Every year about 150,000 immigrants become new Canadian citizens. Canadian citizenship is such a prized possession it is hard to believe it is only five decades old. Before 1947, Canadians were British subjects.

Canadians are proud of their citizenship and citizenship ceremonies reflect that pride. Canadians value the rights attached to citizenship and accept its responsibilities. If you have lived in Canada for at least three years as a permanent resident, you may be ready to take on those rights and responsibilities and become a Canadian citizen.

If you were born in Canada, you are a Canadian citizen.

If you were born outside Canada after February 15, 1977, and had one Canadian parent, you can apply for proof of Canadian citizenship. You may be Canadian if born before that time to a Canadian parent and can apply to establish your claim to Canadian citizenship.

How to apply for citizenship ?
We have the expertise and can help you get the citizenship. You will receive the following services from us:
* Filling out the application in a professional manner.
* Prepare you for the interview.
* Follow up the application till the case is processed.
Contact Us and we ll advise you appropriately.

What are the requirements?
If you are an adult, you must:
* be 18 years of age or more
* be a permanent resident of Canada
* have lived in Canada for at least three of the four years before applying
* be able to communicate in English or French
* demonstrate knowledge about Canada and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship

A child must:
* be a permanent resident of Canada (three year residency requirement not necessary)
* You cannot become a Canadian citizen if:
* you are under a deportation order
* you have been charged with or convicted of an indictable criminal offense in the past few years
* you are or have recently been in prison or on probation
* you are under investigation for war crimes
* your citizenship has been revoked.

Every applicant must complete an application form (parents can complete the form for their children). Every adult between the ages of 18 and 59 must pass a citizenship test, to demonstrate knowledge of English or French and about Canada.

Adults and children over the age of 14 must take the Oath of Citizenship.

The Citizenship Ceremony
The final step is the oath-taking ceremony, usually presided over by a citizenship judge. You will swear the Oath of Citizenship and receive a certificate of Canadian citizenship. Community groups are often involved in hosting the ceremonies. Citizenship ceremonies take place all across the country throughout the year.

Dual Citizenship
Can a Canadian hold dual citizenship? Since 1977, Canada has had no restrictions on dual or multiple citizenship. Some countries may require citizens to give up their citizenship if they acquire the citizenship of another country.

Rights and Responsibilities
Canadian citizenship carries both rights and responsibilities. The rights and freedoms enjoyed by Canadians are established in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and provincial human rights codes.

They include:
equality rights
democratic rights
legal rights
mobility rights
language rights
freedom of religion
freedom of expression
freedom of assembly and association
Canadian citizens have the right to apply for a Canadian passport and to return to Canada at any time after traveling or living abroad.

Canadians are also expected to:
obey Canada s laws
participate in democratic processes
respect the rights and freedoms of others respect Canada s linguistic duality and multicultural heritage.

Proof of Canadian Citizenship
If you are a Canadian citizen, you may be required to prove your citizenship if you want to vote, apply for a Canadian passport, return to Canada from abroad or apply for certain jobs.
A citizenship certificate is a useful identification card and proof of citizenship. It is wallet-sized, with a photograph.
Naturalized Canadians receive a certificate when granted citizenship. Canadians born in Canada may also apply for a citizenship certificate.

General Information

People with permanent resident status in Canada, can apply for their first Permanent Resident card (PR card) or for a renewal or replacement of a PR card.
The Permanent Resident Card (PR Card) is the official proof of your status as a permanent resident in Canada

To be eligible for a PR Card, you must:

• be a permanent resident of Canada
• be physically present in Canada
• notbe under an effective removal order
• notbe a Canadian citizen or a registered Indian under the Indian Act and
• notbe convicted of an offense related to the misuse of a PR card
  For those Applicants under the age of 18 a clear and legible photocopy of one of the following is needed:
• applicant’s birth certificate (showing the applicant’s name, date of birth, place of birth and the names of the parents or adoptive parents)
  or
• legal documentation proving guardianship, if the applicant has a legal guardian.

Permanent Residents seeking to re-enter Canada after time spent out of the country, must present their valid PR Card as evidence of their status. To enter Canada from outside country and not having a valid PR card to return, you will need to obtain a travel document from a Canadian visa office.

