New Canadian Citizenship Fees: What You Need to Know

Attention all aspiring Canadian citizens! There’s a change coming your way on March 31, 2025. The right of citizenship fee for adults is going up to $119.75. If you’re a permanent resident and plan to apply for citizenship after this date, this new fee will affect you.

However, don't worry if you submitted your application online before the deadline and paid the old fee of $100. You will be grandfathered into the previous pricing! Those who applied on paper might have to pay the difference, though.

Now, let's break down what this means for you if you're 18 or older:

• Processing Fee: $530
• Right of Citizenship Fee: $119.75 (increased)

This brings your total to $649.75, up from the old fee of $630. And yes, even stateless adults born to Canadian parents need to pay this higher fee.

But what about minors? Good news! Those under 18 only need to pay the unchanged processing fee of $100.

Becoming a Canadian citizen involves a few steps:

• You must have permanent resident status.
• Live in Canada for at least 1,095 days (that’s three years) in the last five years before applying.
• File your taxes during those five years if legally required.
• If you’re between 18 and 54, pass a Canadian citizenship test.
• Show you can speak English or French (CLB 4).

Minors are exempt from some of these requirements. If you meet the criteria, you’ll be granted citizenship in a virtual or in-person ceremony, where you’ll take an oath if you’re 14 or older.

Want to see if you qualify? CanadaVisa has a free citizenship eligibility calculator!

And remember, the current processing time for applications is about eight months. So, if you’re thinking about applying, now’s the time to act!

For personalized advice, consider scheduling a free consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm!