Citizenship
Eligibility and requirements
To become a Canadian citizen, most applicants must
- be a permanent resident
- have lived in Canada for at least 3 out of the last 5 years (1,095 days)
- have filed their taxes
- pass a citizenship test
- prove their language skills in English or French
- Other requirements may apply.
Prohibitions
If you committed a crime in or outside Canada
- you may not be eligible to become a Canadian citizen for a period of time
- time spent serving a term of imprisonment, on parole, or on probation doesn’t count as time you’ve lived in Canada
Find out about situations that may prevent you from becoming a Canadian citizen
- If you’re not sure whether the situations apply to you, contact your lawyer or arresting police officer.
- Wait until the situation no longer applies before you apply for citizenship.
- Case officers review your application on a case-by-case basis.