Canadian Citizenship Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers for Canadian Citizenship

In this article, I will address questions and answers for Canadian citizenship in order for you to further understand what Canadian citizenship entails. A Canadian citizenship application is intended for permanent residents of Canada who meet certain criteria and who wish to apply to become a Canadian citizen. It was created to give permanent residents an opportunity to finally become Canadian citizens after a specified amount of years of being a permanent resident. The Canadian government believes that becoming a Canadian citizen gives permanent residents the opportunity to receive benefits and privileges that other Canadian citizens receive. If you feel as though you would be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship, I suggest you read our article on “Do you Desire to come a Canadian Citizen” before reading this question and answer article. This article is intended to clarify any misunderstanding or confusion with regards to Canadian citizenship.

Q: Once I marry a Canadian citizen, do I automatically become a Canadian citizen?

A: Unfortunately, no, that is not the case. By marrying a Canadian citizen, you do not automatically become a Canadian citizen by default. There is an extensive process in order to become a Canadian citizen. Therefore, if you wish to become a Canadian citizen, you must abide by the eligibility requirements just like anyone else. In other words, there is no special process or exception for spouses of Canadian citizens.

Q: Who can apply for Canadian citizenship?

A: There are specific requirements in order to become a Canadian citizen. For instance, you must either be a permanent resident; have resided in Canada for a specified amount of time; and meet all of the other requirements. The other requirements include income tax filing, language skills, how well you know Canada and the prohibitions. Please refer to the “Do you Desire to come a Canadian Citizen” article for more information on the requirements for Canadian citizenship.

Q: Is it possible for me to exit Canada once I have mailed my citizenship application?

A: Luckily, yes you may exit Canada once you have mailed your citizenship application. However, if you need to exit Canada and would like to maintain your eligibility for Canadian citizenship, you must ensure that you have lived in Canada long enough to maintain your permanent residency status; be a permanent resident when you apply; not lose your permanent residency status before you take the Oath of Citizenship; and, must bring your PR card with you upon exiting Canada so your return will go with ease.

Q: When applying for Canadian citizenship, what language level do I need?

A: This is a very good question as language ability is an important requirement for Canadian citizenship. If you are applying and fall under the ages of 14 and 64 when you sign your application, you must ensure that you meet the Canadian Language Benchmarks Level of 4 (CLB 4) or higher in listening and speaking.

Q: Unfortunately, I missed my citizenship test. What can I do!?

A: If you have missed your citizenship test, the steps you need to take will depend on what Immigration Canada has sent you. For instance, if they either have given you a first notice to write the test, a final notice to write the test, or a notice to re-write the test. If you were sent a first notice to write the test, you can either contact Immigration to inform them that you missed the test or wait to be automatically rescheduled for another date. If you received a final notice to write the test, you must contact Immigration within 30 days of the test date. The notice that you received will inform you on how to contact them. Keep in mind, the office that is handling your application will let you know if your reasons for missing the test are valid – if so, then they will send you another final notice and reschedule a new test date.

Q: How much is the application fee for a Canadian citizenship?

The application fees for Canadian citizenship range depending on age and circumstance. For an adult that is 18 and older, the processing fee is $530 CAD and the right of citizenship fee is $100 CAD. For a Stateless adult that is 18 and older born to a Canadian parent, the right of citizenship fee is the same at $100 CAD. For an adopted minor under 18 and a minor under 18, the processing fee is $100 CAD.

There is also a fee for the Citizenship certificate once you gain citizenship in Canada. For the certificate, it costs $75 CAD. Additionally, if you need to search for your record of citizenship, for any reason, there is also a fee for that. In order to search for your record of citizenship, it costs $75 CAD.

Q: What are the Canadian citizenship photo specifications?

A: For the photo specifications for Canadian citizenship, you must ensure you have 2 passport photos that comply with these specifications: 50 mm in width and 70 mm in length (2” x 2 ¾”). It is important to note that the face must be within 31 mm (1 ¼”) and 36 mm (1 7/16”).

Contact Akrami & Associates

Should you have any further questions or feel confused or unclear about how to apply for Canadian citizenship, it is important to talk about any questions you may have and discuss your concerns. By talking to immigration professionals about your concerns, this will ease your worries and assist with the application process. Many immigration applications are difficult to pursue on your own, if you are unfamiliar, and it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to apply. Here, at Akrami & Associates, we work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients gain Canadian citizenship and they are now happily living in Canada as citizens. If you believe that you may be eligible for Canadian citizenship, please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at our office at 416-477-2545 for more information or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advise.

With Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!