Application for Canadian Citizenship: Adults (18 years of age or older) Applying under subsection 5(1)

Citizenship requirements for physical presence, language and knowledge changed on October 11. You can apply for citizenship under the new rules using updated forms.

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This form for an application under subsection 5(1) is intended primarily for permanent residents aged 18 and over who want to apply for Canadian citizenship.

Check to make sure you’re eligible to apply

To be eligible under 5(1), since becoming a permanent resident, you must have:

  1. been physically in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the five years before you apply
  2. filed income taxes (if required by the Income Tax Act) for any three taxation years that are fully or partially within the five years before you apply

You can count time spent outside Canada toward the time in (1) and (2) above if you meet one of the exceptions.

You must also be able to (unless you are 55 or older at the time of application):

  • communicate (speak and understand) in English or French and
  • show, in English or French, knowledge about Canada and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship

In some cases, minors who are not applying for citizenship at the same time as a parent or who wish to qualify on their own may choose to apply under subsection 5(1). For more information, please see Minors applying for Canadian citizenship – subsection 5(1).

This application package includes:

  1. Instruction Guide
  2. Application for Canadian Citizenship — Adults [Form CIT 0002] October 2017
  3. Document Checklist (CIT 0007)
  4. Citizenship Photo Specifications
  5. Residence Outside Canada [Form CIT 0177] June 2015
  6. Use of a Representative [Form IMM 5476] September 2015

Optional:

Make sure you download the current version of the forms. We will not accept older versions.

You may not be eligible for citizenship if you:

  • have a criminal record
  • are facing criminal charges in or outside Canada
  • have been ordered to leave Canada
  • have been refused Canadian citizenship because of misrepresentation
  • have had your Canadian citizenship revoked
  • have not met the terms and conditions of your permanent resident status

If you had any terms and conditions imposed on you when you became a permanent resident and you have not met them, you may not be eligible for citizenship. For example, some new permanent residents must have medical screening after they arrive in Canada.

Before you apply for citizenship, check the documents you got when you first became a permanent resident to make sure you met all terms and conditions.

You can use our calculator to check if you have been physically in Canada long enough to be eligible for citizenship. Print the results and attach a copy to your application.

If you are not sure whether you have Canadian citizenship or not, see if you may already be a citizen.

  1. Read the instruction guide and download the application forms.
  2. Fill out, sign and date your application forms.
  3. Pay the fees.
  4. Mail your completed application.
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