Canadian Citizenship for Nigerians

Are you Looking to Apply for Canadian Citizenship?

We have successfully assisted numerous Nigerians with their Canada Citizenship application. If you need help and don’t know where to start, do not hesitate to contact us for immediate support. Let us handle all the intricacies and make your application process as stress-free as possible.

Nigerian Emigration

For Nigerian emigration matters, please call +44 (0) 3316300929 or +2342013306361

Other Immigration and Emigration Matters

For immigration/emigration to/from other countries, please call:

US –  +1 844 290 6312

Ireland –  (+353) 061 518 025

UK –  (+44) 333 4149244

Overview of Canadian Citizenship

For individuals who intend to settle in Canada, applying to become a citizen is often an important step in putting down roots in the country.

Citizenship gives the holder the right to live, work, and study in the country without restrictions.

It also opens up new opportunities for the holder, such as the ability to apply for jobs that are only available to Canadian citizens and affords the individual access to public services, including education and healthcare, that are sometimes off-limits to non-citizens.

Nigerian nationals are eligible for Canadian citizenship, but there is a rigorous and lengthy application process that the applicant must undergo before citizenship is granted.

Eligibility Requirements

Overview

To apply to become a Canadian citizen, you must meet certain criteria. They include:

• Be permanently resident in Canada
• Have lived in Canada for at least three out of the last five years (1,095 days in total)
• Have filed all your taxes
• Know enough about the country’s history, languages, and culture to pass a test
• Prove you have the required language skills in English or French

You can use the government’s handy eligibility checker to determine if you meet the eligibility criteria.

Ineligibility

You cannot become a citizen if you’re prohibited under the Citizenship Act.

For example, if you are currently serving a prison term or on parole or probation, you cannot apply for citizenship.

However, you can apply for citizenship once your conviction has been spent. It should be noted that time spent in prison, on parole or on probation cannot be counted towards your time in Canada when proving you have lived in the country for the required period.

Application Process

Overview

Applications for Canadian citizenship can be submitted both online and on paper.

You must meet certain eligibility criteria to apply online. You need a valid email address, for example.

If you are unable to apply online, you can instead submit a paper version of the citizenship application form.

Apply Online

Online applications can be submitted via the Canadian immigration portal. To apply online, you will need a valid email address.

To start your application, you will be asked a series of questions about your time in Canada so that the system can determine if you are eligible to apply online.

Once the system is satisfied you are eligible to apply online you will be required to set up an account on the website and continue with your application.
Once you have created your account, you have 60 days to complete and submit your application.

Apply Online Using a Representative

If you use a representative to help you with your application, you must:

• Create your own online account
• Not share your account or password with your representative
• Submit, sign and date your online application yourself

Your representative can help you to fill out the online application and correspond with the Canadian authorities on your behalf.

Physical Presence Requirement

As part of the application process, you will be asked about your physical presence in Canada over the past few years.

When asked to calculate the duration of your stay in the country, you should not include:

• Any time you have spent outside Canada as a crown servant
• Any time you have spent as a family member of a crown servant
• Any time you have spent in prison, on parole or probation.

Apply on Paper

To apply on paper for Canadian citizenship, you must obtain an application package from the Canadian government.

The application pack includes an instruction guide and all your application forms.

You should use the instruction guide and the document checklist to make sure you have completed the application form correctly.

The application pack you request will depend on your age and status. Application packages are available for:

• Adults (age 18 or older)
• Parents or guardians who are applying for a minor (under age 18)
• Minors without a Canadian parent and who are applying alone
• Adults who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces
• Adoptees of Canadian citizens
• Stateless persons born to a Canadian parent/parents.

Where To Send Your Application Form

Once you have completed your application form you should send it to one of the following postal addresses:

For regular mail, you should send your forms to:

Case Processing Centre—Sydney
Citizenship Grants
P.O. Box 7000
Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 6V6
Canada.

If you wish to send your application form by courier, you should send it to the address:

Case Processing Centre—Sydney
Citizenship Grants
47–49 Dorchester Street
Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 5Z2.

