Canadian Citizenship Application Guide

Canada's robust social support and economic system is a dream for many. Some may take it even further by seeking out Canadian citizenship. How can you get through the application process? Read more below.

Canadian Citizenship Application Guide: flag of Canada

Table of contents

The benefits of Canadian citizenship over the permanent resident status

While permanent residence already grants many rights to foreigners living in Canada, citizenship status gives you even more.

One of the most apparent differences is political rights. Citizens can vote and run for political office, while residents cannot.

Besides that, because you’re a citizen, you won’t need to worry about your residency status by counting the days you spend inside and outside Canada, nor will you need to worry about renewing your permits.

Holding this status also opens you up to jobs only available to citizens, such as those needing security clearance.

Canadian citizenship also, obviously, grants you a Canadian passport: one of the strongest travel documents worldwide.

Who is eligible to get Canadian citizenship?

In general, here are the points you need to check. To obtain citizenship status in Canada, you must:

There are varying requirements for minors, former members of the Canadian Armed Forces, those who gave up their Canadian citizenship in the past, and others.

How to apply for Canadian citizenship?

In general, there are two ways to apply for Canadian citizenship: online and by post.

Right now, online applications are available to eligible residents aged 18 and above who are applying alone, not with their families. If you can apply electronically, here is the link.

In other cases, you will have to apply on paper. The documentation package varies on your status: whether you submit it as an adult for yourself, a minor without parents, a parent applying for minors, a stateless person, and others.

Then you will need to pay for the application online. You can pay several application fees at once, if applicable.

If you’re submitting more than one application (for example, also for a family member or more) and want them to be processed simultaneously, send them together.

Documents required for Canadian citizenship application

As we mentioned above, the documents vary on your status. However, we will use the case of an adult application to give you the basics of what you will need to submit:

Canadian citizenship photo requirements

Make sure your application photos fulfil these parameters:

Here is an example:

Canadian citizenship application photo

Get a photo for a Canadian citizenship application online!

Citizenship applications need a large set of documents, all of which you must get right. So we recommend not wasting your time where you can save it: on application photos. By using Visafoto, you can get a Canadian citizenship application picture that checks all the requirements without leaving the comfort of your own home.

Take an image with a smartphone or camera against any background, upload it here and instantly get a professional photo for your visa, passport or ID. No registration required. You will see results in seconds.
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Source

Source photo example that you need to take in order to make a passport or visa photo at visafoto.com

Result

Result example: a correct visa or passport photo that you will receive

Just take a portrait of yourself in good lighting and upload it to our tool below. No need to worry about the background, format, and proportions; we have you covered. You will get two files from Visafoto: a digital photo and a template ready for printing, so you can use Visafoto whether you’re applying online or by post.

So let's have a look at some examples. Your original photo should look like this:

Original photo for Canadian citizenship application

After resizing, you will get a photo for online submission and 4 photos for printing:

Example of a Canadian citizenship photo after being edited by Visafoto
Canadian citizenship photos for printing

Canadian citizenship fee

The total price for adult applicants (including processing fee and right of citizenship fee) is $630.

For stateless adults born to Canadian parents and minors, the cost is $100.

Canadian citizenship test and interview: what to expect

First, find out whether you need to take the test and interview or just one of them. Adults 18 to 54 years of age need to attend both. Check your situation below:

In the test, there will be 20 questions about the rights and responsibilities of Canadians and Canada’s history, geography, economy, government, laws, and symbols. You will need to familiarize yourself, among others, with aspects of Canadian culture, the Monarchy, the political system, and elements of Canadian life. Prepare yourself by studying this guide.

Canadian citizenship processing time

The processing time may vary based on the processing centre’s workload, which you can check here. However, most applications (routine) need approximately 25 months to be processed.

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