Canadian Citizenship

What does it mean to be a Canadian citizen?

Photo of a Canadian citizenship ceremony Citizenship means working together with all other Canadians to build a stronger Canada, and making sure our values, dreams and goals are reflected in our institutions, laws and relationships with one another. Canada is a country that:

is free and democratic;
is multicultural;
has two official languages; and
extends equal treatment to all its citizens.

Each Canadian, whether a citizen by birth or by naturalization, enjoys certain rights and freedoms, for example:

the right to vote or to be a candidate for elections in Canada;
the right to apply for a Canadian passport.

Canadians also share rights and freedoms with permanent residents, for example:

the right to enter, remain in or leave Canada;
the right to reside in any province or territory.

Who is a Canadian citizen?

In general, you are a Canadian citizen if you were born in Canada. You are not a Canadian citizen if you were born in Canada and at the time of your birth, your parents were neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents, and at least one parent had diplomatic status in Canada.
In general, you are a Canadian citizen if you became a citizen through the naturalization process in Canada (i.e., you were a permanent resident [a landed immigrant] before you became a citizen).
In general, you are a Canadian citizen if you were born outside Canada and one of your parents was a Canadian citizen at the time of your birth because the parent was either born in Canada or naturalized in Canada (i.e., the parent was a permanent resident [a landed immigrant] before becoming a citizen). You are the first generation born outside Canada. For more information, please see the “First generation limit to citizenship by descent” section.
You may be a Canadian citizen if you were born outside Canada between January 1, 1947, and April 16, 2009 inclusively, to a Canadian parent who was also born outside Canada to a Canadian parent (you are the second or subsequent generation born outside Canada). If you think this may apply to you and you need more information, please contact us (see the “Contact Information” section at the end of this publication).

First generation limit to citizenship by descent

As of April 17, 2009, citizenship by descent (that is, citizenship through a parent) is limited to the first generation born or adopted outside Canada.

In general, people born outside Canada to a Canadian citizen on or after April 17, 2009, are Canadians at birth only if one of their parents:

was born in Canada, or
became a Canadian citizen by immigrating to Canada (becoming a permanent resident) and being granted citizenship (also known as naturalization).*

This first generation limit also applies to children adopted by a Canadian parent outside Canada, if the parent was born outside Canada to a Canadian parent, or if the parent had become a citizen through the citizenship adoption process. The first generation limit does not apply to children adopted by a Canadian parent who became a citizen through the regular grant process after immigrating to Canada.

This first generation limit does not apply to a child born outside Canada in the second or subsequent generation, or adopted outside Canada in the second or subsequent generation if, at the time of the child’s birth or adoption, the Canadian parent is working outside Canada as an employee of the Canadian government or a Canadian province or territory or serving outside Canada with the Canadian Forces.

It is important to note that the first generation limit does not take citizenship away from a person who is a citizen on April 16, 2009.

* Some naturalized citizens became citizens by descent by operation of law on April 17, 2009. If you think this may apply to you and you need more information, please contact us (see the “Contact information” section at the end of this publication).

Who can become a Canadian citizen?

Photo of new Canadians taking the oath of citizenship To become a Canadian citizen:

you must be 18 years of age or older;
you must be a permanent resident who has lived in Canada for three of the four years immediately preceding the application;
you must be able to communicate in English or French; and
you must have knowledge of Canada, including the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Minors: Parents or legal guardians may apply for citizenship on behalf of a minor (under 18 years of age) as soon as the minor receives permanent resident status. To apply on behalf of a minor, one parent must already be a Canadian citizen or must be applying to become a citizen at the same time.

Citizenship for foreign–born adopted persons: Foreign–born persons adopted by a Canadian citizen on or after January 1, 1947, may be eligible for citizenship without having to either become permanent residents or live in Canada. For more information on the citizenship process for adopted people, please contact us (see the “Contact Information” section at the end of this publication).

Who cannot become a Canadian citizen?

In general, you cannot become a Canadian citizen if:

you are in prison, on parole or on probation;
in the past four years, you were in prison, on parole or on probation for a year or more;
you were convicted of an indictable offence or crime, or an offence under the Citizenship Act in the three years preceding your application;
you are under a removal order (instructed by Canadian officials to leave Canada);
you are under investigation for, are charged with, or you were convicted of a war crime or a crime against humanity; or
your Canadian citizenship has been taken away (revoked) in the past five years.

