Prepare for the citizenship ceremony

The citizenship ceremony is the final step to becoming a Canadian citizen. You will take the Oath of Citizenship and get your citizenship certificate there.

We will send you a notice telling you to attend a ceremony and take the oath, if you meet all of the conditions to:

• become a Canadian citizen, or
• get your Canadian citizenship back.

The notice will tell you when and where the ceremony will be held.

Community groups often host the ceremonies, which take place all across the country and at all times of the year.

There are special ceremonies on Canada Day, during Citizenship Week and at other times.

Who must go

Adults and children aged 14 or over must go to the citizenship ceremony and take the oath.

Parents will get certificates of citizenship for their children under age 14. Children under age 14 do not have to go, but they are welcome to do so.

What to bring

You must bring all of your original immigration documents.

• If you have a permanent resident card, you must also bring it even if it has expired.
• If you became a permanent resident before June 28, 2002, you must bring your Record of Landing (IMM 1000).

If you have both of those documents, bring both of them to the ceremony.

What happens there

At the citizenship ceremony, we will welcome you into the Canadian family. You will accept the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship.

A citizenship judge usually presides over the ceremony. He or she leads the Oath of Citizenship. Many people will take the oath with you. The words to the Oath will be given to you and you will read them as a group.

If you want to swear the oath on your holy book, bring it with you.

Once you have taken the Oath of Citizenship, you will be a Canadian citizen. We will give you your citizenship certificate. You must use it to prove that you are a Canadian citizen and to show the date that you became one. Keep it in a safe place.

Your citizenship certificate is not a travel document. You need to get a Canadian passport to travel outside Canada.

As a new citizen, you must wait at least two business days after your ceremony before you can apply for services, such as applying for a passport.

At the end of the ceremony, you will be given the lyrics to our National Anthem, O Canada, and encouraged to sing it in English or French, or bilingually, as a group.

View the video "The Canadian Citizenship Ceremony: What you need to know" to help you prepare for your citizenship ceremony.