Prepare For Your Citizenship Application

Who can apply?

To become a Canadian citizen, most applicants must:
• Be a permanent resident
• Have lived in Canada for at least 3 out of the last 5 years (1,095 days)
• Have filed your taxes if you need to
• Pass a citizenship test
• Prove your language skills in English or French

Other requirements may apply, find out more information about your eligibility here

Apply online if you can

Some applicants can now apply online to become a Canadian citizen, check here if you can apply online.

Apply on paper

Get an application package
The application package includes the instruction guide and all the forms you need to fill out. Use the instruction guide and the document checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything.

Choose the application package for your situation:
• Adult (age 18 or older)
• Parent or guardian applying for a minor (under age 18)
• Minor without a Canadian parent applying alone
• Adult who served with the Canadian Armed Forces
• Adoption by a Canadian citizen
• Stateless person born to a Canadian parent

Pay the application fees

You have to pay your fees online, it depends on whether you’re an adult (age 18 and over) or minor (under age 18) and may include:

• The processing fee
• The right of citizenship fee
• If you’re submitting more than one application at the same time, you can pay all the fees together

Submit your application

You must be eligible for Canadian citizenship the day before you sign the application form.

Make sure you:
• Sign the application form
• Date the form the day you sign it (don’t use a date in the past or future)
• Have the same application date on your application form and physical presence calculation for the following applications:
• Adult (age 18 or older).
• Minor (under 18) without a Canadian parent applying alone.
• You don’t have to sign or date your physical presence calculation (your printout of the Online Physical Presence Calculator or form CIT 0407).

Send your completed application form and all the documents on the checklist by mail or courier as soon as possible after you sign and date the application.

Address for regular mail Case Processing Centre—Sydney Citizenship Grants P.O. Box 7000 Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 6V6

Canada Address for courier mail Case Processing Centre—Sydney Citizenship Grants 47–49 Dorchester Street Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 5Z2

Check processing time and application status

If you need to know how long your application should take to complete you can check processing time

If you have an application in progress:
• You can check your application status
• Make sure your contact information and your application details are up to date, use the IRCC web form to inform about any changes in your application.