Canadian Citizenship Application

• become a permanent resident
• have been physically present in Canada for at least 3 years (1,095 days) out of the last 5 years
• demonstrate sufficient knowledge of Canada
  • taking the citizenship test
  • have filed taxes, if needed
  • prove language skills (English or French)
    • test results from a third party, equivalent to at least CLB/NCLC 4
    • transcript, diploma or certificate from an English or French school program
    • proof you completed a speaking and listening course at level CLB/NCLC 4 in a LINC or CLIC course
    • if deaf, provide an audiogram and letter issued by a Canadian audiologist stating that you are deaf and have severe to profound hearing loss

    For Canadian citizenship applications under 18, requirements may be different. Minors who have a Canadian parent or a parent applying for citizenship must:

    • be a permanent resident
    • take the Oath of Citizenship, if 14 years or older
    • must sign the application form along with their parent or guardian
    • pay fee of $100

Meanwhile, application for Canadian citizenship minors under 18 years of age  who don't have a Canadian parent or parent applying for citizenship must:

• be a permanent resident
• have been physically present in Canada for at least 3 years (1,095 days) out of the last 5 years before you apply
• have filed income tax, if required by the CRA
• take the Oath of Citizenship, if 14 years or older
• must sign the application form along with their parent or guardian
• pay fee of $100

📜 Permanent Resident (PR) Status

If you are applying for citizenship, you must obtain a permanent resident (PR) status in Canada. This means that you should not:

• be under review for immigration or fraud reasons
• be under a removal order
• have unfulfilled conditions regarding your PR status

Regardless of your age, you must be physically present in Canada for at least 1095 days during the 5 years preceding your application. It is highly suggested that you apply with more than 1095 days of physical appearance to have extra days in case you will encounter problems with the calculation. Using a travel journal to record your trips will help you calculate your physical presence in Canada.

📝 Canadian Citizenship Application Document Checklist

The following are the list of documents you have to gather and attach with your application:

• Original printout of your Online Physical Presence Calculation or form CIT 0407
• Photocopies of all valid and expired passports or travel documents you had in the past 5 years where your name, photo, passport/travel document number, issue date, and expiration date are visible.
• photocopies of 2 valid IDs
  • driver’s license
  • health insurance card
  • senior citizen’s card
  • passport or any government-issued identification documents
  • travel document
  • age of majority card
• Two identical citizenship photos
• Application fee receipt
• Document Checklist or form CIT 0007

If you cannot provide Canadian personal identification documents, you may provide identity documents equivalent to the documents listed above. If your identification documents are not in English or French, you may also include a translation and affidavit.

Note: If you’re applying for a minor who doesn’t have 2 valid IDs or photo ID, you must provide an explanation letter along with the application. Birth certificates, Social Insurance Number (SIN) cards, bank cards, and previous Canadian citizenship certificates are not valid as personal identification documents.

Students preparing for standardized academic tests can practice with our Canadian citizenship test 2026, covering the quantitative reasoning and analytical sections tested on exam day.

Newcomers to Canada can prepare for the placement test used by language training programs with our free CLBPT Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test practice — covering reading and writing assessment tasks.

Candidates applying for French-language positions in the Canadian public service can prepare with our free FICEP French language proficiency practice test — covering reading, writing, and oral interaction components.

Language proficiency candidates also practice with our TABE practice test 2026 to strengthen reading comprehension and communication skills.

📁 Canadian Citizenship Application Package

When applying for citizenship, you can get an application package that suits your situation. The package comprises of the instruction guide, document checklist, and all the forms you have to feel out. You can choose from the following application packages for your situation:

• Adult (18 years and older)
• Parent (or guardian) applying for a minor under 17
• Minor under 18 without a Canadian parent
• Adoption by a Canadian citizen
• An adult who served with the Canadian Armed Forces
• A stateless person born to a Canadian parent

Make sure you use the newest version of the application form dated October 2017 or later to avoid hassles of returned applications due to outdated form.

📋 Completing Your Application

Follow the steps below to complete your application form:

• Download the Canadian citizenship application CIT 0001 form from the IRCC website
•  Open the application form on your computer
• Read the instructions at the end of the application form
• Fill out the form. You can either:
  • fill it out electronically on your computer and then print and sign it, or
  • print the form and fill it out by hand

  💰 Fee for Canadian Citizenship Application

  Canadian citizenship application fee payment varies whether you are an adult or minor. If you more than one from your family is applying for citizenship you can pay the fees altogether. Only pay the application fees when you’re ready to submit your application as they are non-refundable once the processing has begun.

  	Adult (aging 18 to 54)	Minor (under 18)
  Processing fee	$530
  Right of Citizenship fee	$100	$100
  Total Application fee	$630	$100

The only form of payment accepted is online, so if you pay it in another form of payment, the IRCC will return your application. For applicants who are currently outside Canada and the United States and have no access to the Internet, you must pay directly to the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate where you will submit your application.

Regular Mail

📮 Submit Your Citizenship Application

After you have gathered all the necessary documents and have completed your application, send it to the following addresses:

Case Processing Centre-Sydney

P.O. Box 7000

SYDNEY, NS

B1P 6V6

Courier Address

Case Processing Centre-Sydney

49 Dorchester Street

Sydney, Nova Scotia

B1P 5Z2

Note: Your application will be returned if it is incomplete; it doesn’t meet the minimum processing requirements, and; does not include the correct fee payment.

How long does it take to apply for Canadian citizenship?

💭 Canadian Citizenship Questions

Once you have submitted complete documents, it usually takes 12 months for IRCC to process your applications and grant you the Canadian citizenship.

How to check my Canadian citizenship application progress?

You can check your Canadian citizenship application status online once the processing has started. You will know when the processing has started when you receive an acknowledgment letter or email with your application letter. If you can’t check your status online, you can refer to the processing times as a guide to how long the process might take.

What is the process for Canadian citizenship by descent application?

Individuals born outside of Canada are Canadian citizens by descent if one of their parents is a citizen of Canada either by having been born in Canada or by naturalization.