How to apply
Find out how to apply for Canadian citizenship. You can choose to apply online or on paper.
On this page
Apply online
Most applicants can now apply online to become a Canadian citizen.
Information about application forms and documents is available in the online account.
Exceptions: Some people must still apply on paper
You or your child must apply on paper in the following situations:
- In the physical presence calculation, you or your child include time spent outside Canada as
- a Crown servant or
- a family member of a Crown servant (child, spouse or common-law partner).
- You want your representative to complete and submit your application for you or your child.
- If you want your representative’s help with the online application, you must complete and submit the application yourself.
We’re working so everyone can apply online in the future.
Apply on paperHow to apply online as a family or a group
You can apply online as a family or a group if you’re
- an adult (18 or older) applying with other adults
The adults you apply with can be your family members or they can be unrelated to you. For example, they can be your
- children
- spouse
- common-law partner
- siblings
- parents
- grandparents
- aunts or uncles
- nieces or nephews
- cousins
- friends
- neighbours
- a parent or legal guardian applying for a minor (under 18)
A minor must apply online on their own if
- no one can apply on their behalf and
- they don’t have
- a Canadian parent or
- a parent who’s applying for citizenship at the same time
How the online group application works
There can only be 1 adult per online account.
All adults in your group
- will have individual online accounts that are linked together
- can only view limited information about each other’s applications, to protect each applicant’s privacy
- For example, you can check if your co-applicant’s application is in progress or already signed.
- must not share their account passwords with other members of the group
- cannot access each other’s applications
- must sign and date their own application
- can apply for a minor in their individual accounts
Starting a group application
To start a group application, you must be an adult who
Joining a group application
To join a group application, you must
- be an adult
- be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship
- be eligible to apply online
- not be part of another group application
- wait until you receive an email invitation to join a group application
- accept the invitation
If you can apply online, you may create an account before or after you get your email invitation.
After starting or joining an application
After you create and sign in to your account, you can
- invite other adults to join your application
- create an application for your minor child (or a minor for whom you’re the legal guardian)
Any adult you invite can choose to accept or decline your invitation. You can create a minor’s application without inviting them.
Submitting the application
After everyone signs their own applications, 1 adult in your group will submit all of the applications together.
Managing your group application
Find out how to manage your group application:
Switching to a different group
If you’re already in a group application and want to join a different group, you must leave your current group before joining a new one.
Your new group can invite you only after you leave your current group.
Leaving a group
To leave your group, click the “Leave group” button in the “Your account” section of your online account.
After leaving your group, you can
- continue applying online by yourself
- join a different group application (if another group invites you) or
- start a new group application
If you’re applying for a minor, they will stay in your account after you leave a group.
Removing someone from your group application
To remove someone from your group application, click the “Remove this person” button in the “Co-applicants applying with you” section of your online account.
To delete a minor’s application, click the “Delete application” button in the minor’s section of the online application.
After you leave a group or remove someone from your group
The online account will tell you your next steps based on your progress with the application. For example:
- You may have to upload the receipts again.
- If you’ve already signed your application before leaving a group, you’ll have to sign it again.
How to apply online for a minor (under 18)
To apply online for a minor
- the minor must meet the eligibility requirements
- check the exceptions for online application
If the minor is eligible to apply online, the parent or legal guardian
- can start an online application
- in the account, must create and fill out the application for a minor, such as a
- can apply for up to 20 minors per account
- must sign and date the minor’s application
- The minor must also sign and date their application if they’re between 14 and 17 years old.
Applying online as a family or a group
Find out how to apply online as a family or a group if
- you (the parent or legal guardian) and the minor are applying for citizenship together
- you’re applying for at least 1 minor and with at least 1 other adult
A minor can only be attached to 1 adult account
For example, you and your spouse apply together with your 2 children. If you add both children to your online account
- you’re the only person who can access, fill out and sign their applications
- your spouse
- cannot add any of the children to their account, but
- can still view limited information about your application and your children’s applications (such as the progress)
If you want to “move” your children’s applications to your spouse’s account
- you must delete your children’s applications in your account and
- your spouse must create new applications for the children in their account
If you’re a minor applying for yourself
You can only apply online for yourself as a minor if
- you’re applying for minor 5(1) and
- you don’t have someone who can apply for you (such as a parent, a legal guardian or someone who can legally act on your behalf)
In this situation, you must apply online on your own. This means you can’t
- share your online account with other people
- invite other people to apply with you (with separate accounts)
How to apply alone as a minor 5(1) applicant
Follow these steps:
- Check if you’re eligible for minor 5(1)
- Check the exceptions for online application.
- If you can apply online for minor 5(1), start an online application.
- In your account
- select “Create an application”
- select “Minor does not have a Canadian parent or a parent who is applying for citizenship at the same time”
- provide your name and date of birth
- select “Is applying for themselves, they do not have someone that has custody or is empowered to act on their behalf” for the “The minor applicant” question
- Fill out the application.
- Pay the fees online and upload the receipt to your account.
- On the signature page of your online account
- select the waiver checkbox (by selecting this checkbox, you’re requesting to apply alone)
- sign and date the application if you’re between 14 and 17 years old
- Submit the application.
After we receive your submitted application, we’ll let you know if we
- need more supporting documents
- approve or reject your request to apply alone
- If approved, you can continue applying online by yourself.
