Becoming a Canadian citizen through marriage is still a myth to many people. So have even questioned the possibility of obtaining Canadian citizenship by simply marrying a Canadian citizen. While it is not an automatic process to simply become a Canadian citizen after you marry a citizen can, it is still possible to achieve this in the later future but there are some steps involved.
When you get married to a Canadian citizen, you don’t easily become a citizen yourself immediately. You will first have been sponsored to Canada if you are not in Canada. Then you have to become a temporary resident in Canada and after a while, if you meet the requirements to become a permanent resident in Canada, you will then receive your PR card. Becoming a Canadian citizen comes after you must have stayed in Canada for quite a good number of years, and you have met all the requirements for Canadian citizenship.
Requirement To Become A Canadian Citizen
- You must first become a permanent resident in Canada, and then gain some work experience from your time in Canada.
- You must have lived in Canada for at least 3 out of 5 years during the period when you apply.
- You are not owing to the Canadian government, and you must have filed your taxes if need be.
- To become a citizen there is a test that you must pass and it is called the citizenship test.
- You will also need to provide proof of language proficiency.
- Be familiar with Canada’s history, culture, and government.
- If you committed a crime within or outside Canada, you may not be allowed to receive citizenship for a while. Also, the time spent doing a term in prison will not count for you as time lived in Canada.
Benefits of Becoming a Canadian Citizen
- Just like the benefit you enjoy in your home country as a citizen, in Canada when you become a citizen, you enjoy every right and privileges as well. So what are the benefits of becoming a Canadian citizen?
- You have the right to vote and be voted for in political elections.
- You can easily become a sponsor in Canada and help your loved ones, relatives, and families to immigrate to Canada and you can even help them become permanent residents in Canada.
- By becoming a Canadian citizen, you can confidently carry a Canadian passport and travel anywhere in the world.
- As a citizen of Canada. You will not be subject to any removal order ever again.
- Move within different provinces in Canada freely.
Steps Involved to Become a Canadian Citizen through Marriage
The First step is actually legally getting married to a Canadian citizen. A court wedding is usually preferred as it the most accepted proof of marriage documents. There are still other ways aside from marriage to prove the relationship. Two people can be considered married if they have been together for a very long period of time which is called a common-law marriage.
When you have your marriage certificate, you are now eligible for sponsorship. Spousal sponsorship is usually the way to go, however, you have to also meet other requirements t qualify under this category. You can find out more about sponsorships here.
The next thing after you obtained a permanent resident status is to apply for Canadian citizenship. You must meet all the requirements mentioned above to be eligible to apply.