Citizenship
Are you a permanent resident who wants to become a Canadian Citizen? If so, I can help you determine if you are eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship, assist you with your citizenship application, and advise you of the best measures you should take to obtain Canadian citizenship. As a permanent resident, to be eligible for Canadian citizenship, you must have lived in Canada for at least 1 095 days (3 years) out of the last 5 years, pass a citizenship test, file taxes in Canada, and pass a language test.
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Generally anyone born in Canada is a Canadian citizen, but if you need to confirm you citizenship status, there are ways to accomplish this and obtain a proof of citizenship.
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If you were born outside of Canada to a Canadian citizen, you may be eligible for Canadian citizenship. However changes made to the Citizenship Act in 2015 made it so that only the first generation of individuals born outside of Canada to Canadian parents would qualify for citizenship.
Citizenship & Criminal History
An individual with a criminal history cannot become a Canadian citizen if they have been convicted of an offence where the maximum sentence is 10 years or more in prison, or if they have been convicted of two minor criminal offences stemming from two separate incidents. It is important to determine if you will require Criminal Rehabilitation or a Record Suspension (Pardon) to be eligible for Citizenship.
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If you have pending criminal charges, it is important to consult with a criminal defence lawyer who can work with an immigration lawyer to achieve a result which will not affect your chances of citizenship.
