Immigration Lawyer

Citizenship

Immigration Lawyer

Canadian Citizenship

Canada has been a top destination for immigrants since decades.Being a Canadian citizen is a once-in-a-lifetime chance that comes with a lot of perks, like the right to vote, the freedom to travel with a Canadian passport, and the ability to apply for jobs in the government.

Immigrants greatly contribute to the Canadian economynot only as a strong labour force, but also by paying tax and contributing to the economy like, housing, transport etc. Other than its economic stability, Canada offers inclusive immigration policies for everyone, that makes it easy for entrepreneurs, skilled workers and families to settle in.

What is the Eligibility for citizenship application?

A Canadian Citizenship applicant must meet the following criteria’s:

1. Permanent Resident Status

You need to have a permanent residence status in Canada to be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship. Your PR application can become complicated ifyou are facing any removal or deportation order, including any criminal history.

2. Residency Requirements

You must have physically lived in Canada for at least 3 out of the 5 years immediately before applying for citizenship. Your longer stay in Canada will strengthen the chances of your application.

Your period of physical residence in Canada as a temporary resident or as a protected person can also be considered towards your citizenship days calculation with some limitations.

3. Income Tax Filing

If applicable, you need to file income tax for at least 3 years within the last 5 years since your citizenship application date. However, before you do that, you must find out if you are eligible to pay taxes or not.

4. Language Skills

If you are between the age of 18 and 54 years, then you need to show your ability to speak and understand English orFrench. The language skills aretested to determine your ability to make everyday conversation, answer questions and understand instructions.

For English –Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)
For French – Niveaux de compétencelinguistiqueCanadian (NCLC).

5. To possess Knowledge of Canada

Applicants need to pass the citizenship test for those between the age of 18 to 54 years. The test covers knowledge on the rights and responsibilities as a citizen. You need to have knowledge of Canada’s geography, history, laws and the government to pass this test.

What Are The Situations That Will Prohibit Your Citizenship?

You cannot apply for citizenship if you are prohibited under the Citizenship Act. This includes situations where:

You are serving a prison term, on parole, or on probation in Canada or serving a sentence outside Canada.
You are involved in a criminal case (charged, on trial, or appealing) for an offence under the Citizenship Act or an indictable offence in Canada, or a comparable crime committed abroad.
You are under a removal order, meaning Canadian authorities have requested you leave the country.
You are being investigated, charged, on trial, appealing, or convicted of a war crime or crime against humanity.
You had a citizenship application denied for misrepresentation within the past five years or had your citizenship revoked due to fraud within the past ten years.
You were convicted of an indictable offence in Canada or a comparable offence abroad within the four years before applying (even if pardoned or granted amnesty).
As a permanent resident, you were convicted of terrorism, treason, spying, or served in an armed force or group engaged in conflict with Canada.

These restrictions are in place to ensure applicants meet all legal and ethical requirements for Canadian citizenship.

Want to surrender Canadian Citizenship?

Canada allows dual citizenship; in case you would want to keep your citizenships from other countries. However, countries like India, do not allow dual citizenship and therefore, once you become a Canadian citizen, you would need to surrender your Indian passport and citizenship. However, if you want to surrender, your Canadian citizenship, you may do so but remember that you will loose your Permanent resident status of Canada as well and needs to apply for any other temporary status such as visitor, worker or student.

How Nanda & Associate Lawyers Can Help?

The citizenship application process can be complex, and you may be unsure if the situations mentioned above apply to you. If that’s the case, it’s important to contact an immigration lawyer immediately. Applicants often face challenges related to documentation, meeting requirements, or the risk of application rejection.

At Nanda & Associate Lawyers, our skilled immigration lawyers are ready to guide you through the citizenship process, ensuring a smooth and successful application. Connect with us at 905-405-0199 today!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to apply for Canadian Citizenship?

You can apply for Canadian citizenship as a family or a group, for a minor (under 18) and with a representative. A representative is someone who helps you with your application, it can be a lawyer, consultant, family member or a friend. You can apply both offline and online.

2. How to apply for Canadian Passport?

To be eligible to apply for a Canadian Passport:

You need to be a Canadian Citizen to apply for a Canadian Passport. If you are applying for the first time, you need to submit citizenshipcertificate or a birth certificate.
You need to produce supporting documents such as government issued ID, Citizenship proof and other official requirements.
For submission it is better to do it in person or a Service Canada location for express service. You can mail it as well, but it will take longer.
Fees depend on the type of service and the length of validity. You can get express and urgent services for an extra fee, but you must pick them up in person.

3. Can I get a Canadian citizenship without taking the IELTS?

Yes, you can get a Canadian citizenship even without taking up the IELTS. There isanother alternative test like Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program CELPIP-G for is English and (Test d’évaluation de français)TEF Canada for French. You can show you language proficiency in English or French by showing a diploma, award, or transcript from the school you learned those languages.

In addition, if you have submitted any proof of language support such as IELTS or CELPIP along with your Permanent residence application, you may submit the same proof of language ability along with your citizenship application, even though the results are more than two years old.

4. What is the Canadian citizenship application fee?

For an Adult who is 18 years old and above, it is $CAN 630. For stateless adults of 18 years or over who is born to a Canadian Parent, the fee is $CAN 100. For a minor who is under 18 years of age, the fee is $CAN 100. Addition to this there are other citizenship fees as per the services required.