Prepare for the citizenship test

Most people need to take the citizenship test as part of the application. Find out how to prepare for the test and what to expect after you take it.

Who has to take the test and go to the interview

Whether you have to take the test or go to the interview depends on your age and application.

Your age and situation Take the test Go to the interview
Adult 18 to 54 years of age Yes We may invite you to an interview
Adult 55 and over No We may invite you to an interview
Minor under 18 with a Canadian parent or a parent applying at the same time No No, except in some casesFootnote *
Minor 14 to 17 without a Canadian parent or a parent applying at the same time No We may invite you to an interview
Minor under 14 without a Canadian parent or a parent applying at the same time No No, except in some casesFootnote *
Get a test accommodation or waiver (exemption)

You may be in a situation where you need

  • help with the test (accommodation) or
  • an exemption from taking it (waiver)

Accommodation

If you need help with the test, you can request an accommodation. For example, we can

  • provide a Braille, large-print or oral version of the test
  • give you extra time to complete the test
  • arrange to have you take the test in person (if you can’t take test online due to poor Internet connection)

Learn more about accommodations

Waiver (exemption)

If your situation prevents you from taking the test, you can request a waiver (exemption) instead.

  • Your situation must meet the waiver criteria.
  • If we approve your waiver request, you don’t need to take the test.

Learn more about the waiver  

Test questions and passing score

The test

You need to get at least 15 out of 20 questions right to pass the test.

Test format

There are several ways to take the test.

We’ll invite most applicants to take the citizenship test online.

If you need an accommodation for accessibility or other reasons, we

Study for the test

Use our official study guide, Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship, to study for your test. You can start studying for the test at any time.

The official study guide is always free. The guide is available in multiple formats. You can choose to:

Start studying

Wait for your test invitation

We usually send the invitation within 1 week of your acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter or email.

You don’t need to contact us to get an invitation. We’ll send them as quickly as possible.

If you have an emergency

If you need to take the test sooner due to an emergency, check if you qualify for urgent processing.

If you need to reschedule

Contact the email address in the Rescheduling section of your test invitation. In your email, include

How you’ll get the invitation

If you gave an email address in your application, we’ll send you or your representative an invitation by email.

If you or your representative did not give an email address

How to take the test

You can take the test only after you receive your invitation. How you’ll take the test depends on the test format.

If you take the test online

Follow these steps:

  1. Make sure you
  2. After you receive the invitation, you can take the online test when you’re ready.
    • You have 30 calendar days to complete the test. (Check your invitation for the dates.)
    • Within this 30-day period, you have up to 3 chances to pass the online test.
      • For example, if you fail the test the first time, you have 2 more chances to pass it.
    • If you fail the test 3 times, we’ll invite you to a hearing with a citizenship official.

If you take the test on Microsoft Teams or in person

If you request an accommodation, we may invite you to take the test on Microsoft Teams or in person. For more information, check the instructions in your test invitation.

You have up to 3 chances to pass the test.

If you need to bring your child to the in-person test

Only the person scheduled for the test can be in the testing room.

If you need help, contact the office that sent your invitation to explain your situation.

  • They will let you know if they can accommodate your child.
  • For example, you may be able to bring someone to supervise your child in the waiting room of the test location.
  • If the test location can’t accommodate your child
    • make a different child care arrangement on the day of the test or
    • ask the office to reschedule your test

What to do if you missed the test

Your next steps depend on on the type of test you missed. Answer the following questions to find out more.

If you missed an online test

In this scenario, we sent you a test invitation but you didn’t take the test within your 30-day test period.

If this is the first time you missed the test

  • we’ll automatically invite you to the test again
  • you still have 3 chances within a 30 day period to do the test

If this is the second time you missed the test

  • contact the email in the “Rescheduling” section of your test invitation
  • provide a reasonable explanation in your email
  • we’ll let you know your next steps

If you missed the test twice and didn’t contact us, we’ll abandon (stop processing) your application.

If you missed your first test on Microsoft Teams or in person

If this was the first time we invited you to the test and you missed it, you have 2 options:

The difference between these options

If you contact us and give a valid reason for missing the test (option 1), we’ll send you a new invitation. The new one will count as your first invitation.

If you wait for us to reschedule you (option 2), we’ll send you a final invitation. We may stop processing your application if you miss it again.

Option 1 (recommended): Contact us

Steps to contact us

  1. Write us a message to explain why you missed the test.
  2. Send us the explanation within 30 days of your missed test date.

