Retaining your Canadian citizenship

For people born after February 14, 1977,
outside Canada to a Canadian parent

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• Does this apply to me?
• How do I retain Canadian citizenship?
• How to apply?
• Next steps
• Addition of an expiry date on citizenship certificates

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In order to keep (retain) Canadian citizenship, some citizens born outside Canada to a parent who was a Canadian at the time of their birth are required to make an application and meet certain requirements before turning 28 years of age. This is called retention of Canadian citizenship and is a regulation of the 1977 Citizenship Act.

Retention applies to natural-born children of Canadian citizens, not adopted children, and it applies only to Canadians born outside Canada after February 14, 1977, to a Canadian parent who was also born outside Canada to a Canadian parent. Section 8 of the 1977 Citizenship Act says that this second generation born outside Canada will lose their Canadian citizenship at age 28 unless they take steps to retain it.

Does this apply to me?

This does not apply to you if

• You turned 28 years of age before February 15, 2005.
• You were born outside Canada after February 14, 1977, and one of your parents
  • was born in Canada, or
  • was granted citizenship before you were born, or
  • retained their citizenship before February 15, 1977, or was registered (received a document confirming registration, including a Registration of Birth Abroad certificate) before February 15, 1977, as a Canadian citizen born abroad.

If this does not apply to you, keep in mind that it may apply to your children born outside Canada.

This does apply to you if

• You were born outside Canada, and
• You were born after February 14, 1977, and
• One of your parents is a Canadian citizen because he or she
  • was born outside Canada between January 1, 1947, and February 14, 1977 (inclusive), and
  • though eligible to be registered as a Canadian citizen at birth, was not registered until after February 14, 1977, or
  • was born outside Canada after February 14, 1977, to a Canadian parent.

This means that you are the second generation born outside Canada. To retain your Canadian citizenship, you must meet the requirements of section 8 of the Citizenship Act. You will lose your Canadian citizenship on your 28th birthday unless you take the steps to retain it.

How do I retain Canadian citizenship?

You must

• Register as a Canadian citizen, and
• Make an application to retain citizenship, and
• Be under 28 years of age.

1. Live in Canada for at least one year immediately before filing your application, or
2. Have a substantial connection with Canada in one of the following ways:
   1. for at least two of the four years immediately before filing your application,
      • you worked for the federal or a provincial government, or
      • you were a member of the Canadian Forces or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), or you were a Canadian representative to the United Nations or one of its affiliated agencies, or
   2. you have basic knowledge of English or French to be able to carry on a simple conversation, and you knowledge of Canada’s history, geography, government and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship to pass a test, and
      
      for at least one year after turning 14 years of age,
      • you attended a recognized secondary or post-secondary educational institution in Canada, or
      • you lived in Canada with a family member.

There is a worksheet available to help you determine if you or your children must file an application to register as a citizen and retain your Canadian citizenship.

How to apply

1) Obtain a worksheet or application kit:

Internet
Click on

• Retention of Canadian Citizenship Worksheet
• Application to Register and Retain Canadian Citizenship Under Section 8 (CIT 0300-E)

Missions Abroad
Contact the consular officials at a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate in your country for a worksheet or application kit.

Call Centre
If you live in Canada, contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre for a worksheet or application kit at 1 888 242‑2100 (toll-free).

The CIC Call Centre has an automated voice response system that can provide answers to general citizenship questions 24 hours a day. Agents are available to answer your questions during the normal business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. your local time).

If you are hearing impaired and you use a text telephone, you can access the TTY service at 1-888-576-8502 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. your local time.

2) Complete the application.

Follow the instructions in the application kit and ensure that you provide the requested documents. If information or documents are missing, the application may be delayed.

There is a fee of $100 (Canadian) to cover the cost of processing your application for retention. See the application kit for information on the payment of the fee.

3) Mail your application to the address provided in the kit.

Next steps

• You may be required to attend an interview.
• If you are required to meet the language and knowledge criteria, you will be sent study material.
• If you meet the requirements for retention of citizenship, a certificate of retention and a citizenship certificate will be mailed to you.

 

© Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2007
Cat. no.: Ci51- 203/2007
ISBN 978-0-662-69715-2
C&I-870-03-07