"O Canada" Canadian Citizenship

“O Canada! Our home and native land” Gaining Canadian citizenship is a goal for many. Continue reading below for eligibility requirements and the pathway to becoming a Canadian Citizen.

Eligibility

To be eligible to become a Canadian Citizen you must:

• Be a permanent resident
• Pass a citizenship test
• Have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years
• Have filed your taxes (if needed)
• Prove adequate language skills

There are additional or different requirements if you are:

• A Canadian applying for your adopted child born outside of Canada
• Applying for a minor (under the age of 18)
• A past Canadian citizen and want your Canadian citizenship back
• A current or former Canadian Armed Forces member applying under the fast- track process

Spouses of Canadian citizens

You don’t automatically become a citizen when you marry a Canadian

If you’re the spouse of a Canadian citizen, you must meet all the same requirements listed above (no exceptions)

Permanent resident status

Regardless of your age, if you’re applying for citizenship- you must have permanent resident status in Canada

Before applying for citizenship, you should review the documents you received when you became a PR to make sure you’re eligible.

You don’t need a valid PR card to apply. You can apply with an expired card.

Time you’ve lived in Canada (physical presence)

You must have been physically present in Canada for at least 3 years (1.095 days) during the previous 5 years before the date you sign the application

You are encouraged to apply with more days present in Canada in case there’s a problem with the calculation.

Filing income tax

You may need to have filed taxes in Canada for at least 3 out of the last 5 years right before the application date

Language skills

Canada has two official languages: English and French. If you are 18 to 54 years old on the day you sign the application, you must show that you can speak and understand at a certain level in one of the 2 languages.

Pass a citizenship test

If you’re 18 to 54 years of age on the day you sign your application, you need to take the citizenship test. You’ll need to answer questions about the rights and responsibilities of Canadians and Canada’s:

• history
• geography
• economy
• government
• laws
• symbols

The test is:

• in English or French
• 30 minutes long
• 20 questions (pass mark: 15 correct answers)
• multiple-choice and true or false questions
• based on the official citizenship study guide: Discover Canada
• usually written, but may be oral

Prohibitions

If you committed a crime in or outside of Canada:

• you may not be eligible to become a Canadian citizen for a certain period of time
• Time spent serving a term of imprisonment, on parole or probation does not count as time you lived in Canada

You passed- whats next:

Taking the Oath of Citizenship at a citizenship ceremony is the final step to becoming a Canadian citizen. Citizenship ceremonies take place across the country at all times of the year. There are also special ceremonies on Canada Day and during Citizenship week.

Akrami and Associates

Prep a citizenship application can be very time consuming and stressful, the representatives at Akrami and Associates are here to help. It is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to submit the application. Akrami and Associates work have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many clients obtain Canadian Citizenship. To get started, call or email us today. 416-477-2545 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.