Am I eligible for Canadian Citizenship?

You are eligible for Canadian citizenship if you meet the following requirements: 

• you are a permanent resident of Canada

• you have lived in Canada for at least 1,095 days (equivalent to 3 years) the last 5 years preceding your application'';  

• filed your taxes for all years you have lived in Canada, as required under the Income Tax Act;  

• meet minimum language requirements (English or French)

If you meet the minimum eligibility requirements, you will need to take (and pass) the citizenship test. Once you do that, you will be invited to take an Oath of citizenship.

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How do I record my time in Canada?   

It is best to keep a travel journal and record the trips made outside of Canada by air, land or boat, including day trips to the USA.  In the travel journal, it is recommended that the date you left Canada and returned to Canada be recorded (including day trips), as well as countries visited during the trip and the purpose of the trip.    

Any portion of a day spent in Canada counts as a day of residency for citizenship.

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What will I be tested on during the Citizenship Test? 

The Citizenship Test covers the following topics: geography, history, laws, government, economy, and symbols 

The Citizenship Test can be completed in English or French and takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. There are 20 questions and in order to pass you must answer 15 of the questions correctly. The questions are a combination of multiple choice and true or false questions. The test is usually written but it may be oral. Finally, the test is based on the official Citizenship Study Guide.  

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Does everyone need to pass the Citizenship Test?  

Anyone between the ages of 18 and 54 on the date they sign their Canadian Citizenship application must take and pass the Citizenship Test on the rights, responsibilities and knowledge of Canada.  Those under 18 and over 54 are exempt.

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What are the language requirements for Canadian Citizenship?  

Canada has two official languages – English and French.  An Applicant must show that they meet the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4 or higher in either French or English.   

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Does every Applicant need to show that they meet the language requirements?  

Anyone between the ages of 18 and 54 on the date they sign their Canadian Citizenship application must meet the language requirements. Those under 18 and over 54 are exempt.

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If I am married to a Canadian citizen, am I automatically a Canadian citizen?  

No, as the spouse of a Canadian citizen you must apply to become a Canadian citizen and you must meet all of the eligibility requirements.  

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If I am a Canadian citizen and my child was born outside of Canada, is my child a Canadian citizen?  

Maybe! There are a number of factors that come into play. Our citizenship laws have changed quite significantly over the years. So, depending on when your child was born, they may be a citizen. We also have something called the first generation limit - this means that only the first generation born outside Canada of naturalized Canadian citizens will be have automatic Canadian citizenship.

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I applied for Canadian citizenship. How does my minor (under 18) child qualify?  

A Canadian citizenship application would be submitted for the minor child with the parent’s application for Canadian citizenship. To be eligible as a minor, the Child:  

• must be a Canadian permanent resident at the time of the application; and  

• must take the Oath of Citizenship  

Your minor child does not need to:  

• meet the language requirements 

• write the Canadian citizenship test 

• meet the residency requirement (be present within Canada for 1095 days out in the five years preceding the application)

• filing income taxes  

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How do I qualify to become a Canadian citizen if I am a minor and do not have a parent who is applying for Canadian citizenship or a parent who is already a Canadian citizens?  

Stand-alone minors must demonstrate the following:  

• they are a Canadian permanent resident at the time of the application;  

• they have been personally present in Canada for at least 3 years (1095 days) in the last five years;  

• have filed their income tax returns if required to do so by the Canada Revenue Agency  

The minor child must also take the Oath of Citizenship. 

The minor child does not need to meet the language requirements nor do they need to write the Canadian citizenship test. 

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If I am a Canadian citizen and I adopted a child overseas, is my adopted eligible for Canadian citizenship? 

Your adopted child may be eligible for a direct grant of Canadian citizenship if:  

• one of the adopted parents was a Canadian citizen when the adoption occurred;

• the child is not subject to the first generation limit to citizenship by descent; and  

• all other requirements of the Citizenship Act are met.  

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