Canadian Citizenship

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Immigration Assessment

Canadians are proud to hold one of the most respected citizenships in the world. Every year about 170,000 people become earn their Canadian citizenship.

You must be at least 18 years old to apply for Canadian citizenship.   To apply for citizenship for a child under 18, you must:

  • Be the child’s parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian;
  • The child must be a permanent resident, but does not need to have lived in Canada for three years; and
  • At least one parent is already a Canadian citizen or is applying to become a citizen at the same time.   This also applies to adoptive parents.

To become a Canadian citizen, you must have valid permanent resident status in Canada, and that status must not be in doubt or subject to any proceeding that may result in the loss of that status. This means you must not be the subject of an immigration investigation, an immigration inquiry or a removal order (an order from Canadian officials to leave Canada).

Also, in order to become a Canadian citizen, adults must have physically resided in Canada for a significant period of time before making the application for Canadian citizenship.  This physical presence requirement represents a period of time mandated by the Government that the Applicant for citizenship must prove they have complied with.  Children do not need to meet this requirement.

Canada has two official languages—English and French. Applicants for Canadian citizenship will need to be able to speak one of these two languages in order to be granted Canadian citizenship status.

Bars to Canadian Citizenship

You cannot become a citizen if you:

  • Have been convicted of an indictable (criminal) offence or an offence under the Citizenship Act in the three years before you apply
  • Are currently charged with an indictable offence or an offence under the Citizenship Act
  • Are in prison, on parole or on probation
  • Are under a removal order (have been ordered by Canadian officials to leave Canada)
  • Are under investigation for, are charged with, or have been convicted of a war crime or a crime against humanity or have had your Canadian citizenship taken away in the past five years.

If you are on probation or are charged with an offence and are awaiting trial, you should wait until after the probation has ended or the trial is over to apply for citizenship. However, you should consult with a professional immigration lawyer to determine if you can apply for Canadian citizenship following a criminal conviction. If you have spent time on probation, on parole or in prison in the last four years, you may not meet the residence requirement for citizenship.   Time in prison or on parole does not count as residence in Canada. Time on probation also does not count as residence in Canada if you were convicted of an offence.   However, if you have spent time on probation from a conditional discharge, it may be counted toward residence.

Also, to become a citizen of Canada, you must know the rights and responsibilities of citizens, such as the right and responsibility to vote. You must also know some things about Canada’s history and geography, and about its political system.

Canadian Citizenship Evaluation

Canadian citizenship rules and regulations are constantly changing.  If you believe you have a valid claim to Canadian citizenship, r if you want to explore viable pathways that may lead to a valid citizenship claim, please contact us to arrange a comprehensive legal consultation.  Working with a leading Canadian Immigration lawyer can help you navigate the changing legal climate and to determine the extent of your claim to status as a Canadian citizen.

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Representing some of the worlds largest companies
“Jay Dee Contractors, Inc. has been working closely with Kadri Law on all of our Canadian Immigration matters for the past 5 years. Eddie Kadri has processed a high volume of applications for our Company and is a highly effective Canadian Immigration attorney. Eddie and his Managing Director, Rolla make immigration matters so much easier to deal with and they always make time to patiently answer the many questions that come up during the process. We are very grateful for the results Kadri Law has obtained for us and appreciate their dedicated service to our Company.
Meghan Turner, SPHR, CCPHR Manager, Jay Dee Contractors, Inc.
M&T Employment Agency provides foreign workers to many of the largest farming and growing operations in Southwestern Ontario who are experiencing a critical shortage of essential farm workers. We work exclusively with Kadri Law who processes a high volume of LMIA and work permit applications for M&T. We have always been very happy with the Kadri Law Business Immigration team and their efficiency and effectiveness in processing a high number of applications for us. We are also appreciative of the exceptional results they obtain on our behalf.
Minh DinhPresident, M&T
Eddie Kadri is an excellent Immigration lawyer. I am pleased to work closely with him on all immigration matters. Nature Fresh Farms is also very grateful for the results he has been able to obtain for us. We thank Eddie for his dedicated service to our Company.
Mjay KimHR Manager / Nature Fresh Farms
Eddie Kadri is an expert on corporate and individual immigration law who I've found always delivers exceptional results with accuracy and efficiency. I have not hesitated to recommend his work throughout the years, as his expertise and opinions on such matters have always served tremendous value.
Stephen AlexanderPast Executive Director, University of Southern California School of Law
[Eddie Kadri] has proven to be an asset to the Fagioli Group as we strive to meet our objectives in Canada. Mr. Kadri and his entire staff have been committed to meeting our company’s needs by providing Fagioli Canada Ltd. with a full range of services in a prompt and professional manner.
Autumn StrasselHR Director / Fagioli Inc.
Our Company has experienced excellent service and most importantly, the results we expected when hiring Mr. Eddie Kadri as our Immigration Lawyer. We rely on his strategies to help us position our Company to do business both in Canada and the US
Joseph P. KaiserVP / Gallagher Kaiser Corp.
We are very pleased with the business relationship we share with Eddie H. Kadri as our Corporate Immigration Lawyer. He handles highly complex cases with the utmost level of professionalism and success. We have found his and his team's services to be very dependable, friendly and always available. Their attention to detail is extremely important to our company.
Tibor WesselingPresident / HBPO North America
Eddie is a really nice guy who is genuinely interested in obtaining the best outcomes for his clients. He has great experience processing immigration applications and working with officials at the Canadian Border on complex issues. He will give you the best chance to obtain what you are looking for...
Alan Belden
Alan BeldenSports Scientist - Catapult
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