Canadian Citizenship

Canadian Citizenship

Certain requirements must be met before a person can be granted citizenship. Some of these requirements may be waived by the Minister on compassionate grounds. The Minister also has discretionary authority to grant citizenship.

Persons 14 years of age or over who are granted citizenship must take an Oath of Citizenship in order to become citizens. Their legal status as a citizen takes effect as of the date the Oath is taken.

A person who is granted citizenship and does not have to take the Oath as per statutory requirements becomes Canadian on the day of the grant.

A person who is granted citizenship is a naturalized Canadian citizen. Any person granted citizenship is issued a certificate of citizenship.

There are different types of grants, as outlined in the Citizenship Act.

• Adult and minor [subsection 5(1)]

• Minor [subsection 5(2)]

• Ministerial discretion to waive requirements [subsection 5(3)]

• Discretionary grants [subsection 5(4)]

• Statelessness [subsection 5(5)]

• Adoptee [section 5.1]

• Resumption of citizenship [subsection 11(1)]

• Automatic acquisition of citizenship [subsection 11(2)]