Citizenship Program
The Citizenship Program receives and processes applications for Canadian citizenship and grants Canadian citizenship to successful applicants.
Delivered by: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
Eligibility Information
Citizenship applicants must meet the following requirements:
- be permanent residents of Canada
- have lived in Canada for at least three of the four years preceding their application
- be able to communicate in either English or French
- pass a citizenship test if between the ages of 18 and 54
- other criteria may apply
Financial Information
- There is a fee of $200 for Canadian citizenship applications.
- There is a fee of $100 for retention, renouncement and resumption of Canadian citizenship applications.
Application Information
- The citizenship application process currently takes 15 to 18 months to complete. Detailed information on processing times is available by contacting CIC.
- All citizenship applications must be sent to the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and include a Canadian address for subsequent correspondence.
- The e-Client Applications Status service enables citizenship applicants to view the status of their application on-line.
- Application Form
Contact Information
- General Inquiries: 1 888 242-2100
- TTY: 1 888 576-8502
Additional Information
- Successful citizenship applicants who are 14 years of age and older must attend the Swearing-in Ceremony and take the oath of citizenship. New citizens receive their Citizenship Certificate during the ceremony.
- Individuals who have been denied citizenship and wish to appeal the decision must contact CIC to determine how to proceed.
- Permanent residents who wish to obtain Canadian citizenship and still retain their original citizenship (known as “dual citizenship”) must contact the embassy, consulate or high commission of their country of origin to determine if this is permissible according to the laws of that country.