- If rejected, we’ll stop processing the application until there’s an eligible person who can apply for you.
If you can’t or don’t want to apply online, you may apply for minor 5(1) on paper.
Paying the fee
Here are the fees for citizenship application:
| Adult (18 and above) |
[Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. per adult, which includes
|
|---|---|
| Minor (under 18) | [Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. per minor (processing fee) |
How to pay the fee
Check the instructions in the payment section of the online account for more details.
If applying as a group, your group can
- have 1 person pay and upload 1 receipt for everyone or
- pay separately and upload each individual receipt
If you don’t pay the full amount
If you don’t pay or only partially pay the fee, we’ll return your application to you. We’ll process your application only after you pay the full amount and include the receipt with the resubmitted application.
Refunds
You can get a refund in these situations:
If you don’t become a Canadian citizen
If we don’t approve your application, we will
- refund [Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. (right of citizenship fee) for an adult application only
- not give a refund for a minor’s application
If you cancel or abandon your application
Before we process your application, we’ll refund you the full amount that you paid.
After we start processing your application, we will
- refund [Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. (right of citizenship fee) for an adult application only
- not give a refund for a minor’s application
If you receive an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter or email, that means we started processing the application. You’ll get the AOR after we
- receive the application and
- check that it’s complete (not missing any information or documents)
If you pay more than the required fee
If you pay more than [Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. per adult or [Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. per minor, we’ll automatically refund you the extra amount as soon as possible. You don’t need to contact us to get a refund.
How we issue the refund
We’ll issue the refund to the person on the “Payer Information” section of the receipt.
Find out how to ask for a refund if you
- don’t become a Canadian citizen
- cancel or abandon your application
If you apply online with a representative
- is someone you choose to help you complete your application
- can be unpaid or paid (authorized)
- may be a family member, friend, lawyer or consultant
- communicates and does business with us for you after you submit the application
If you apply online with the help of a representative, you must
- create your own account to apply online with your email address
- not share your account or password with anyone (including your representative)
- fill out the online application yourself
- sign, date and submit your online application
Your representative may
- help you to answer the questions in the online application
- communicate with us for you after you submit your application
- provide other assistance, information and advice
If you want your representative to complete and submit your application for you, apply on paper.
We’re working so a representative can apply online for an applicant in the future.
You don’t need to use a representative (it’s your choice). Using one will not
- draw special attention to your application
- guarantee the approval of your application
Apply on paper
You can apply on paper if you can’t or don’t want to apply online.
Get the forms and documents
To get the application forms and documents, select your application type:
- Adult (age 18 or older)
- Minor 5(2): Minor (under 18) with a Canadian parent or a parent applying at the same time
- Minor 5(1): Minor without a Canadian parent or a parent applying at the same time
Pay the application fees
Here are the fees for citizenship application:
| Adult (18 and above) |
[Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. per adult, which includes
|
|---|---|
| Minor (under 18) | [Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. per minor (processing fee) |
How to pay the fees:
- Pay only once you’re ready to submit your application.
- Print and include the receipt with your application.
- If you’re submitting more than 1 application at the same time, you can pay all the fees together (1 receipt) or separately (multiple receipts).
If you don’t pay the full amount
If you don’t pay or only partially pay the fee, we’ll return your application to you. We’ll process your application only after you pay the full amount and include the receipt with the resubmitted application.
Refunds
You can get a refund in these situations:
If you don’t become a Canadian citizen
If we don’t approve your application, we will
- refund [Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. (right of citizenship fee) for an adult application only
- not give a refund for a minor’s application
If you cancel or abandon your application
Before we process your application, we’ll refund you the full amount that you paid.
After we start processing your application, we will
- refund [Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. (right of citizenship fee) for an adult application only
- not give a refund for a minor’s application
If you receive an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter or email, that means we started processing the application. You’ll get the AOR after we
- receive the application and
- check that it’s complete (not missing any information or documents)
If you pay more than the required fee
If you pay more than [Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. per adult or [Error loading fee. Check the fee list]. per minor, we’ll automatically refund you the extra amount as soon as possible. You don’t need to contact us to get a refund.
How we issue the refund
We’ll issue the refund to the person on the “Payer Information” section of the receipt.
Find out how to ask for a refund if you
- don’t become a Canadian citizen
- cancel or abandon your application
Submit your application
Make sure
-
- We’ll return your application to you if we receive it more than 90 days after the date on the form.
-
- We’ll return all submitted applications to you if at least 1 of them is incomplete.
- If you want us to process everyone’s applications together, put all applications and receipts in the same envelope (otherwise, we’ll process them separately).
- Find out what happens if there’s a problem with one of the applications
Send your completed application form and all documents by mail or courier:
Regular mail
Case Processing Centre - Sydney
Citizenship Grants
P.O. Box 7000
Sydney, NS B1P 6V6
Courier
IRCC Digitization Centre - Citizenship
3050 Wilson Ave
New Waterford, NS B1H 5V8
Track your application
We recommend that you use a postal or courier service with a tracking number to ensure you get proof that your application was delivered to the IRCC office.
Apply for citizenship urgently
Processing times show how long it takes us to process applications for citizenship. We can process applications faster in special cases.
When and how to apply for citizenship urgently(opens in a new tab) .
Page details
- Date modified: