To become eligible
for Canadian dual citizenship,
you must be a
permanent resident of the country and must’ve been residing within the
country’s territory for at least five years
You must be able to
speak and write at least one of the country’s official languages (English or
French)
You must have filed
your tax for at least three years of your five years of residence, or IRCC
won’t consider your application
You must not have
been convicted of any offense for at least four years before you apply
You are currently
not serving a jail term
The IRCC will
reject your proposal if you fail to meet any criteria. A different set of
requirements applies if you fall under these categories of people.
Applying for
someone under 18 years old
Of you are a
Canadian applying for an adopted child born outside of Canada
If you are a past
Canadian citizen who wants to reclaim your citizenship
If you are
currently a member of the Canadian armed forces
What will you get by being a Canadian Citizen?
You can partake in
almost anything eligible for citizens when you get Canadian citizenship. Some
of this includes;
Voting in an
election for municipal, provincial and federal political offices
Holding dual
citizenship of your home country and Canada
Your offspring will
automatically be Canadian citizens by birth
Contesting for
offices in all levels of government
A Canadian passport
will replace your permanent resident card. Using your Canadian passport, you
can travel to many countries without needing a visa.
Steps to Becoming a Canadian Citizen
Now that you know
the requirements and advantages of being a citizen, the next section will teach
you about the process of getting dual citizenship in Canada.
1.
Get the Original Citizen Application Form
The initial step is
to get the citizen application form. Note that there is a separate form for
adults and minors. If you are above 18 years, you should obtain the “Adults
Form,” while minors should get the “Minors Form” both are available online at
the IRCC website.
2.
Complete and Submit the Correct Application Package
The next step is to
complete and submit the application, and you can do this either on paper or
online. You must submit all the necessary documents, including proof you can
speak and write the country’s official language. The documents can either be
submitted online or by mail.
3.
Citizenship Test or Interview
After submitting
the necessary documents, you will take a citizenship test to determine if you
are fit to hold Canadian citizenship. At the interview, the authorities will
test your understanding of citizenship responsibilities, Canada’s history,
geography, government, and voting processes.
4. Oath
of Citizenship
This last process
of your citizenship application is taking the oath of citizenship at your
citizenship ceremony. The ceremony is after the IRCC deemed you fit to become a
complete Canadian citizen. It is at this ceremony you will receive your
citizenship certificate.
Conclusion
Those are almost
everything you need to know about acquiring Canadian dual citizenship. Note
that dual citizenship doesn’t affect your Canadian citizenship unless you
renounce it yourself through a legal order. Understanding the requirements and
processes involved will be of great help whenever you are applying for Canadian
dual citizenship.