It is important to know that nothing else will suffice; in particular, the old landing papers previously issued by Immigration Canada.

The PR Card is usually valid for a five year period, therefore it is important to know the expiry date on your PR Card and apply in advance of the expiry date. You must be in Canada in order to apply for your PR.

To travel outside Canada you can’t use your PR card because it’s not you’re your passport. You must still use your old passport (and any visas that you must have) to enter any foreign country including the United States. The Permanent Residency Card is not a travel document, but an identification document to state your status in Canada. You may use it to get back into the country along with your valid passport.

As per IRPA

Here are some helpful hints to renew your PR Card:

• Be sure you meet all of the obligations of a Permanent Resident, as described in section 28 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). This means that permanent residents must:
• Be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days out of the five year period; OR
• Have been travelling with a Canadian citizen who is their spouse, common-law partner or, in the case of a child, their parent; OR
• Outside Canada, be employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or in the federal public administration or the public service of a province; OR
• Outside Canada, be accompanying a permanent resident who is their spouse, common-law partner, or in the case of a child, their parent and who is employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or in the federal public administration or the public service of a province.
• Keep evidence of your entries and exits to and from Canada, such as airline tickets and travel itinerary. Even keeping a list of your dates of travel will be helpful when applying for you PR Card renewal as you will need to demonstrate that you comply with requirements of section 28 of the IRPA (see above).
• Ensure that your PR Card renewal application is completed in full and all of the necessary supporting documentation has been submitted. If your application is incomplete, it will be returned to you. If you do not submit the appropriate supporting documentation to demonstrate that you have met your permanent residency obligations (outlined above), there could be serious repercussions.
• Apply any time before your PR Card expires. Often permanent residents think that they need to wait a month or two before the expiry date of their PR Card before they can submit their renewal application – not true. A permanent resident of Canada can submit their renewal application at any time, so think ahead if you’re planning on travelling in the future.
• It is important to note that you will need to be physically present in Canada when you submit your application in order to pick up your new PR Card. This means that you will be required to remain in Canada during the entire time it takes for a new PR Card to be processed.

Exceptions when renewing your Canadian Permanent Resident Card

There are certain exceptions to the residency requirement mentioned above for those travelling with a Canadian family or business in certain cases. A Canadian permanent resident (landed immigrant) needs to satisfy the residency obligation by being physically present in Canada at least 730 days out of the five-year period or:

• The time the Canadian permanent resident spends abroad with a Canadian citizen spouse,partner or parent will count toward their Canadian residency.
• The time the Canadian permanent resident spends abroad who was employed by a Canadian business, or in the public service of Canada, or of a Canadian province, and then this will also count toward their residency.
• The time the Canadian permanent resident spends abroad with a Canadian citizen spouse;partner or parent employed by a Canadian business or in public service of Canada or a Canadian province, than the permanent resident can also calculate this period as part of their residence.

You can renew your Canadian Permanent Resident Card considering on how many days you have resided in Canada and whether you qualify under one of the exemptions mentioned above. In case if none of the above applies, there is a possibility of making a case for renewal of your Canadian Permanent Resident Card on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds.
Renewing P. R. Cards on Humanitarian Grounds

when a permanent resident needs to renew Permanent Resident Card but has not met the residency requirement of being in Canada for at least 2 years out of 5, the application can be made on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds, by explaining the extenuating circumstances why the permanent resident was not able to meet the residence requirement. If the immigration authorities are satisfied there are sufficient Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds to justify renewing the P. R. card, they can renew it even though the permanent resident has not met the residency requirement.
Travel Documents

If a permanent resident has stayed outside Canada and their permanent resident card has expired, they must apply for a travel document to allow them to re-enter Canada. In this case the permanent resident will be required to describe their travel history. If the applicant has not been able to meet the residence requirement, they can apply to keep their permanent residence and return to Canada on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds. Then from inside Canada the permanent resident can apply to renew their P. R. card.
Residency Appeals

If an application of permanent resident card extended is refused on the basis they have not met the residency requirement, or for any other reason, within 60 days they may appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board. The Appeal Division may consider both the legal basis for the appeal and the Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds related to the appeal.