Canada Naturalization and Citizenship: Difference between revisions

Naturalization is the process of granting citizenship to foreign-born residents. Naturalization papers are an important source of an immigrant’s place of origin, foreign and "Anglicized" names, residence, and date of arrival. Post-1915 records are more detailed and may include birth dates, birthplaces, and other immigration information about the immigrant and members of his family.  

Immigrants to [[Canada|Canada]] have never been required to apply for citizenship. Some nationalities were more likely to naturalize than others. Until 1947, settlers from Britain were considered citizens of Canada without needing to naturalize. Of those from other countries who applied, some did not complete the requirements for citizenship. Evidence that an immigrant completed citizenship requirements can be found in censuses, court minutes, homestead records, passports, voting registers, and military papers.  

Citizenship has been reported in Canadian censuses beginning in 1901, but information on individuals is not available from censuses after 1901. See the "[[Canada Census|Census]]" section of this outline.  

For more information about the naturalization process, write Citizenship and Immigration Canada at the address below.