From passing the test to the citizenship decision
In Canada the test is part of your citizenship application, so you have already applied and paid the fee (CA$653 for an adult, including the CA$123 Right of Citizenship fee; CA$100 for a minor; 2026, subject to change). There is no separate pass certificate. After the test, IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) checks the rest of your file: physical presence (at least 1,095 days in the 5 years before you applied), tax filing, language evidence and background checks. It may ask for more documents or invite you to an interview with a citizenship official, so check your IRCC account and email regularly. You must remain a permanent resident and be available for the test, any interview and the ceremony.
How long the decision takes varies; see the IRCC processing times tool rather than relying on others' experiences.
Decision and citizenship ceremony
- If your application is approved, IRCC sends an invitation to a citizenship ceremony at least one week before the date. Ceremonies are in person or by video.
- You become a citizen only when you take the Oath of Citizenship. Everyone aged 14 or older must take it; you may swear or affirm, in English or French.
- Your PR card is collected at an in-person ceremony; at a virtual ceremony an official watches you cut it up with scissors.
- Your certificate: at an in-person ceremony you receive the paper certificate on the day. After a virtual ceremony you sign the oath form that same day and get an e-certificate in the IRCC Portal within about 5 business days, or a paper certificate by mail in 2–4 weeks. Do not laminate it.
- If you cannot attend, ask to reschedule within 30 days of the ceremony date. If you miss the first ceremony, you get one final invitation; if you miss two, your application can be closed.
ID card and passport
- Passport: apply once you have your citizenship certificate. Since 31 March 2026 an adult passport costs CA$163.50 (10 years) or CA$122.50 (5 years) in Canada. Standard processing takes 10–20 business days or more, plus mail time; since 1 April 2026 a complete application not processed within 30 business days is free.
- Social Insurance Number: update your SIN record with Service Canada, since a change of immigration status is a reason to update it.
- Canada has no national ID card; your provincial driver's licence or photo card stays valid.
Your previous citizenship
Canada allows multiple citizenship: you do not have to give up your other nationality. But your other country's law decides whether you keep it. Some countries withdraw their nationality automatically when you naturalize elsewhere; others require a declaration or permission. Check with that country's embassy or consulate before the ceremony. As a Canadian you must use a Canadian passport to fly to Canada (US citizens may use a US passport).
Tax and social security
Nothing changes automatically. Canada taxes on the basis of residence, not citizenship: you file returns while you live here, and if you move abroad you are generally taxed only on Canadian income. Your CPP/QPP contributions and years of residence for Old Age Security stay as they are. Canada's social security agreements with more than 50 countries apply to you as before.
Voting and other rights
- You can vote in federal elections from age 18 and run for office. Register online with Elections Canada or by ticking the Elections Canada box on your tax return. Provinces and municipalities run their own elections and voter lists.
- Citizens living abroad can vote in federal elections through the International Register of Electors.
- You can return to Canada at any time and no longer need to meet PR residency obligations.
Effect on children
- Minor children (under 18) who are permanent residents do not become citizens automatically when you do. They need their own application, which you can submit together with yours or later (CA$100 each); they do not take the test or prove language skills.
- Children born in Canada are citizens at birth.
- Children born abroad after you become a citizen are Canadian by descent. Since 15 December 2025 (Bill C-3), if you were yourself born outside Canada, your child born abroad is also a citizen as long as you spent at least 1,095 days in Canada before the birth. Keep proof of your presence.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get a certificate for passing the test? No. Passing is recorded in your file; the document you receive is the citizenship certificate after the oath.
Can I keep my other citizenship? Canada allows it. Whether your other country does is a separate question for that country's authorities.
What if I lose my citizenship certificate? Apply for a new proof of citizenship (CA$75; 2026). Keep the original safe and use copies.
Do I have to attend the ceremony in person? No. IRCC holds both in-person and virtual ceremonies; either way, you must take the oath to become a citizen.
Do I still need my PR card after the ceremony? No. It is collected or destroyed at the ceremony; use your citizenship certificate or passport as proof of status.