Applying for citizenship can be a relatively straightforward application, provided you are certain that you meet all the basic requirements. However, if you have spent time outside of Canada or face any sort of inadmissibility, you will face more difficulty than anticipated. If you are seeking to apply for citizenship, depending on the uniqueness of your case, it may be wise to seek out legal representation so that you can cover all your basis and account for anything you did not anticipate.

Akrami & Associates will guide you every step of the way with this. Contact us for more details.

If you intend to submit your application without the support of a representative, there are a couple of factors you should keep in mind.

Age

You must be at least 18 years old to apply.

To apply for citizenship for a child under 18:

• you must be the child’s parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian,
• the child must be a permanent resident, and
• one parent must be a Canadian citizen or apply to become a citizen at the same time (this also applies to adoptive parents).

Time in Canada

You must have resided in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) in the past four years before you apply. This does not apply to children under 18.

You may be able to count the time you spent in Canada before you became a permanent resident if it was during the past four years. You will also need to demonstrate this with the proper documentation, such as entry and exit stamps in your passport.

Language Proficiency

If you are between 18 and 54 years of age, you must send proof of your ability to speak and listen in English or French with your citizenship application.

Second, CIC will assess how well you communicate when you talk to staff or a citizenship judge interviews you. At these times, you will have to:

• take part in short, everyday conversations about common topics,
• understand simple instructions, questions and directions,
• use basic grammar, including simple structures and tenses, and
• show that you know enough common words and phrases to answer questions and express yourself.

Knowledge of Canada

You must understand the rights, responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, such as voting in elections and obeying the law. You must also show you understand Canada’s:

• history,
• values,
• institutions and
• symbols.