Canada is a country that embodies multiculturalism and diversity and encourages newcomers to achieve their full potential by supporting their integration and active participation in social, cultural, economic and political affairs.

There are 3 main ways to become a Canadian citizen:

• By birth: In most cases, if you are born in Canada you are automatically a Canadian citizen at birth.
• By descent: If you are the child of a Canadian citizen but are born overseas, you will generally be granted Canadian citizenship
• By grant: If you are a non-citizen of Canada and have lived in Canada for a given period of time (see residency requirements in ‘eligibility’ below) you can apply to become a Canadian citizen (through naturalisation)

As a Canadian citizen, you are eligible for certain entitlements too.

To be eligible for Canadian citizenship, there are certain criteria that you must meet. These include (but are not limited to) being:

• At least 18 years of age
• A permanent resident of Canada
• Physically present in Canada for at least 3 out of 5 past years
• Proficient in English and/or French
• Of good character

NOTE: To meet the residency requirement, applicants must have been physically present in Canada for at least 3 years (1,065 days) out of the last 5 years. You can use our online calculator to calculate your physical presence in Canada.

The fee for this application is CAN $630.

The processing time for a grant of citizenship is approximately 12 months. Once granted, you will receive your citizenship certificate in the mail.

If after the first one you need a replacement, you will have to apply for a new one.