Citizenship

The Canadian Citizenship Act was the first law to officially recognize individuals as citizens of Canada, and it was passed in 1947. The government of Canada has since enacted several significant changes. And the law today provides that naturalized citizens have all the rights and responsibilities of citizens born in Canada. With few exclusions, the Act grants automatic citizenship to everybody born in Canada (e.g., children of diplomats). However, in order to prove their citizenship, children born outside of Canada to Canadian parents must apply for a Canadian Citizenship Certificate.

A Canadian passport grants its holder the right to vote in federal elections and to run for office in that country. They have the freedom to travel to and from Canada (visa-free access to 170+ countries) and the legal right to live there. You won’t have to give up your old passport because Canada is one of the countries that allow dual citizenship.

Obtaining permanent residency in Canada is a necessary precursor to applying for Canadian citizenship. Over 261,000 permanent residents have entered Canada annually on average since 2010. In addition, 85% of qualified Canadian permanent residents choose to become citizens, the highest rate in the world.

You need to be a Permanent Resident (PR) of Canada, pay your taxes for the previous years, show that your language abilities are enough, and pass a citizenship test before you can apply for Canadian citizenship.

EXTRA CRITERIA ARE APPLICABLE IF YOU ARE:
·       Applying on behalf of a child (under the age of 18),

·       a Canadian adopting a child born outside of Canada,

·       a member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) applying under the expedited process, or a

·       former Canadian citizen seeking to regain citizenship (including current and former CAF members).