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How to Become a Canadian Citizen?

how-to-become-a-canadian-citizen

Becoming a Canadian citizen is a dream to many, and rightly so. Canadian citizenship brings many benefits to the citizens and opens up a world of possibilities. The process can seem rather hard, but with the correct guidance, nothing is impossible.

From understanding what requirements you must fulfill to be eligible to pass the citizenship test and meeting the financial requirements, there is just a lot of information that needs to be understood and absorbed for becoming a Canadian citizen. In this guide, we have covered all the basics of what exactly is required to become a Canadian citizen. Let us start our guide, read on to find out more!

Requirements for Eligibility:

To become a Canadian citizen you must:

  • Be at least 19 years old
  • Have a permanent residence in Canada for the past 3 to 5 years
  • Have proficiency in English or French
  • Pass a citizenship test
  • Have substantial proof of having lived in Canada for at least 1095
  • This time also includes any time that is spent outside of Canada for work or studies (as long as it was authorized by IRCC
  • Show good character during residence in Canada
  • Not been convicted of criminal offenses or immigration violations
  • No record of misrepresentation in applications
  • Not overstayed on a visa

The applicants should also know that they will be asked questions regarding their educational background, personal history, and experience in employment during the IRCC officials’ interview. For ensuring that you do get granted permanent citizenship, it is vital and essential to answer all of the questions stated above truthfully and accurately.

Applying for Citizenship

Applying for Canadian citizenship is a long process that involves various steps and requires applicants to meet certain requirements. The applicants are also required to fill out the application form correctly and submit it with all the correct and required documents.

After you meet all the eligibility requirements to become a Canadian citizen, it is essential to complete the application form. The form is easily found on the Government of Canada website. The form has questions about your residence history, identity, criminal record (if applicable), language proficiency, and other information. You need to answer all these questions truthfully and accurately. Any errors or false statements can result in denial or delays. You must also include copies of necessary documents like residency proof, photos, passport, etc.

The step after this is to pay the applicable fees that depend on your age and whether you are applying to multiple people simultaneously. You will also need to provide any additional documents that are/if requested by the IRCC officials during application processing.

After you submit all the required forms and payments, the IRCC will review your application and decide if it is valid and meets the criteria for getting granted Canadian citizenship. Then if your application does meet the criteria, you will receive a notice confirming your Canadian citizenship.

It is also interesting to note here that the applicants are required to understand the rights that come with being a Canadian citizen. The rights and privileges include voting rights in the federal elections and access to government health care.

Time required to process Canadian citizenship application

The processing time for Canadian citizenship applications can take anywhere from several months to over two years. The time required depends entirely on the applicant’s circumstances and the number of applications received by the IRCC.

Background Checking

After submitting their initial application and required documents, they may be asked to provide additional information or documents for a thorough background check. These background checks involve verifying the applicant’s identity, relevant information, criminal history, or anything else that affects their eligibility. This verification process can take from weeks to months.

Decision Making

After the completion of the necessary background checks, and after the applicant meets all the requirements, the IRCC then decides if they are eligible for Canadian citizenship. This process can take anywhere from three months to a long time depending on the volume of applications.

After this, the applicants receive a notification that they have been granted citizenship and what steps are required from them to officially become Canadian citizens and receive their certificates of neutralization.

If their applications are denied, still they would be receiving a notification providing the details of why their request was denied and what they need to do to appeal the decision within 30 days of receiving the notification.

To sum it all up.

Even though the time taken for processing can take anywhere from 6 to 24 months, with the correct understanding, guidance, preparation, and process, you can ensure that your application is completed promptly and correctly.

For further assistance on how to obtain Canadian citizenship, drop us an email and we will get right back to you!

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