Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate: About the process
A citizenship certificate is a document that proves your Canadian citizenship.
- You can use it to access various services and benefits, such as a pension, or apply for a passport.
- The certificate is not a travel document.
- If you’re travelling abroad, you must have a valid passport or travel document.
Exception: Children 15 and under don’t need a passport to enter the United States or return to Canada by land or sea.
Documents children 15 and under can use instead of a passport:
- original or copy of their birth certificate
- It should be issued by the vital statistics department from the province or territory where they were born.
- original Canadian citizenship certificate
- Canadian citizenship card
When they turn 16, they need a passport if they’re going to enter the US.
Learn more about travelling to the US from Canada.
Learn more about the citizenship certificate
We stopped issuing citizenship cards
We no longer give out citizenship cards – archived or the commemorative certificates that came with them. If you apply to update or replace your citizenship card, we will send you a citizenship certificate.
Fees
Proof of citizenship (citizenship certificate): $75
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Applications outside Canada and the United States may take longer.