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Next Steps: Applying for Your Citizenship Certificate

You are not "applying for" citizenship — you are requesting a certificate that proves the citizenship you already hold by operation of law. There is no residency requirement, language test, or oath ceremony.

How to Apply

Online (IRCC Secure Account)

You have 60 days to complete the application once started. Best for simple first-generation cases.

By Paper (Recommended for multigenerational claims)

Mail to Case Processing Centre, P.O. Box 10000, Sydney, Nova Scotia, or submit at a Canadian embassy/consulate abroad. The online system was not designed for complex multi-generation chains.

Required Forms

  • CIT 0001(14 pages)

    Application for a Citizenship Certificate. Current version: CIT 0001 (12-2025), updated for Bill C-3.

  • CIT 0014

    Document Checklist. Scenario 3 is most relevant: "Born outside Canada to a Canadian parent, never had a certificate."

  • CIT 0555(if applicable)

    How to Calculate Physical Presence in Canada. Required for the 1,095-day substantial connection test (births on/after Dec 15, 2025).

Fees & Processing

$75 CAD

per person

~9–10 months

processing time (early 2026)

Payment via Visa, MasterCard, Amex, JCB, Visa Debit, or prepaid cards through IRCC's ePayment service. Applications from outside Canada/US: add 3–4 months for mailing.

After You Submit

  1. Completeness check — IRCC reviews whether your application is complete. Incomplete applications are returned.
  2. Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) — includes a Unique Client Identifier (UCI) for tracking.
  3. Processing — IRCC reviews, verifies, and may request additional documents.
  4. Decision — approved: citizenship certificate issued. Refused: refusal letter, fee not refunded.
  5. After receiving your certificate — you can apply for a Canadian passport.

Official Links