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CIT 0002: the adult citizenship application, what each question asks and why applications are returned

CIT 0002 is the paper application for Canadian citizenship for adults. The IRCC fee list shows $653 for an adult, covering the processing fee and the right of citizenship fee. The Citizenship Act asks for at least 1,095 days of physical presence in the five years before applying, and IRCC returns a paper application signed more than 90 days before it receives it.

CIT 0002 is titled "Application for Canadian Citizenship, Adults". IRCC's form page says it was last updated in February 2026 and is dated 23 June 2026. IRCC's adult citizenship pages (dated 21 April 2026) say online is recommended, and paper is required only in listed situations, so check which applies before you use this form. This guide goes through the questions in order, the fee on the IRCC fee list as at 21 September 2026, and IRCC's own reasons for returning an application. It explains the form. It does not tell you whether you are eligible, how to count your days or how to answer a question about your own history.

Who this form is for, and online versus paper

IRCC's page describes the form as the application for adults applying under subsection 5(1) of the Citizenship Act. IRCC's adult citizenship page says the application replaced older packages for adults, for parents or guardians applying for a minor, and for minors applying alone without a Canadian parent.

IRCC recommends applying online. It says online is faster, has built-in error checks and sends an immediate confirmation email. It says you must apply on paper if you or your child counted time outside Canada as a Crown servant or as a family member of one, or if you want a representative to complete and submit the application for you. For online applications, IRCC says you create an account, complete the application, pay the fees online and upload the receipt, then sign, date and submit it. Each online account holds one adult.

The form page says to complete the PDF on a computer, not a tablet or phone, in Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher, and that you can save and finish later. When you click "Validate", the form creates a barcode page, which goes on top of the printed application. The page notes the barcode page does not appear if the form is filled out by hand, and a handwritten signature is required.

Paper applications go to the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia by mail, or to the IRCC Digitization Centre in New Waterford by courier, according to IRCC's how-to-apply page. IRCC recommends a tracked service. Check IRCC's page for the current address before you send anything.

What it costs: the fee list

The IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026) shows these amounts in Canadian dollars: - Citizenship, adult (18 and over): $653.00. The fee list says this includes the processing fee and the right of citizenship fee. - Citizenship, minor (under 18): $100.00, which includes the processing fee.

IRCC's how-to-apply page adds several rules about paying: - IRCC processes the application only after the full amount is paid, and returns it if you pay less. - The adult right of citizenship fee is refunded if the application is not approved. Minor applications are not refunded in the same way. - Withdrawing before processing begins earns a full refund. - Overpayments are refunded automatically.

For paper applications, IRCC says to pay only when you are ready to submit and include the printed receipt. The fee schedule and refund rules change, so read the fee list and the how-to-apply page on the day you pay. The citizenship fee guide on this site explains the fee in more detail.

The legal tests behind the form

The questions on CIT 0002 follow section 5(1) of the Citizenship Act (current to 21 September 2026). The parts that matter most are: - Permanent residence and presence. The Act says the applicant must have "been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days" during the five years immediately before the date of the application. IRCC's adult eligibility page adds that this must include at least 730 days as a permanent resident. - Taxes. The Act requires that the applicant has met any applicable requirement under the Income Tax Act to file a return of income for three taxation years that are fully or partly within the five years before the application. - Language. For applicants aged 18 or more but less than 55, an adequate knowledge of an official language. - Knowledge of Canada. For the same age band, an adequate knowledge of Canada and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, shown in an official language.

IRCC's eligibility page also explains how some days count. It says each day as a temporary resident or protected person counts as half a day, with a cap of 365 days of credit. For example, 600 days as a temporary resident before becoming a permanent resident would give 300 days of credit under that rule, while 800 days would still stop at 365. Protected-person time counts only from approval until the day before becoming a permanent resident. Days abroad as a Crown servant or their family member count as full days. Time in prison, on parole or on probation does not count. These are IRCC's rules as published. How they apply to a particular set of travel records is a question for the applicant to check on IRCC's calculator, or with a regulated adviser.

Adults aged 55 and older are exempt from the language and knowledge requirements.

Questions 1 to 8: service language, identity, address and representative

Questions 1 and 2 ask for your service language, English or French, and any accommodation needs.

Questions 3 to 6 collect your UCI (client identifier) if you have one, your name, gender, height, eye colour, date and place of birth, other names used and marital status. IRCC's guide has appendices for name changes, date of birth corrections and changes of sex or gender identifier, and the form page lists the documents each needs.

Questions 7 and 8 collect your Canadian home address, mailing address, phone and email, and ask you to disclose any representative on IMM 5476. The address has a practical point attached. The "after you apply" page says to tell IRCC right away if your address changes, even if you have mail forwarding, because Canada Post does not forward parcels and your application package is a parcel. IRCC's form page says that if a package is returned to IRCC, it will not be processed.

