You can apply for Canadian citizenship if you are a Permanent Resident of Canada and you have been living in Canada for at least 1,095 days during the five (5) year period before submitting your Citizenship application.
If you were in Canada as a temporary resident or as a protected person, you may be able to use some of the time towards the 1,095 days. As well as if you were a Crown Servant or the family member of a Crown Servant and you were residing outside Canada.
Every day that you have spent outside Canada should be calculated despite the reason why you travelled or the time you spent out of the country.
To prove that you have resided in Canada for at least 1,095 days within a five (5) year period, you must have three (3) years of documentation regarding your income tax.
In addition to the information mentioned above, if you are between 18 and 54 years of age, you must prove that you can communicate (speak and listen) in English or French at least Level 4 or higher. To prove your language proficiency you must submit one of the following:
- Diploma, transcript or a certificate from a secondary or post-secondary program in English or French;
- Proof that you have the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada program, or the Cours de Langue Pour les Immigrants au Canada (CLIC) and obtained a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4 or higher in speaking and listening.
- Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program – General Test (CELPIP-G) or General (Listening and Speaking) Test (CELPIP-G LS)
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) training test
- Test d’Évaluation de Français (TEF)
- Test d’Évaluation du Français adapté au Québec (TEFAQ)
- Test d’Évaluation de Français (TEF) pour la naturalisation
Please be advise that if you are older than 54, you are only exempt of providing proof of language. However, this does not mean that you get citizenship automatically. If you are over 54 years of age. you will be required to meet all other necessary requirements
Once your application is processed, you will receive a letter scheduling a test assessing your knowledge of Canadian rights and responsibilities as a citizen. The test will be in English or French and it will consist of 20 multiple-choice and true or false questions that you will have to complete within 30 minutes. You must assert 15 questions to pass this test.
If you fail your first written test, they will schedule you for a second test. If you are unable to pass the test, they will schedule a hearing with a citizenship officer. During this hearing, the citizenship officer will assess your Citizenship eligibility, your knowledge of Canada, along with assessing your proficiency in English or French. This will be considered an oral test.
Keep in mind that if you committed a crime in or outside of Canada, you may not be eligible to become a Canadian citizen. However, you will not be able to use this time if you served a sentence or completed parole or probation.
Remember That
If you are the child of a Canadian citizen (naturalized citizen or citizen by birth) but you were born outside of Canada, you do not have to apply for Canadian Citizenship, you will have to apply for a Citizenship Certificate.
If you had a child outside of Canada and you are a Permanent Resident of Canada, you must sponsor your child to come to Canada.
Contact us now to begin your citizenship application.
