After the citizenship ceremony
Congratulations on becoming a Canadian citizen and welcome to the Canadian family! Find out about information and services for new Canadians.
Get your citizenship certificate
A Canadian citizenship certificate proves that you’re a Canadian citizen. You’ll get either an electronic or a paper certificate.
- In your application, you can choose the electronic or paper format.
- At the ceremony, we’ll ask you to confirm your choice of certificate format.
- Your certificate will show the date that you became a citizen.
Electronic certificate (e-certificate)
If you choose to get an e-certificate, we’ll email you an instruction letter that explains how to download the e-certificate. We usually send the instructions before the ceremony invitation. Keep this email so you can refer to it after the ceremony.
- The letter will tell you to download your e-certificate in the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Portal.
- You may create an IRCC Portal account after you get the instruction letter, but you can’t download your e-certificate until
- you attend the ceremony
- you sign the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form (that you’ll get in the ceremony invitation or at the ceremony) and
- we’ve confirmed you’re a citizen in our system
Your e-certificate will be available in the IRCC Portal within 5 business days of us receiving your signed Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form.
Learn more about accessing the e-certificate (opens in a new tab)
Paper certificate
How you get your paper certificate depends on the type of ceremony you attend.
| Virtual ceremony | You’ll get your paper certificate in the mail (sent to your Canadian address) 2 to 4 weeks after we receive your signed Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form. (You’ll get it in the ceremony invitation.) |
|---|---|
| In-person ceremony | After you take the oath of citizenship, you’ll get your paper certificate at the ceremony. We’ll ask you to sign the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form at the ceremony. |
After you get your certificate
You must
- keep it in a safe place
- check if the personal information on the front and back of your certificate is accurate
Do not laminate your certificate or put a plastic coating or layer on it.
- This could damage the certificate.
- We may not be able to confirm the information or the barcode on the certificate.
- This is important when you apply for your passport or other government services.
Learn more about the citizenship certificate.(opens in a new tab)
Get your passport
You can only apply for a passport after you get your Canadian citizenship certificate (proof of your citizenship).
Wait for your Canadian passport before leaving the country
As a Canadian citizen, you must have a Canadian passport to travel abroad and return to Canada. This is because
- your permanent resident card (PR card) is destroyed or collected at the ceremony
- your citizenship certificate is not a travel document and you can’t use it to enter Canada
If you have an e-certificate
You must print it to apply for a passport.
If you’re a dual Canadian citizen
You can enter Canada only with:
- a valid Canadian passport, or
- a special authorization (issued only under certain circumstances)
Register to vote
As a Canadian citizen, you have the right and responsibility to vote.
Register to vote in federal elections
For provincial or territorial elections, contact the election authority in your province or territory.
Be active in your community
Get involved with your community to make Canada a stronger and more inclusive country.
Enjoy the wonders of natural and cultural heritage places in Canada
Enjoy free admission to all places run by Parks Canada. This includes national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas.
Access the best of Canadian culture
Download the free Canoo mobile app to access the best of Canadian culture!
- You and your children can get free admission to over 1,400 events and destinations, including museums, national parks and historic sites.
- If you used Canoo as a permanent resident (PR), you can’t use it again as a new citizen.
Canoo is an initiative by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship.
Get more information and services
Find out about other services and information we offer for Canadians.
After you become a Canadian citizen, you don’t need to tell us if you change your address.
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