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If
you decide to make Canada your home, you may want to become a Canadian
citizen. Since 1977, Canadian law allows you to hold as
many citizenships you want, but you may lose the citizenship of your
country of origin.
There
are advantages to becoming a Canadian
citizen. The rights, protections, and freedoms of a Canadian
citizen are outlined in Canada's Constitution. As a citizen, you can
vote and run for political office in all federal and provincial
elections. You have the right to hold a Canadian passport and to
re-enter Canada no matter how long you remain out of the country.
If you were born outside Canada, but at least one of your
parents was a Canadian citizen, you have the right to claim Canadian
citizenship. Get legal advice.
What are some of the advantages of obtaining Canadian
Citizenship?
Unlike
permanent residents, Canadian citizens are allowed to be
absent from Canada for extended periods of time without any
risk of losing their status. Except in rare cases, Canadian citizens
cannot be deported from Canada. Canadian citizens also receive
Canadian passports and are entitled to vote in federal elections.
Do
I have to apply for Canadian Citizenship as soon as I am eligible?
No.
There is no obligation to apply for Canadian Citizenship
at any time.
To
become a Canadian citizen,
you
must meet the following requirements:
- You
must be at least 18 years old to apply for citizenship. If your
child is under 18, you may apply on his or her behalf when you
apply for your own citizenship. Your child must sign the
application if he or shi is 14 years of age or older. You may also
wait until after you have received your Canadian citizenship
before applying on behalf of your child.
- You
must live in Canada for at least three of the four years
immediately before the date of your application. During this time,
each day you were in Canada before your received permanent
resident status counts only half a day. Time spent outside the
country attending school or on business might be counted towards
the three-year requirement.
- You
must be able to speak French or English well enough to be
understood in the community.
- You
must be familiar with Canada's political system, geography, and
history. You must also know about your rights and responsibilities
as a Canadian citizen. Citizenship courts provide free
publications with the information you need, and some settlement
agencies offer courses that prepare you for the citizenship
interview.
- If
you are 14 years of age or older, you must take and sign the Oath
of Citizenship. In doing so, you swear allegiance to the Queen of
Canada and her successors. You also swear that you will observe
the laws of Canada and fulfill your duties as a Canadian citizen.
- You
cannot become a Canadian citizen if you are under a deportation
order; if you are on probation or parole or if you are in prison;
if within the past three years you have been convicted of a
criminal offence for which you could receive a sentence of six
months or more.
- The
Minister of Immigration has the power to waive citizenship
requirements and to grant citizenship on compassionate grounds.
Procedure Apply for citizenship at the nearest Citizenship Court.
Look in the blue pages of your telephone book to find the
Citizenship Court nearest you. Look under Citizenship in the
Government of Canada listings. Citizenship Court officers travel
to some areas of Canada that don't have Citizenship Courts.
- If
there is no Citizenship Court in your area, contact the following
office: Registrar of Canadian Citizenship Department of Secretary
of State Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 6V6 You can fill out the
application form yourself or get help from a Citizenship Court
officer. After completing the application, you must affirm or
swear that the statements you made are true. You can do this at
the Citizenship Court or before anyone qualified to take oaths.
Notary publics, commissioners for oaths, justices of the peace,
and most lawyers can take oaths.
- You
must also attach the correct fee and any required documents to
your application. Here are some of the other documents you need: -
a birth certificate or passport to prove the date and place of
your birth; - two photographs taken within the last year; (these
must be of a certain size and show a full front view of your head
and shoulders; you must sign these photographs when you apply;)
and - two pieces of identification; for example a driver's license
and social insurance card. Interview or Hearing
- The
next step is your interview or hearing with the "citizenship
judge." The judge looks over your application and speaks with
you in French or English, whichever you prefer. At the hearing, be
prepared to answer simple questions about Canada's history and
geography, its people and industry, and its form of government.
You must also know: - the rights and privileges of citizenship; -
the responsibilities of citizenship; and - the enumerating and
voting procedures in elections.
- All
the information you need is contained in the booklets you receive
with your application. If you need help, ask the Citizenship Court
about free citizenship classes. The Citizenship Court will contact
you about the date of your hearing or interview. If you have moved
since you completed the application, or if you will be away from
home for a long time, write to the Court and explain this.
- If
the Court cannot reach you, it may assume that you are no longer
applying for citizenship. If this happens, you will have to apply
again. If you are unable to attend the interview with the
citizenship judge, explain this to the Court before the date of
the interview and make a new appointment. You cannot become a
Canadian citizen if you do not go to the interview.
- The
Ceremony If your application for citizenship is approved, the
Citizenship Court will send you a letter telling you the day,
time, and place of the ceremony. Make sure the Court has your
current address and knows whether you can attend the ceremony on
that date. At the ceremony, you take the "Oath of
Citizenship." You must affirm that you are telling the truth
or swear the Oath on the book of your faith or religion. You may
bring your own copy of your holy book. You receive your
citizenship certificate at the ceremony.
- This
certificate shows that you area a Canadian citizen. When you
become a Canadian citizen, you usually keep your citizenship for
the rest of your life. However, you may be permitted to give up
your Canadian citizenship under certain conditions.
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