Three checkpoints can come after you apply for citizenship. Adults 18 to 54 take the citizenship test. Some applicants are then invited to an interview. Last comes the ceremony, where you take the oath. This guide follows IRCC’s own pages for each step, and the Citizenship Act where the law sets the rule.
Step 1: the citizenship test
Under Citizenship Act s.5(1)(e), applicants aged 18 to 54 on the date they apply must show knowledge of Canada. They must also show knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship. The citizenship test is how most people show it.
IRCC says that within your 30-day test period, you have up to 3 chances to pass. You can take the test online, on Microsoft Teams or in person. Our citizenship test guide covers the format and how to study, and you can practise with our free citizenship test tool.
Step 2: the citizenship interview
After you pass the test, IRCC may invite you to an interview with a citizenship official. It depends on your case. IRCC says it may invite adults 18 and over, including seniors 55 and over. It may also invite a minor aged 14 to 17 whose parent is not applying at the same time. Then the minor and the person who applied for the minor must both attend.
IRCC gives three reasons for an interview.
- To verify your identity
- To authenticate photocopies of your documents
- To check whether you meet the requirements for Canadian citizenship
Bring the original documents you sent with your application. Also bring any passport or travel documents you used in the 5 years before you applied. IRCC notes that an interview will not always end with a final decision.
If you fail the test three times: the hearing
If you fail the test all 3 times, IRCC invites you to a hearing with a citizenship official. Depending on the type of hearing, the officer may ask you questions out loud. The questions can cover your knowledge of Canada, your residence in Canada and your English or French.
IRCC sets the numbers. The oral knowledge test has 20 questions, and you must pass 15. For language, the officer can ask up to 9 questions, and you must pass 6. The hearing lasts 30 to 90 minutes.
After the hearing, IRCC sends a letter with the results. If you pass, you wait for your ceremony invitation. If you fail, IRCC refuses the application. You would need to reapply and pay the fees again.
Step 3: your ceremony invitation
IRCC says it sends the invitation at least 1 week before the ceremony date. The invitation gives the date and time. For a virtual ceremony it gives a video conference link, and for an in-person ceremony it gives a location.
If you can’t attend, ask to reschedule. IRCC says you must send the request within 30 days of the ceremony date in the invitation. Reply to the office that sent the invitation, or use the IRCC web form.
Missing the ceremony has consequences. If you miss your first ceremony, IRCC reschedules it for you and sends a final invitation. If you miss the second, IRCC starts the process to abandon and close your application. It refunds the right of citizenship fee if you are an adult. The law behind this is Citizenship Act s.13.2(1)(b). It lets the Minister treat an application as abandoned when an applicant fails, without reasonable excuse, to appear and take the oath.
What happens at the citizenship ceremony
IRCC says both virtual and in-person ceremonies last a few hours. Check your invitation for the arrival time and length. Each ceremony starts with registration and brief instructions. Then comes the ceremony itself, with speeches, the oath, congratulations and the national anthem.
At an in-person ceremony, staff verify your identity at a registration table. They also collect your permanent resident card. If you can, you must stand for the oath and for O Canada. New citizens receive their certificate at the ceremony.
At a virtual ceremony, you join with the link in your invitation. At ceremonies with over 100 candidates, you may wait up to 30 minutes to be let in. Staff meet you or your family privately to verify your identity. You stay seated for the whole ceremony, even during the oath and O Canada. Before it ends, you get instructions to sign the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form. You must sign it on the day you take the oath, not the day before or after.
IRCC asks you to wear business attire suited to the occasion. Leave out perfume, cologne and other scented products, because they can make other people ill.
The oath of citizenship
Citizenship Act s.24 says a person who must take the oath “shall swear or affirm in the form set out in the schedule”. Under s.3(1)(c), anyone 14 or older on the day they are granted citizenship must take it. IRCC’s ceremony page sets out the rules by age.
- 18 and older: must take the oath
- 14 to 17: must take the oath, and IRCC encourages the parent or guardian who applied to attend
- Under 14: no oath. The child may attend, and the parent or guardian who applied must then be there too
The schedule to the Act sets the words: “I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.”
The schedule as published on Justice Laws names Queen Elizabeth the Second. IRCC’s ceremony page prints the oath naming His Majesty King Charles the Third. IRCC encourages you to repeat the oath after the presiding official in both official languages if you can.
