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| Canadian Citizenship |
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| A:What does
it mean to be a Canadian citizen? Citizenship means working together with all other Canadians to build a stronger Canada, and making sure our values, dreams and goals are reflected in our institutions, laws and relations with one another. After living in Canada for at least 3 years as a permanent resident, you have the right to apply to become a Canadian citizen. Canada is a country that: - is free and democratic. - is multicultural has two official languages. - extends equal treatment to all its citizens.  The Charter of Rights and Freedoms sets out the democratic rights and fundamental freedoms of all those in Canada. Some rights are essential for Canadian citizens: -the right to vote or be a candidate in federal and provincial elections -the right to enter, remain in or leave Canada -the right to earn a living and reside in any province or territory - minority language education rights (English or French) -the right to apply for a Canadian passport. Canadian citizenship also implies the following responsibilities: -to obey Canada's laws -to vote in the federal, provincial and municipal elections -to eliminate discrimination and injustice -to respect the rights of others -to respect public and private property -to support Canada's ideals, building the country we all share. You can apply for Canadian citizenship if you: -are at least 18 years of age -have been a legal permanent resident in Canada for three years out of the previous four years -have lived in Canada for three years out of the previous four years and can communicate in English or French -have knowledge of Canada, including the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. You may not be eligible to become a Canadian citizen if you: -are under a deportation order and are not allowed to be in Canada now -are in prison, on parole or on probation -have been charged or convicted of an indictable offence. In most cases, you are a Canadian citizen if you were born: -in Canada -in another country, after February 15, 1977, but had one Canadian parent. -You may be a Canadian citizen if you were born outside Canada before February 15, 1977, and one of your parents was a Canadian citizen. If you meet the requirements for Canadian citizenship, you can get an "Application for Citizenship" form from a Call Centre. Fill out the application form and follow the directions on the form. A non-refundable processing fee and a refundable Right of Citizenship Fee must be paid at the time of application. You must include the receipt of payment and necessary documents with your application form. You will have to take a test to show that you meet the requirements for knowledge of Canada and of either English or French. Study the information in the book A Look at Canada, which will be sent to you with the acknowledgement of your application. If you meet the basic requirements for citizenship, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony where you will take the oath and receive your citizenship certificate Dual or plural citizenship means holding citizenship in one or more countries in addition to Canada. Canada has recognized dual citizenship since 1977. This means that, in some cases, you may become a Canadian citizen while remaining a citizen of another country. Some countries will not allow their citizens to keep their citizenship if they become citizens of another country. You should check with the embassy or consulate of your country of origin to be sure of their rules and laws. |
Tel.:
604-617-1261 | Fax: 604-251-1386 | email: visa@cansine.com.cnvisa@cansine.com.cn