If you use a paid representative, they must be a lawyer, a Quebec notary or a licensed consultant. The guide to IMM 5476 on this site explains the form, and the guide to checking an RCIC licence explains how to check one. IRCC says using a representative is optional and does not affect approval.

Question 9: physical presence

Question 9 is the physical presence question. The form page says you need at least 1,095 days of physical presence in the five years before the date you sign, and strongly recommends applying with more than the minimum. It points to the Online Physical Presence Calculator and, if you cannot use that, to form CIT 0407 for calculating by hand. Form CIT 0177, Residence Outside Canada, applies in some situations, and the form page explains when.

The date matters twice. IRCC's how-to-apply page says to sign and date the form on the day you sign it, and to make sure the date matches the "Application date" in your physical presence calculation. The calculator printout goes in the package. A mismatch between the signing date and the calculation date is a reason for trouble, and it is a simple one to avoid.

IRCC's how-to-apply page lists, among the reasons applications are returned, that you are no longer eligible on the day before you sign the form. Count with that in mind and do not sign on the first day you believe you qualify without checking the calculator for that date.

This guide does not count days for anyone. If your travel history is long or complicated, record it before you start, using the passports and entry records you have.

Questions 10 to 14: addresses, work, taxes and status history

Question 10 asks for every address you have lived at during the five-year eligibility period, and for police certificates for countries where you spent 183 days or more in a row, since age 18, within the past four years. IRCC's page adds that IRCC may request a police certificate at any point during processing. The police certificates guide on this site covers how they work.

Question 11 asks for your work, study and language training history for the five years. IRCC's instruction is: "Do not leave any gaps during this period and do not leave this section blank." Gaps are a common reason for the application to be treated as incomplete. If there was a period of no work and no study, the form still needs it explained in the way the form allows.

Question 12 covers taxes. It asks for your social insurance number, temporary tax number or individual tax number if you have one, and has a five-year chart of tax filings. It also asks you to authorise the Canada Revenue Agency to share tax information with IRCC. The Act's wording is that you must have met any applicable requirement to file. The form asks you to say whether you needed to file in each year. Whether you needed to is a tax question; IRCC points to the Canada Revenue Agency's newcomers pages.

Questions 13 and 14 ask for any other citizenship or status you hold and any passports or travel documents you held during the eligibility period.

Questions 15 to 19: language, prohibitions, certificate and signature

Question 15 covers language and knowledge. Applicants aged 18 to 54 must show CLB or NCLC level 4 or higher, with a test result, certificate or program document, according to IRCC's form page. IRCC says adults aged 18 to 54 also take a citizenship test on rights and responsibilities and on Canadian history, geography, government and symbols, and are invited to it after they apply. Waivers on compassionate grounds are requested on CIT 0116, with an optional medical opinion on CIT 0547, and are decided case by case.

Question 16 asks about prohibitions. You answer the questions truthfully and explain any Yes in box 16b. IRCC's page says "We won't approve your citizenship application if you're under a prohibition", and that these are mostly for criminal or security reasons and you may need to wait until the prohibition no longer applies. The form page warns that citizenship can be revoked if prohibited situations are not disclosed and the oath is taken. If you are unsure whether something you have in your past falls under a prohibition, that is a question for a lawyer or licensed consultant. See also the guide to criminal inadmissibility on this site.

Question 17 asks whether you want a paper or electronic certificate, and an email address is needed for an electronic one. Question 18 asks whether IRCC may share information with your Member of Parliament and with Elections Canada, or the Chief Electoral Officer of Québec if you live in Québec. Question 19 is the city, signature and date, followed by validating the form to create the barcode page.

Why IRCC returns applications

IRCC's citizenship application guide gives specific reasons. The key warning is that the application "will be returned to you" if it is "dated more than 90 days before we receive it". IRCC's citizenship pages list these reasons for return: - the paper application is received more than 90 days after the signature date; - the application is incomplete, and in a group of applications, if any one is incomplete, all of them are returned; - the fee was not paid in full; and - you are no longer eligible on the day before you sign the form.

The form page adds that an application is returned if it is unsigned, undated or post-dated, and that the signing date must match the date on the physical presence calculator printout. It also warns about gaps in the address and work history, and about parcels returned by Canada Post.

A few other pointers. Check that every section that asks "Yes" or "No" has an answer. Check that each police certificate requirement is dealt with. Keep a copy of everything you send. And do not use a different date format or a different signing date in the calculator than on the form.

What happens after you submit

IRCC's "after you apply" page lists the stages. You receive an acknowledgement of receipt once IRCC confirms the application is complete. It shows processing has started and includes your application number. The confirmation email from submitting is not the acknowledgement of receipt. Applicants aged 18 to 54 are invited to take the citizenship test. Some applications are randomly selected for a detailed review, which can include more information and an interview. Most approved applicants take the oath at a ceremony, which IRCC calls "the final step before becoming a Canadian citizen".