If you need help to take the oath, IRCC lets you ask for an accommodation or a waiver. The law also sets limits. Citizenship Act s.22 bars taking the oath while you are on probation, on parole or serving a term of imprisonment.
The rule
Anyone 14 or older on the day they are granted citizenship must take the oath of citizenship.
What does a citizenship judge do?
IRCC describes citizenship judges as independent decision-makers. Judges preside over citizenship ceremonies and administer the oath of citizenship in both French and English. They also speak to new citizens about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Judges decide some applications too. IRCC says a judge assesses applications referred to them on the residence or physical presence requirement. Before deciding, a judge may hold a hearing with the applicant. On the ceremony pages, IRCC calls the person who leads the oath the presiding official. Our guide to becoming a Canadian citizen explains the physical presence rule.
After the ceremony: your certificate
How you get your certificate depends on the format. At an in-person ceremony, you get your paper certificate at the ceremony after you take the oath. After a virtual ceremony, IRCC mails the paper certificate to your Canadian address. It arrives 2 to 4 weeks after IRCC receives your signed oath form.
If you receive an e-certificate, it appears in the IRCC Portal within 5 business days of IRCC receiving your signed and dated oath form.
Do not laminate your certificate or put a plastic coating on it. Your certificate is not a travel document, and you can’t use it to enter Canada. To travel, apply for a Canadian passport. As a citizen, you also have the right and responsibility to vote.
Frequently asked questions
What happens at the Canadian citizenship interview?
A citizenship official verifies your identity, authenticates photocopies of your documents and checks that you meet the requirements. IRCC may invite you after you pass the test, depending on your case. Bring the original documents you sent and any passport or travel documents you used in the 5 years before you applied. An interview does not always end with a final decision. The interview section above covers who gets invited.
What happens at a Canadian citizenship ceremony?
You register and confirm your identity, then hear brief instructions. The ceremony itself includes speeches, the oath of citizenship, congratulations and O Canada. Both the virtual and in-person formats last a few hours. At an in-person ceremony, staff collect your permanent resident card and you get your certificate there. The ceremony section above covers both formats step by step.
Can you take the citizenship oath online?
Yes. IRCC holds virtual ceremonies by video conference, and your invitation gives the date, time and link. You stay seated for the whole ceremony. Before it ends, you get instructions to sign the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form. You must sign it on the day you take the oath. IRCC mails the paper certificate afterwards. The ceremony section above explains the virtual format.
What is the Canadian citizenship oath?
It is the promise new citizens make at the ceremony. You swear or affirm to be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third. You also promise to observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, and to fulfil your duties as a citizen. The Constitution part names the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Citizenship Act s.24 and its schedule set the words.
What does a citizenship judge do?
A citizenship judge presides over citizenship ceremonies and administers the oath in both French and English. IRCC also describes judges as independent decision-makers. They assess applications referred to them on the residence or physical presence requirement, and may hold a hearing before deciding. Judges also speak to new citizens about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. The citizenship judge section above has the details.
What if I miss my citizenship ceremony?
IRCC reschedules a missed first ceremony for you and sends a final invitation. If you miss the second, IRCC starts the process to abandon and close your application. It refunds the right of citizenship fee to adults. To avoid this, ask to reschedule within 30 days of the ceremony date in your invitation. Citizenship Act s.13.2(1)(b) is the law behind the abandonment.
When do I get my citizenship certificate?
At an in-person ceremony, you get your paper certificate at the ceremony, after you take the oath. After a virtual ceremony, IRCC mails it to your Canadian address 2 to 4 weeks after it receives your signed oath form. An e-certificate appears in the IRCC Portal within 5 business days of that form arriving. The certificate is not a travel document. The section on your certificate covers the rest.
Related guides and tools
How to Become a Canadian Citizen
Requirements and the full application process
Canadian Citizenship Test Guide
The format and how to study
Citizenship Practice Test
Practise the knowledge questions
Physical Presence Calculator
Count your days in Canada
How to Contact IRCC
Phone hours and the web form
PR vs Citizenship
What changes when you become a citizen
Official sources
This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.
- IRCC: Citizenship ceremony
- IRCC: What to expect at the citizenship ceremony
- IRCC: When to go to the citizenship ceremony
- IRCC: After the citizenship ceremony
- IRCC: Citizenship test results and next steps (interview and hearing)
- IRCC: Roles and responsibilities of citizenship judges
- Citizenship Act, s.24 and the schedule (the oath), Justice Laws