How do I apply for Canadian citizenship?

Photo of new Canadians at a citizenship ceremony To apply for Canadian citizenship, you must complete the form “Application for Canadian Citizenship” and follow the instructions provided with the application. You must include a receipt of payment for the appropriate fees and the necessary documents with your application form. You can visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website at www.cic.gc.ca to download and print the application form or contact the CIC Call Centre at 1–888–242–2100 (toll–free) to order the forms you need.

A copy of our free study guide Discover Canada will be sent to you with the acknowledgment of your application.

If you are between the ages of 18 and 54 inclusively, you will have to take a citizenship test based on the content of this booklet. The test may be written, oral or both. The test will help determine if you meet the language and knowledge requirements for citizenship.

People 55 years of age and older do not need to take the test, although you will be scheduled to appear at the local office for a review of the originals (personal identification, immigration documents, etc.) of the photocopies you submitted with your application and your passport or travel documents relevant to the four years preceding your application.

If you meet all the requirements for citizenship, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony where you will take the oath of citizenship and receive your citizenship certificate. At the ceremony, you may choose to either swear on a holy book or to affirm the oath of citizenship. If you choose to swear the oath on a holy book, please bring it with you to the ceremony.

Who is eligible to obtain a citizenship certificate?

Sample of a Canadian citizenship certificate The Canadian citizenship certificate is an official document issued by the Government of Canada as proof of Canadian citizenship status.

Any Canadian citizen is entitled to apply for a citizenship certificate. Citizens born in Canada may apply for a citizenship certificate if they wish, although provincial or territorial birth certificates are frequently sufficient to establish Canadian citizenship. Naturalized Canadians automatically receive a citizenship certificate when they become citizens.

If you wish to confirm your Canadian status, to update your citizenship certificate or to replace a lost, destroyed or stolen certificate, you must make an application for a Canadian citizenship certificate.

A citizenship certificate is proof of citizenship. It is not a travel document. Any Canadian citizen wanting to travel outside Canada should obtain a Canadian passport.

How do I apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate?

To apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate, you must complete the form “Application for a Citizenship Certificate” and follow the instructions provided with the application. A non–refundable processing fee must be paid at the time of the application. You must include a receipt of payment and the necessary documents with your application form. You can visit the CIC website at www.cic.gc.ca to download and print the application form or contact us to order the forms you need (see the “Contact Information” section at the end of this publication).

What is the permanent resident card?

Sample of a permanent resident card The Permanent Resident Card (PR Card) is a wallet-sized card that is the official proof of your status as a permanent resident in Canada. It replaced the Record of Landing document (IMM 1000) in June 2002.

All permanent residents, including children, need a valid PR Card for re-entry into Canada on a commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train or bus).

When you become a Canadian citizen, you must surrender your PR Card to CIC. Canadian citizens may apply for a Canadian passport for international travel.

Learn more about the PR Card on the CIC website.

There have been some changes to the look of the PR Card, as well as some of its security features. The new cards began circulating August 18, 2009.

If you are a current permanent resident, you will only receive a new card when your existing card expires. If you are a new permanent resident, you will automatically receive your new card as part of the immigration process.

Contact Information

You can obtain information on CIC’s programs and services by consulting the Department’s website at www.cic.gc.ca. You can also download and print application forms.

If you are in Canada, you can contact the CIC Call Centre at 1–888–242–2100 (toll–free) for more information. The automated voice response system can provide you with answers to general questions 24 hours a day. You can also speak to an agent during normal business hours. If you are hard of hearing and you use a text telephone, you can access the TTY service at 1–888–576–8502 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. your local time.

If you are outside Canada, contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate responsible for your region.

Help us serve you better! Tell us what you think of this publication at www.cic.gc.ca/feedback.

The material in this publication is provided solely for general information purposes. In the event that any information in this publication conflicts with any provision contained in federal legislation (e.g., the Citizenship Act, the Citizenship Regulations, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act or the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations), federal legislation will apply.