Apply for Canadian citizenship as an adult (grant of citizenship)

For permanent residents aged 18 or older who want to become Canadian citizens. You check that you meet the requirements (including 1,095 days of physical presence in the 5 years before you sign), apply online or on paper with your documents and fee, then go through the citizenship test (ages 18 to 54), any interview or hearing, and the oath at a citizenship ceremony.

Who it is for: Adults (18 or older on the day they sign the application) who hold permanent resident status in Canada.

18 steps in order, a checklist of 18 documents, what to write in each form field and the mistakes IRCC warns about, each linked to the official page it comes from. Last checked against IRCC’s pages on November 3, 2026. General information, not legal advice.

The complete walkthrough is also published as a page that opens without JavaScript.

Start with a free Canadian citizenship practice test or practice test 2: twenty questions each, answers explained, no account needed.

All 52 practice exams, every Discover Canada study chapter, the calculators, the travel log and official updates are free. There is no account: your plan stays in your browser.

Explore our preparation guides, including CLB 9 in CELPIP and your CRS score and NCLC 7 in TEF Canada and your CRS score. Guides open without an account or JavaScript.

Study for the citizenship test with notes on every Discover Canada chapter, or read the Express Entry draw history: every recorded round, category and CRS cut-off.

Applying? Follow a step-by-step walkthrough of your IRCC application, from Express Entry and work or study permits to citizenship, with every point linked to the official page.