Citizenship Test & Interview

Overview

All adults between the ages of 18 and 54 have to undergo a citizenship test and an interview as part of the Canadian citizenship application process.

You will typically be invited to an interview and citizenship test within a few weeks of receiving your acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter.

About one to two weeks before the interview and test are scheduled, you will receive a letter notifying you of the date, time and location of your test and interview.

The Test

The test is conducted in either English or French and will take 30 minutes to complete.

You will be asked 20 multiple-choice and true or false questions. You will need to answer a minimum of 15 questions correctly to pass the test.

The test covers the following topics:

• History
• Geography
• Economy
• Government
• Laws
• Symbols.

How to Prepare for the Test

You must prepare for the citizenship test by using the official study guide Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship.

The official study guide is free of charge and is made available in multiple formats, including:

• Web-based version
• Audio (MP3) version
• PDF or eBook
• Paper copy.

The Interview

The citizenship interview will last for approximately 30 to 90 minutes and will take place once you have finished your test.

The interview plays an important role in allowing the authorities to determine your eligibility for citizenship.

At the interview, the Canadian authorities will:

• Give you your test results
• Check your language skills
• Verify your application and other documents
• Ask you questions about the application form you have submitted
• Make sure you meet all the requirements for citizenship

The citizenship officer will also ask you about:

• Your knowledge of Canada
• Your residence in Canada
• Your knowledge of the English or French language

If you pass the test and satisfy the authorities that you meet the requirements for citizenship, you will be asked to attend a citizenship ceremony.

If the authorities can’t give you a date and time of the ceremony during your test/interview, they will subsequently send you an email or mail notification of the date and time.

Required Documents

You should bring the following documents with you to the interview and test:

• Your Notice to Appear at the test and interview
• Your permanent resident (PR) card (if you have one)
• Two pieces of personal identification:
  • One piece of ID that features your photograph and signature. ID documents issued in Nigeria must be government-issued, but Canadian ID documents needn’t be.
  • If your ID documents aren’t in English or French, you must provide a translation with an affidavit from the person who translated the documents for you.
• All your passports and travel documents (both current and expired) that you listed on your application form.
• A certificate, diploma, degree or transcript that proves you have the required level of English or French language skills.

Citizenship Ceremony

Overview

Adults and children aged 14 or over must attend a citizenship ceremony and take the oath before they become Canadian citizens.

Children under age 14 don’t have to attend the ceremony and the parents of the child will receive a certificate of citizenship to confirm the child’s status as a Canadian citizen.

New citizens are often invited to a video oath ceremony (virtual citizenship ceremony). However, some applicants are invited to an in-person ceremony.

During the ceremony, the applicant will:

• Take the Oath of Citizenship
• Receive a citizenship certificate
• Sign the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form
• Sing the national anthem: O Canada.

Required Documents

You should bring the following documents with you to the citizenship ceremony:

• Your ceremony notice
• A signed copy of the Permission Release and Consent form (included with the notice)
• Permanent resident card if you have one (even if it’s expired) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM5292 or IMM5688)
• Record of Landing (IMM 1000) if you became a permanent resident before June 28, 2002
• Two pieces of personal identification
• If you bring a Nigerian ID document, it must have been issued by a government body
• Your passport(s) and travel documents (both current and expired) that you listed on your application form
• You may also bring a holy book if you want to use it when swearing the oath

If the documents you bring to the ceremony are not in English or French, you must provide a translation with an affidavit from the translator.

How Can IAS Help?

Nigerians who have spent time living and working in Canada may be eligible for citizenship.

Canadian citizenship brings lots of benefits to the holder, including the ability to vote in elections and use the public healthcare system.

If you need help applying for Canadian citizenship or simply want to learn more about the eligibility criteria for becoming a citizen, IAS is here to help.

We are an experienced team of immigration lawyers with lots of expertise in helping Nigerian nationals become Canadian citizens.

To learn more about how IAS can help with your citizenship application, reach out to us online, or give our team a call on +2342013306361 or +44 (0) 3316300929.

You can also visit us in person at our office in Lagos, Nigeria or contact us via our website.