The country occupying most of the northern part of North America is Canada. It extends from the Pacific Ocean on its western side, to the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern side and with the Arctic Ocean in the northern direction. Canada is a constitutional monarchy as well as a parliamentary democracy. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the state. The country is multicultural and diverse. Its also a bilingual country, as both French and English are the official languages. Canada is one of the worlds most highly developed countries. It has a diverse economy which mostly depend on the country’s large stockpile of natural resources and on its trade. This great country also shares a border with United States (one of the worlds longest borders) which makes it a particularly attractive destination to move to. If you want to be one of the 150k odd residents who become Canadian citizens every year then read on.
Becoming a Canadian citizen is not easy. This process should take about five to seven years. Here are the steps you can follow to speed up your way to be a Canadian citizen.
- Become a permanent resident in Canada. If you have not done this already check details on Immigration to Canada.
- You must have lived in Canada for about five years before you think of applying for Canadian citizenship. Along this with its vitally important to be good at communicating in either French or English.
- Research Canada. Once you have applied you will have to go through a test which will test your knowledge about the responsibilities and rights of a Canadian citizen. Read about Canada’s history, geography and its political system.
- Download application forms the Immigration and Citizenship site of Canada. Fill this form after reading the instructions carefully. Before filling the form go through the guide that you will get along with the form. Do this carefully as you will not be refunded for a ruined form.
- The application form will list the fees you will have to pay. Pay this fees and receive the receipt. Attach this receipt to the application form you just filled.
- Go over the photo requirements. Click appropriate pictures and attach it to the form as and where required. Sigh the photographs at the bottom. Place a couple of photographs in a small cover. Date the application form and sign it.
- Find and attach the documents that will be needed along with the form. This means including a copy of identification, your landing records and a couple of photographs.
- An address will be provided along with the citizen application form. Mail the whole thing to this address.
- Once this form is received by the appropriate authorities you will get a copy of a book called “A Look at Canada” by mail. Start reading this book as soon as possible.
- In a few days you should receive a Notice asking you to appear for the Citizenship Test. Make time and be available at the given date and time at the given address. Take the citizenship test as required. You will be required to carry the originals of all the documents you attached to your application form.
- If your application was successful, you will , as a finally step, receive a notice to appear and take the Oath of Citizenship. Once again make sure you appear for this formality on time and take the oath.
- Remember children can only be Canadian citizens if one of their parents in a Canadian citizen.
Following the above steps will help you become a Canadian citizen. The average time it takes from the time you apply till you become a Canadian citizen is approximately about a year. If you want to apply for Canadian citizenship from outside the country consult the local Canadian consulate or embassy. Best of Luck!
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