The last form · Citizenship
One thousand and ninety-five days, counted properly.
Citizenship is arithmetic wrapped in law: 1,095 days of physical presence in the five years before you apply, counted by calendar honesty against stamps, statements and CBSA records. We count before IRCC does — because their recount is not a conversation.
Where citizenship files go wrong
- Presence miscounts. Half-remembered trips, a forgotten weekend in Buffalo, pre-PR time miscredited (days as a temporary resident count half, to a 365-day maximum). We reconcile your count against passport stamps and CBSA entry records before filing.
- Prohibitions. Certain charges and convictions pause or bar eligibility. Disclose to us first; surprises in this file forfeit trust that is hard to rebuild.
- Language & test stumbles. Adults 18–54 show CLB 4 in English or French and sit a knowledge test. We prepare clients properly — including the accommodations IRCC will grant when asked correctly.
Beyond the routine file
We act in urgent-processing requests (employment, travel-document need), resumed applications after missed tests or returned files, proof-of-citizenship claims for those born abroad to Canadian parents — including files reopened by the first-generation-limit litigation — and revocation defence, where alleged misrepresentation threatens status already granted. The oath ceremony, when it comes, remains the best day in this building’s calendar.
FAQ
Citizenship: the questions we hear
No — the test is cumulative days inside Canada across the five-year window, not continuity. But every absence subtracts, and the application form demands them all. Omissions read as misrepresentation.
Yes, as a permanent resident with a valid PR card — but you must remain a PR and be present for the test and oath. Long absences during processing cause missed notices; keep your address current and tell us before extended travel.
Begin properly
Your route to Canada deserves counsel, not guesswork.
A one-hour consultation with a lawyer — C$250, credited against your retainer if we act. You leave with routes, timelines and a written fee quote.