If you're new to Canada, getting your citizenship is a big decision. Many people wonder how much it costs to become a Canadian citizen. In this article we'll cover the fees and requirements for applying for Canadian citizenship so that you can make an informed decision about becoming a citizen.

How much does it cost to become a Canadian citizen

See below list of requirement to become a Canadian citizen;

Requirements for citizenship

Canada has several requirements for citizenship that you must meet in order to become a citizen. In order to apply for Canadian citizenship, you must have been a permanent resident for at least three years before your application date and have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days during the six years before your application date. You may count periods of time spent as a temporary resident or protected person as part of your physical presence period. see our tips and guide here

Processing fees

Processing fees are non-refundable and payable at the time of application, in person or by mail. Processing fees are payable in Canadian dollars by credit card, debit card or bank draft. The processing fee for an adult applicant is $550. The processing fee for an accompanying spouse or common-law partner is $550 if they have no dependent children with them at the time of application; otherwise it is $75 per child who is not also a sponsored parent. The processing fee for an accompanying spouse or common-law partner who has dependent children with them at the time of application depends on how many dependents there are: one child =$550; two or three children =$600; four or five children=$650; six to eight children=$700; nine to 12 children=$750 per dependent above 8th child up to two maximum family caps ($1,500/$2,000).

How much does it cost to become a Canadian citizen

If your citizenship application was received before January 1st 2019: individuals born outside Canada who were 18 years old when they applied and younger than 22 years old as of December 31st 2018 (subject to certain exceptions), the following costs apply:

Right of Citizenship Fee (ROC)

If you are not a Canadian citizen and want to become one, you will be required to pay the Right of Citizenship Fee (ROC). This fee is due once you have submitted your citizenship application online, printed it out and signed it. The amount for this application is $400 CAD for adults aged 18 years or older and $100 CAD for minors aged under 18 years.

The ROC must be paid using a credit card or debit card that has been issued by an international financial institution such as MasterCard, Visa or American Express. If your card was issued by another bank, contact them first before trying to pay by internet banking. check our post about easiest ways to relocate to Canada here  

If you do not choose to use an electronic payment method, please write “Right of Citizenship Fee” in the subject line when corresponding  so they know what payment method to expect from you.

Study Permit Extension

You can also extend your study permit if you're studying at a university, college, or other post-secondary institution that has been designated as an off-campus location by the Minister (this includes some distance education courses).

The fee for extending your study permit is $100 and must be paid when you submit your application or sponsored members of your family will not be allowed to enter Canada. This fee does not apply to children who have been granted permanent residence in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds; they do not need to pay this extension fee. If you were issued a valid work permit before March 1st, 2013 and are now eligible for an open work permit due to changes made under Bill C-31 (the Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act), then there is no extension fee required at the time of application submission. If your employment authorization document has expired but was issued on or after December 31st 2012 and before March 1st 2013 then there is no extension fee required at the time of application submission

Residency outside Canada

A person who has been a permanent resident for less than three years cannot apply for citizenship. To become a Canadian citizen, you must first be granted citizenship status as a permanent resident. You can apply for citizenship if you are 18 years of age or older and have lived in Canada for at least three out of the last five years (1,095 days). You must also meet the following criteria:

Criteria

●     You need to have been physically present in Canada for at least 183 days during each year out of the four-year period immediately before you apply. For example, if you are applying on January 1st 2020, your first day counts towards this requirement starting from January 1st 2018 onward until December 31st 2021 inclusive.

●     You need to be physically present in Canada 30% of the time (i.e., 300 days) in four out of five years preceding your application date; however, there is no minimum residency requirement between one year after obtaining PR status and when applying for CICCPR

You can get information about the cost of becoming a Canadian citizen on the CIC website.

The website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is easy to use. The site is available in many languages, including English, French, Spanish, Mandarin and Arabic. If you prefer not to use your web browser’s language setting, CIC has a link on the home page where you can switch languages.


The CIC website is also available in all provinces and territories across Canada except Quebec, New Brunswick and Newfoundland/Labrador.

This is just a brief overview of the cost of becoming a Canadian citizen. The CIC website has more detailed information on how much it will cost you, depending on your specific situation and situation. In addition, there are other costs associated with immigrating to Canada that you may want to consider before making this decision.

Thanks for taking your time to read our article.