Application for Canadian citizenship – Minors (under 18 years of age) applying under subsection 5(1) – (CIT 0403)
Minors under 14 years of age are not required to take the oath of citizenship at a ceremony. However minors are welcome to attend a citizenship ceremony. If you would like them to attend a ceremony, please check “yes” box in Question 11 on the application.
If an application for a minor under 14 years of age is not submitted at the same time as a parent (non-concurrently), the certificate of Canadian citizenship is mailed to the parent/guardian.
To avoid delays or closure of the minor’s application, tell us as soon as possible if you/ the minor can’t attend the scheduled ceremony.
Remember to tell us if any of the situations that prevent a person from becoming a citizen apply to the minor when arriving at the ceremony.
For more information
Current processing times
You can check current processing times on the Application processing times webpage.
Important information
Updating your contact information
While your application is in process, you must tell us if you change your address, email address, or telephone number. Use the Change your address tool to give us your new contact information.
If you do not notify us of any change in your/the minor’s contact information, and we can’t reach you, the minor’s application could be abandoned or closed.
Remember, Canada Post’s Mail Forwarding Service does not forward parcels and a citizenship application package is considered a parcel.
Checking application status
You can check the status of the minor’s application online. The status will only appear online once we receive and have accepted the minor’s application into processing.
Find out how to remove the minor’s application status information from the Internet.
Protecting your information
Your personal information is:
- available to IRCC and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employees who need to see it to provide the services to you, and
- not disclosed to other organizations except as permitted under the provisions of the Privacy Act or the Citizenship Regulations.
For more information about the protection of your data, visit the Help Centre.
Appendix A
Name change
Consult the information below to determine the documents that are to be included with the minor’s application.
If you have legally changed the minor’s name within Canada
Then you must submit a copy of the change of name document issued by a Canadian province or territory, or by the appropriate foreign-state authority. The document must show both the minor’s previous and amended names.
The following documents are accepted:
- legal change of name document;
- court order specifying name change;
- adoption order.
The following documents are accepted for changes to family name only:
- marriage certificate;
- divorce decree;
- registration or declaration of union issued by civil authorities;
- revocation of declaration or annulment of union issued by civil authorities;
- registration for common-law relationship, in provinces that permit changes of name for common-law relationships under their provincial/territorial law.
If you have legally changed the minor’s name outside Canada and the minor is residing in Canada
Then you must provide a copy of the following documents:
- a foreign passport or other national authoritative documentation amended to reflect the new name;
- a foreign name change document that links the minor’s previous name to the new name, such as a foreign marriage certificate (with an official translation); and
- a document in the new name from Canadian provinces/territories (ex. driver’s license, health card).
If you have legally changed the minor’s name outside Canada and the minor is residing outside Canada
Then you must provide a copy of the following documents:
- a foreign passport or other national authoritative documentation amended to reflect the new name;
- a foreign name change document that links the minor’s previous name to the new name, such as a foreign marriage certificate (with an official translation) or other foreign legal change of name document issued by foreign authorities; and
- an authoritative national or state/province (or equivalent) issued photo identification document issued in the country, territory or state/province in which the minor resides that displays the new name, such as:
- a foreign passport or other travel documents, if the minor is a dual citizen;
- a state/provincial (or equivalent) identification card.
If you have applied and obtained an amendment to the minor’s Record of Landing, or Confirmation of Permanent Residence due to errors made by Canadian immigration officials when recording the minor’s name, then you must submit a copy of the amendment or a letter confirming the change of name.
Appendix B
Date of birth correction
The date of birth on the minor’s citizenship certificate will be the same as the one shown on their immigration document unless you:
- have corrected the date of birth on the minor’s immigration document; or
- have legally changed it after arriving in Canada; or
- are requesting a different date of birth for the minor’s citizenship certificate and you can provide supporting documents.
If the date of birth has been corrected on the immigration document, then you must provide a copy of:
- an approved Request to Amend Immigration Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688); and
- the new corrected Permanent Resident Card (if the minor has one).
If you have legally changed the date of birth by a provincial/territorial court order, then you must provide a copy of:
- provincial/territorial court order changing the date of birth; and
- completed questionnaire Request to Correct a Date of Birth for Citizenship [CIT 0464] (PDF, 1.15MB).
If the minor did not change the date of birth by a provincial/territorial court order and the date of birth has not been corrected on the minor’s immigration document, then you must provide a copy of:
- a refused Request to Amend the Immigration Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688); and
- completed questionnaire Request to Correct a Date of Birth for Citizenship [CIT 0464] (PDF, 1.15MB); and
- documents to support the minor’s new date of birth.
Important information: You cannot request a change in the minor’s date of birth after the application has been submitted. If satisfactory documentation is not provided with the application to support the date of birth requested, the citizenship certificate will reflect the date of birth indicated on the minor’s immigration document.