On travel, IRCC says you can leave Canada after IRCC receives your application if you keep your permanent resident status, can receive and reply to mail and email, usually within 30 days, and can attend the test, interview and ceremony in person. IRCC asks you to contact it if you plan to be outside Canada for more than two weeks in a row.

Processing times change, and IRCC says the clock starts when it receives your complete application. Check the processing times tool on the day you apply.

When it is worth paying a regulated adviser

Many adults complete the application themselves. Paying for advice comes up when travel records are hard to reconstruct, when the five-year count is close to the line, when there is a criminal or tax history, when a name or date of birth differs between documents, or when an earlier application was returned. A lawyer, or a consultant licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, can review the records and advise on your own facts.

What that involves: a written consultation agreement before the consult, a fee agreed up front, and IMM 5476 with the application. IRCC says paper is required when a representative completes and submits the application for you. Check their College ID or law society number on the public register before you pay. You can find regulated advisers through the directory on this site.

Questions people ask

How much does the Canadian citizenship application cost?

The IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026) shows $653 for an adult, which it says includes the processing fee and the right of citizenship fee, and $100 for a minor. IRCC's how-to-apply page says the adult right of citizenship fee is refunded if the application is not approved. Read the fee list on the day you pay.

How many days do I need in Canada to apply for citizenship?

Section 5(1) of the Citizenship Act asks for at least 1,095 days of physical presence in the five years immediately before the application. IRCC's eligibility page adds that this must include at least 730 days as a permanent resident, and explains how days as a temporary resident count.

Can I apply online instead of using CIT 0002?

IRCC recommends applying online. It says paper is required if you or your child counted time as a Crown servant or family member of one, or if you want a representative to complete and submit the application for you.

How long can I wait between signing and sending?

IRCC says it returns a paper application received more than 90 days after the date on the form. The signing date must also match the application date on the physical presence calculator printout.

Do I need language proof and a test at any age?

The Act sets the language and knowledge requirements for applicants aged 18 or more but less than 55. IRCC says adults 55 and older are exempt. The form asks for proof of Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 or higher for those who must show it.

Can I leave Canada while my citizenship application is processing?

IRCC says you can, if you keep your permanent resident status, can receive and reply to mail and email, and can attend the test, interview and ceremony in person. It asks you to contact it if you plan to be outside Canada for more than two weeks in a row.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Canadian citizenship requirements: the 1,095-day rule, tax filing, language and the test — Under section 5(1) of the Citizenship Act an adult applicant must be a permanent resident, have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the five years before applying, have met any tax-filing requirement for three years, and, if aged 18 to 54, show language ability and pass the knowledge test. Days before permanent residence count at half value, up to a cap.
  • Canadian Citizenship Fee: $653 for Adults and What It Covers — On the IRCC fee list (date modified 21 September 2026), the citizenship application fee is $653 for an adult, which includes the processing fee and the $123 right of citizenship fee, and $100 for a minor under 18. A citizenship certificate is $75. IRCC refunds the full amount if processing has not started.
  • PR Residency Obligation: The 730-Day Rule and What Happens If You Miss It — A permanent resident must be in Canada, or in a few listed situations treated as in Canada, on at least 730 days in every five-year period (IRPA s.28). Falling short does not end status by itself: status continues until an official decision, and a decision made outside Canada can be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division within 60 days.
  • IMM 5476, Use of a Representative: what the form asks and how it is submitted — IMM 5476 tells IRCC that someone may act for you on an application, paid or unpaid. You complete the applicant sections, your representative signs their own declaration, and a paid representative must give their membership ID from the College, a law society or the Chambre des notaires. The same form is used to cancel or change a representative.
  • Criminal Record and Canada: Inadmissibility, Rehabilitation and Temporary Resident Permits — IRPA s.36 makes people inadmissible for certain convictions or acts. IRCC describes four ways to overcome it: deemed rehabilitation, individual rehabilitation (generally five years after the sentence ends), a record suspension for Canadian convictions, or a temporary resident permit. The IRCC fee list shows $246.25 for non-serious rehabilitation and $1,231 for serious (as at 2026-09-21).
  • Medical exam and police certificates for Canada: who needs them, when, and how long they last — IRCC requires an immigration medical exam from a panel physician for permanent residence applicants, and for some temporary residents. Results are valid for 12 months. Police certificates are required for permanent residence, citizenship and International Experience Canada. Express Entry candidates must get the medical exam after the invitation but before applying, and have 60 days to submit police certificates.
  • Language tests for Canada PR: the approved tests and how scores become CLB levels — For Express Entry, IRCC accepts five tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core in English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada in French. Results must be less than 2 years old when you complete your profile and when you apply. Scores are converted into Canadian Language Benchmark (English) or NCLC (French) levels, and the minimum level depends on the program.
  • How to check an RCIC licence on the College's Public Register — Search the consultant on the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Public Register (register.college-ic.ca). Only people with an "Active" status and "Yes" in the "Entitled to Practise" column may legally give you immigration advice for a fee. Then contact them using the details on the register, not the ones in an ad or a message.