Program delivery update: Citizenship ceremonies – Dress code, Canadian symbols and volunteer presiding officials

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

May 8, 2019

Updates have been made to 3 pages of citizenship ceremony-related instructions.

Dress code for citizenship ceremonies
- The clerk of the ceremony wears a barrister robe for all ceremony-related moments.
- The volunteer presiding official should not wear any type of barrister robe other than the one provided.
- Some exceptions to the wearing of the barrister robe are permitted.
- Additional information regarding uniforms for members of the Order of Military Merit and recipients of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces is included.
Canadian symbols at citizenship ceremonies
- Broken links have been corrected.
- Information on how to obtain materials and recordings has been updated.
- Clarification has been provided regarding which bilingual version of O Canada to use.
Working with volunteer presiding officials
- The Order of Military Merit category no longer has rank limitations.
- Recipients of the Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil Division) who are Canadian adults 18 years or older (all levels) can now preside.

Updated instructions