You can send your explanation:

  • through the web form  (opens in a new tab) or
  • by mail to the office that scheduled your test
    • Check your test invitation for the address of the office.
    • We’ll use the postmark date on your envelope as the date you sent your explanation.  
After you contact us

We’ll review your explanation to decide if you had a valid reason for missing the test.

If your reason is valid, we’ll

  • reschedule your test date
  • send you a new invitation (it will count as your first invitation)

If your reason is invalid, we’ll reschedule your test date and send a final invitation.

Option 2: Wait for us to reschedule you

We’ll automatically reschedule your first test if

  • you didn’t contact us to explain why you missed it previously or
  • you contacted us, but your reason for missing the test is invalid

We’ll send you a final test invitation with the rescheduled date (usually 2 weeks after the date of your missed test).

If you missed your rescheduled test

You need to contact us.

  1. Write us a message to explain why you missed the test.
  2. Send us the explanation within 30 days of your missed test date.

You can send your explanation

  • through the web form  (opens in a new tab) or
  • by mail to the office that scheduled your test
    • Check your test invitation for the address of the office.
    • We’ll use the postmark date on your envelope as the date you sent your explanation.  

We’ll review your explanation to decide if you had a valid reason for missing the rescheduled test.

  •  If your reason is valid, we’ll send you a new final invitation.
  •  We may stop processing your citizenship application if
    • your reason for missing the rescheduled test is invalid or
    • you don’t contact us within 30 days of your test date

If you still want to be a Canadian citizen after we stop processing your application, you must re-apply and pay the fees again (opens in a new tab) .

If you missed a retest on Microsoft Teams or in person

If you failed your previous test attempt, we’ll schedule you for a retest.

If you missed your retest:

  • write us a message to explain why you missed it
  • send us the explanation within 30 days of the missed retest date

You can send your explanation:

  • through the web form  (opens in a new tab) or
  • by mail to the office that scheduled your test
    • Check your test invitation for the address of the office.
    • We’ll use the postmark date on your envelope as the date you sent your explanation.  

We’ll review your explanation to decide if you had a valid reason for missing the test.

  • If your reason is valid, we’ll send you an invitation with the new and final test date.
  •  We may stop processing your citizenship application if
    • your reason for missing the retest is invalid or
    • you don’t contact us within 30 days of your retest date

If you still want to be a Canadian citizen after we stop processing your application, you must re-apply and pay the fees again (opens in a new tab).

If you missed a retest on Microsoft Teams or in person

If you failed your previous test attempt, we’ll schedule you for a retest.

If you missed your retest:

  • write us a message to explain why you missed it
  • send us the explanation within 30 days of the missed retest date

You can send your explanation

  • through the web form (opens in a new tab)  or
  • by mail to the office that scheduled your test
    • Check your test invitation for the address of the office.
    • We’ll use the postmark date on your envelope as the date you sent your explanation.  

We’ll review your explanation to decide if you had a valid reason for missing the test.

  •  If your reason is valid, we’ll send you an invitation with the new and final test date.
  •  We may stop processing your citizenship application if
    • your reason for missing the retest is invalid or
    • you don’t contact us within 30 days of your retest date

If you still want to be a Canadian citizen after we stop processing your application, you must re-apply and pay the fees again (opens in a new tab) .

After the test: Result and next steps

After you take the test, you’ll get your test result. Your next steps will depend on whether you pass or don’t pass the test.

Test result

How you get the test result depends on whether you took the test online, on Microsoft Teams or in person:

Online test

You’ll get the unofficial test score right after you submit the test.

After you submit the test, we need time to further review it before the test result becomes official.

Test on Microsoft Teams or in person

You’ll get your official test score right after you take the test.

If you pass the test

You pass the test if you correctly answer at least 15 out of 20 questions (75%).

After you pass the test, we

If you fail the test

You have up to 3 chances to pass the test (whether online or on Microsoft Teams or in person).

If you fail the test 3 times, we’ll invite you to a hearing with a citizenship official. At the hearing, we’ll orally ask you questions that are similar to those on the citizenship test.

If you pass the hearing, we’ll continue processing your application.

If you fail the hearing

If you don’t pass the test and applied as a family or a group

When you apply as a family or a group, we process all applications together. If you have to do a retest or go to a hearing, we may invite your co-applicants to the citizenship ceremony before you.

If you want everyone to attend the same ceremony, ask us to pause processing of the applications. We’ll wait until you pass the test or hearing so everyone can be a citizen at the same time.

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