Canada Increases Citizenship Fees for Adults Starting March 31, 2025

Surya Rathee
[Published 09 Apr, 2025 | 04:44 AM]
About Author - 3 min read
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The Canadian federal government has officially raised the right of citizenship fee for adults applying for Canadian citizenship. This new fee came into effect at midnight on March 31, 2025.

Last year, on April 30, 2024, IRCC also raised fees for Canada PR applications to align with inflation and rising operational costs. For example, the Right of Permanent Residence fee increased from $515 to $575. Principal applicants in the Federal Skilled Workers program saw their fees rise from $850 to $950. These adjustments aimed to ensure that the fees reflect the current cost of processing applications.

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New Fee Structure

Previously, adults applying for Canadian citizenship had to pay a $100 right of citizenship fee. As of March 31, 2025, this fee has increased to $119.75. In addition to this, adult applicants must also pay a processing fee of $530. This means the total cost to apply for citizenship for adults is now $649.75, up from the earlier total of $630.

Who Is Affected?

Anyone who submits their citizenship application on or after March 31, 2025, must pay the new increased fee.

• Those who submitted their application online before midnight on March 31 and paid the $100 right of citizenship fee will not be affected.

• Applicants who sent a paper-based application before March 31 may still be required to pay the difference between the old and new fees.

Stateless adults who were born to a Canadian parent also have to pay the increased right of citizenship fee. For minors under the age of 18, there is no change in fees. They are only required to pay a $100 processing fee, and the right of citizenship fee does not apply to them.

How to Become a Canadian Citizen?

To become a Canadian citizen through naturalization, applicants must meet certain requirements under the Canadian Citizenship Act. These include:

• Having permanent resident status in Canada
• Living in Canada for at least 1,095 days (3 years) out of the last 5 years before applying
• Filing taxes, if required, for at least 3 of those 5 years
• Passing a citizenship test (for applicants aged 18 to 54)
• Showing basic knowledge of English or French (CLB level 4)

Minors do not need to meet the physical presence requirement and are exempt from the language and test criteria. After an application is approved, new citizens attend a citizenship ceremony - either online or in person. Everyone 14 years or older must take the oath of citizenship during this ceremony.

Current Processing Time

As of now, the average processing time for Canadian citizenship applications is about 8 months.

If you are considering applying for Canadian citizenship, it’s important to be aware of this fee change and plan your application accordingly. If you're unsure whether the new fee applies to you, or how to prepare your application, you may want to seek advice from a trusted Canada immigration consultant or lawyer.

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Source: canada.ca