Congratulations! You have come to a very important step in your journey towards being fully Canadian: your application for citizenship!
I believe there is nothing more exciting than to know that after so much effort and dedication to the immigration path in a country such as Canada, one is able to move forward with the application to the most important and last step in the immigration journey, that is to become a citizen.
As part of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that Canada settled when it began its pathway towards being an autonomous country with Confederation in 1867, it is established that citizens enjoy all the liberties and rights as well as responsibilities that are contained in the law within the country.
As part of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that Canada settled when it began its pathway towards being an autonomous country with Confederation in 1867, it is established that citizens enjoy all the liberties and rights as well as responsibilities that are contained in the law within the country.
In other words, becoming a Canadian citizen means that you have the highest privilege under the law as an inhabitant of the country as much as you must be held accountable by the laws that govern society at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. So, for those of you wondering that the difference is between a permanent resident (PR) and a citizen, there are mainly two:
- The right to participate in local, provincial and federal elections
- The right to run as candidates in political elections and hold office as a public representative
However, on top of this, it is worth mentioning that those who become Canadian citizens also have the undeniable right of entry to Canada as long as their citizenship status is not in question. That is, if you hold a Canadian passport, you have the right to enter Canada under any circumstances as long as you can prove your citizenship was rightly obtained.
So, as you can see, the advantages of being a citizen are quite a few and overall, it’s also about the fact of culminating a journey that for many may take several years and feeling the pride to be integrated in such a multicultural, progressive and developed country like Canada.
So, as you can see, the advantages of being a citizen are quite a few and overall, it’s also about the fact of culminating a journey that for many may take several years and feeling the pride to be integrated in such a multicultural, progressive and developed country like Canada.
Eligibility and Application Process at a Glance
If you are wondering what it takes to become a Canadian citizen, I will give you here the most important steps to consider if you are approaching the time to apply for your citizenship:
- You must be 18 years o age or above to apply as an adult (otherwise you will need to apply under the family package with your parents of legal guardians as you are considered to be a dependent)
- You must have filed taxes in the 5 years prior to your application or have an exemption as to why you didn’t
- You must take a language proficiency test if you are between the ages of 14 and 54, unless you can justify an exemption due to one valid reason
- You must demonstrate that you were legally in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the last 5-year period immediately before you submit your application for citizenship.
A clarification here must be made as to two matters:
- First of all, you must accumulate at least 730 days in Canada as a Permanent Resident (PR)
- Temporary Resident status can be counted to a maximum of 365 days in the 5-year period being counted towards the eligibility period for citizenship. Every day spent in Canada as a PR counts as a full day, however, every day in Canada as a temporary resident counts as half-day.
- Days counted do not have to be consecutive. So, you can add different periods of time spent in Canada in the 5-year period although they are not in a row.
- You must submit a Physical Presence calculation of the 1,095 days accumulated in the 5-year period before the submission of the application which can be done with the Physical Presence Calculator Tool provided by IRCC online.
- You will need to provide Police Certificates from all countries you have lived in for 6 months in a row or more since you turn 18 years of age.
The cost for applying is $630 CAD which includes the $100-refundable Right of Citizenship Fee and the $530 CAD processing fee. Currently, applications for citizenship can be submitted online and are taking around 12 months to be processed.
Steps in the application for Canadian citizenship
- Application forms and supporting documents prepared.
- Application submission through online portal.
- Processing by IRCC.
- Citizenship test completed online mandatory for anyone between the ages of 14 and 54 unless there is an exemption with valid reason. Normally, right after the test, there can be a quick interview with an IRCC officer to check details of the application or clarify any doubts.
- Citizenship Oath Ceremony (most now celebrated online since Covid-19 Pandemic) to accept the Oath and become a citizen.
- Application for Canadian passport.
Do you need help with this process?
If you have any questions or need assistance with your Canadian citizenship application, don’t hesitate to contact us. At Velosa Immigration, we are here to guide you through every step of the journey towards your new future in Canada. Contact us today and take the first step towards your Canadian citizenship!
