Prepare for the citizenship test

You must take the citizenship test if

• you are between the ages of 18 and 54; and
• you meet the basic requirements for citizenship.

You may also have to take the test if you are applying to retain your citizenship.

The test evaluates your knowledge of Canada. It is usually written, but you may also be asked to come to an interview with a citizenship judge.

During the written exam and the interview, you will be asked questions about:

• the right to vote and right to run for elected office
• elections procedures
• the rights and responsibilities of a citizen
• Canadian social and cultural history and symbols
• Canadian political history (including the political system and institutions)
• Canadian physical and political geography

If you are asked to come to an interview, the conversation can also be used to assess your language abilities.

If you are preparing for the citizenship test, study CIC’s official study guide —Discover Canada— which is provided for free. If you use any other publications or materials, you do so at your own risk. Find out more.

The questions in the citizenship test are based on the information in our free study guide Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship.

We will send you a copy of the study guide once we have received your application for citizenship.

Start studying for the test as soon as you receive your copy of the study guide. You can also take a look at the sample study guide questions to help you prepare for the test.

We will send you a notice giving you the time and date for your test.

Your test may be written or oral. We decide whether your test will be written or oral based on a number of factors. For example, if you have trouble reading and writing in English or French, you will have an oral test.

Oral tests are done through an interview with a citizenship judge.

When you come for your written or oral test bring the following documents with you:

• the original documents you submitted with your application and
• any passport or travel documents relevant to the four years before your application.

If you pass the test and the citizenship judge determines that you meet all the other requirements for citizenship, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony. During that ceremony, you will take the oath of citizenship which is the final requirement for citizenship, and receive a certificate of Canadian citizenship.

If you do not pass the written test, we will send you a notice telling you to appear for an interview (30‑90 minutes) with a citizenship judge. At that interview, the judge will ask you the test questions orally to give you another opportunity to demonstrate that you meet all the requirements of citizenship (including knowledge and language).