding their application
• be able to communicate in either English or French
• pass a citizenship test if between the ages of 18 and 54
• other criteria may apply

Minor applicants for citizenship must meet the following requirements:

• be under 18 years of age at the time of application
• be permanent residents of Canada
• be the child of a Canadian citizen, or the child of a permanent resident who is applying for citizenship at the same time
• other criteria may apply

Application Information

• The citizenship application process currently takes 12 to 15 months to complete. Detailed information on processing times is available by contacting CIC.
• Citizenship applications for minors must be submitted by a parent or legal guardian who is either already a citizen or is applying for citizenship at the same time.
• All citizenship applications must be sent to the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and include a Canadian address for subsequent correspondence.
• The e-Client Applications Status service enables citizenship applicants to view the status of their application on-line.
• Application Form

Financial Information

• There is a fee of $200 (tax included) to process Canadian citizenship applications from adults.
• There is a fee of $100 (tax included) to process Canadian citizenship applications submitted for minors.
• There is a fee of $100 (tax included) to process applications to renounce or resume Canadian citizenship.

Contact Information

• General Inquiries: 1 888 242-2100
• TTY: 1 888 576-8502

Related Information

• Successful citizenship applicants who are 14 years of age and older must attend the Swearing-in Ceremony and take the oath of citizenship. New citizens receive their Citizenship Certificate during the ceremony.
• Individuals who have been denied citizenship and wish to appeal the decision must contact CIC to determine how to proceed.
• Permanent residents who wish to obtain Canadian citizenship and still retain their original citizenship (known as “dual citizenship”) must contact the embassy, consulate or high commission of their country of origin to determine if this is permissible according to the laws of that country.
• Canadian citizenship issues have been put in the spotlight by recent media reports and by the need to have a passport to fly to the United States. Despite having lived in Canada most of their lives, some people are discovering that they do not have citizenship.