Canadian Citizenship 2026 - Your Final Step to Belonging in Canada
After 3 years as a permanent resident, Canadian citizenship is within reach. Our team's licensed RCICs calculate your physical presence, prepare your application, and guide you through every step to the oath of citizenship.
Citizenship support
- 1,095-day audits
- Tax & language review
- Test prep roadmap
- Bill C-3 & certificates
Unsure on days?
We reconcile travel history before you file - avoid refusals for miscounts.
Book physical presence review →Why Canadian Citizenship Is Worth Pursuing
Citizenship provides rights and security that permanent residence cannot offer.
Canadian Passport
Visa-free access to 185+ countries. One of the world's most powerful travel documents. No renewal of immigration status ever.
No Residency Obligation
Live anywhere in the world without losing your status. PR holders must maintain 730 days in Canada every 5 years.
Cannot Be Deported
Citizenship cannot be revoked except in cases of fraud. You are protected from removal regardless of future circumstances.
Voting Rights
Vote and run for office in federal, provincial, and municipal elections.
Sponsor More Family
Citizens can sponsor parents and grandparents with different options than PRs, and have additional sponsorship rights.
Pass to Children
Children born abroad to Canadian citizens may automatically be Canadian citizens.
Do You Qualify for Canadian Citizenship?
You must meet all five requirements before applying.
Permanent Resident Status
You must be a PR with no unfulfilled conditions. If you received PR in the last few months, check whether any conditions remain before applying.
Physical Presence - 1,095 Days
You must have been physically present in Canada for 1,095 days in the 5 years before your application. Days as a temporary resident before PR count at half value (max 365 credit days).
Income Tax Compliance
You must have filed Canadian income taxes for at least 3 of the 5 years in your eligibility window if required to do so under the Income Tax Act.
Language Requirement - CLB 4
You must demonstrate English or French ability at CLB 4 or higher in speaking and listening. Applies to applicants aged 18-54.
Knowledge Test
Pass the citizenship knowledge test - 20 questions online, 15 correct needed to pass, up to 3 attempts. Covers Canadian history, rights, government, and values. Ages 18-54 only.
Not Sure If You Have 1,095 Days?
Miscounting your physical presence is the most common reason citizenship applications are refused or returned. We conducts a precise day-by-day audit before you apply.
How to Apply for Canadian Citizenship
From eligibility check to taking the oath - a complete timeline.
Physical Presence Calculation
Count every day in Canada for the past 5 years. Days as a temporary resident before PR count at half value. We use CBSA entry records and travel history to verify your exact count.
Confirm Tax Filing Compliance
Verify you have filed taxes for all required years. Unfiled years can delay or disqualify your application.
Prepare Application Package
Complete Form CIT 0520, gather supporting documents - travel history, passport copies, PR card, and language evidence.
Pay and Submit
Pay CAD $630 government fee (adults) or $100 (minors under 18). Submit online through your IRCC secure account.
Pass the Citizenship Test
Complete the 20-question online test from home with webcam supervision. Study Discover Canada - the official IRCC guide. You have 3 attempts.
Take the Oath of Citizenship
Receive your invitation to the citizenship ceremony. Take the Oath of Citizenship and receive your certificate. You are now a Canadian citizen.
Citizenship by Descent - New Rules Under Bill C-3
Bill C-3 came into force December 15, 2025 - the most significant citizenship law change in decades.
Born Before December 15, 2025 - Abroad
If your Canadian parent was also born abroad, the old first-generation limit may have cut off your citizenship. Bill C-3 retroactively restores citizenship for those affected. You may already be a Canadian citizen. Apply for a citizenship certificate to get proof.
Check Your Eligibility →Born On or After December 15, 2025 - Abroad
If born after the law came into force, your Canadian parent (also born abroad) must demonstrate 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada before your birth or adoption to pass citizenship to you.
Learn More →Americans with Canadian Ancestry - Bill C-3
Thousands of Americans are discovering they may be Canadian citizens through a grandparent. If your grandparent was Canadian-born and your parent was born abroad, Bill C-3 may have restored your parent's citizenship - and therefore yours. No Canadian tax obligations if you live outside Canada.
Book an Assessment →Applying for Citizenship by Descent?
Multi-generational documentary proof across different countries and decades is complex. We handle citizenship certificate applications for Lost Canadians and Bill C-3 claimants.
How to Pass the Canadian Citizenship Test
The test is fully online since March 2026 - 20 questions, 15 correct needed to pass, up to 3 attempts.
Study Discover Canada
The official IRCC study guide covers Canadian history, values, government, and rights. Available free on the IRCC website in multiple languages. Read it at least 3 times.
Know the Key Topics
Focus on: Canadian history from Indigenous peoples to present, how government works, your rights and responsibilities, Canadian symbols, geography, and national holidays.
Practice Online
Multiple websites offer free citizenship practice tests with questions similar to the real exam. Aim for consistent 90%+ on practice tests before attempting the real one.
The Online Format
The test is self-administered with webcam supervision. You need a stable internet connection, valid ID, and a quiet private space. The test takes approximately 30 minutes.
Canadian Citizenship Application Costs in 2026
All fees are paid online to IRCC through your secure account.
Adult Application (18+)
CAD $630
Includes processing fee and Right of Citizenship fee
Minor Application (under 18)
CAD $100
Processing fee only - Right of Citizenship fee waived
Citizenship Certificate
CAD $75
Proof of citizenship for those claiming by descent or already citizens
Biometrics
Not required
Citizenship applications do not require biometrics
Professional Fees
By case complexity
We provide transparent quotes - simple applications, complex histories, and descent cases are priced differently
Frequently Asked Questions
Physical presence, the test, Bill C-3, and applications - updated for 2026
- Adults generally need 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada within the five years immediately before signing the application. Some days as a temporary resident before becoming a PR may count as half-days toward a maximum of 365 credit days, per IRCC rules. We verifies counts using travel history and official records before you apply.
- If you were required to file a Canadian income tax return for any of the five years in your eligibility period, you must have filed for at least three of those years. Unfiled required returns can delay, return, or negatively affect your application.
- Applicants aged 18 to 54 must demonstrate adequate knowledge of English or French at CLB 4 or higher in speaking and listening. This can be shown through the citizenship process, approved tests, or certain evidence of education in English or French, depending on IRCC guidance at the time of application.
Still have questions? Our licensed RCICs answer within 24 hours.
Book Free ConsultationReady to Become a Canadian Citizen?
Our team's RCICs verify your exact physical presence count, confirm your eligibility, prepare a complete application, and guide you through the test and ceremony.