Everyone who wish to move to Canada has only one wish in their mind to settle in Canada for life long or get Canadian citizenship. We all have these queries like how and what steps to follow to get Citizenship of Canada.
Eligibility criteria for Canadian citizenship
- if you are age 18 and older, you need to have been in Canada for at least 1,095 days out of the five years immediately before you apply for citizenship.
- To become a Canadian citizen is that you need to have been physically present in Canada for three out of the last five years.
- The first thing to note when calculating your citizenship eligibility, is that you need to have been a permanent resident for at least two years in order to meet the physical presence requirement. After you become a permanent resident, each day in Canada counts as one full day toward your citizenship application.
- Each day you were physically in Canada as a temporary resident before you became a permanent resident count as half a day, up to a maximum of 365 days. So, if you were a temporary resident who did not leave Canada for three years, it would only count for 365 days. Again, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) considers only the five years immediately before the date of your application for the physical presence requirement. If you have been physically present in Canada as a permanent resident for the past five years, for example, then the time you spent in Canada as a temporary resident does not count. If you were not a temporary resident before you got permanent residence, then you need to have spent at least 1,095 days, or three years, in Canada.
- You need to be able to speak either English or French well enough to communicate in Canadian society. If you are between ages 18 and 54 you have to submit proof of language proficiency.
- You cannot have a criminal history that prohibits the granting of citizenship, as decided by IRCC.
- You must be aware of the rights and responsibilities of citizens and have basic knowledge of Canada’s geography, political system, and history.
- You may need to file taxes in Canada for at least three years during the five years before the date you apply.
- Also, you must submit a formal application to IRCC and pay a government processing fee, and right of citizenship fee.
Once you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply for Canadian citizenship. Then once approved, applicants between ages 18 and 54 will have to take a citizenship test. Then you must attend a citizenship ceremony and receive a certificate of Canadian citizenship, and take the Oath of Citizenship. After that, you officially become a Canadian citizen.