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How to apply for Canada citizenship

A step-by-step guide to claiming Canada citizenship by descent through IRCC. Your exact documents and route are confirmed by the free eligibility check.

  1. 1

    Confirm your eligibility and chain

    Trace an unbroken line back to your Canadian-citizen ancestor and confirm you qualify under Bill C-3 — the free eligibility check does this for you.

  2. 2

    Gather long-form records

    Collect long-form birth certificates for everyone in the chain, proof of your anchor ancestor's Canadian citizenship, plus the marriage, death, and divorce records that connect the names.

  3. 3

    Complete Form CIT 0001

    Fill out the current Application for a Citizenship Certificate, using supplementary sheets for additional generations.

  4. 4

    Add the document checklist (CIT 0014)

    Itemize every document on Form CIT 0014 — missing items cause rejection. Submit color photocopies; IRCC doesn't return originals.

  5. 5

    Get citizenship photos

    Provide two identical 50mm × 70mm citizenship photos to IRCC's specs (different from passport-photo size).

  6. 6

    Pay the $75 CAD fee

    Pay online through IRCC and include the receipt. Each applicant pays and applies separately.

  7. 7

    Mail it and track

    Send your package to the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia. IRCC sends an acknowledgement of receipt; processing runs about 10 months.

See if you qualify for Canada citizenship

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Not affiliated with IRCC or any government. A document-organization tool, not legal advice — always verify with the relevant authority.