The Citizenship
Act
The Citizenship Act decides who is a Canadian citizen. It sets out who is a citizen from birth or by descent, how a permanent resident is granted citizenship, how citizenship is renounced, lost or revoked, and how a person proves it. Each section below opens to its official text.
70
Sections
12
Parts and headings
2025
Last amended
CITIZENSHIP ACT
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The sections most people come to the Act for.
Every section, by Part
70 sections under 12 headings, in the order the Act prints them.
Short Title1
Interpretation1
PART I: The Right to Citizenship6
PART II: Loss of Citizenship11
- s. 7No loss except as provided
- s. 8Repealed
- s. 9Renunciation of citizenship
- s. 10Revocation by Minister — fraud, false representation, etc.
- s. 10.1Revocation for fraud — declaration of Court
- s. 10.2Presumption
- s. 10.3Repealed
- s. 10.4Repealed
- s. 10.5Inadmissibility
- s. 10.6No appeal from interlocutory judgment
- s. 10.7No appeal unless question stated
PART III: Resumption of Citizenship1
PART IV: Evidence of Citizenship1
PART V: Procedure16
- s. 13Applications
- s. 13.1Suspension of processing
- s. 13.2Abandonment of application
- s. 14Consideration by citizenship judge
- s. 15Obligation — answer truthfully
- s. 16Repealed
- s. 17Repealed
- s. 18Repealed
- s. 19Definitions
- s. 19.1Appointment of a judge
- s. 19.2Referral
- s. 19.3Annual report
- s. 20Declaration by Governor in Council — security
- s. 21Periods not counted as physical presence
- s. 21.1Representation or advice for consideration
- s. 22Prohibition
PART V.1: Judicial Review4
PART VI: Administration13
- s. 23Delegation of authority
- s. 23.1Additional information, evidence or appearance
- s. 23.2Seizure
- s. 24Requirement to take oath of citizenship
- s. 25Evidence of declarations
- s. 26Citizenship judges
- s. 27Regulations
- s. 27.1Laying of proposed regulations
- s. 27.2Regulations — Minister
- s. 27.21Regulations — electronic means
- s. 27.3Service Fees Act
- s. 28Powers of Minister
- s. 28.1Sunset — after five years
PART VI.1: Electronic Administration and Enforcement3
PART VII: Offences5
PART VIII: Status of Persons in Canada8
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Text current to 2026-09-03, last amended 2025-12-15 (Justice Laws)
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Count your days in Canada against the 1,095 the Act asks for, or practise for the citizenship test.