How to Live in Canada & the US at the Same Time
With such a close proximity to the United States, Canada is a wonderful destination for visiting. For those that spend enough time in both countries, you may like to have the benefits that come along with being a citizen in each country. This can be done by obtaining dual citizenship. Living in both Canada and the United States may be a logical option for those that spend frequent time in both countries.
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Instructions
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Canadians Obtaining Dual Citizenship with the United States
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Reside in the United States for a period of five years. If you are married to a U.S. citizen, the amount of time is reduced to three years. If you are a child under the age of 18, this time frame does not apply.
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Wait until you are 18 years old before you apply. While this is the minimum age for an applicant to apply, this is not the case for children. For children, you must have at least one U.S. citizen for a parent or guardian, who is responsible for filling out the application for the child.
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Study up on your U.S. history and the government. Contacting the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) will provide you with a manual in which to study for the naturalization test.
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Be able to communicate in English on a basic level. You must be able to speak, read and write English. The exceptions are persons over 55 years old who have lived in the U.S. for the last 15 years, 50 to 54-year-olds that have been a resident for the last 20 years and those individuals that have a mental or physical impairment, hindering the ability to meet the above stated requirements.
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Fill out the Application for Naturalization. This form will begin the process, which can take anywhere from five months to two years to process. Check the resources section for the application fees. After it is processed, you will be called to take the naturalization test and then you must swear an oath to the United States.
Americans Obtaining Dual Citizenship with Canada
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Live in Canada for at least three years. All adults must have 1,095 days lived in Canada within the past four years to be considered for citizenship. Children under the age of 18 are not held to this same standard.
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Wait until you are at least 18 years of age. This is the minimum requirement to applying for citizenship on your own. For children under 18, you must have at least one of the child's parents or guardians be a citizen of Canada and fill out the application for them.
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Obtain a knowledge of Canada's history, values, institutions, electoral system and symbols. You will be tested on this information in the citizenship test that you must pass. Upon receiving your application, the Canadian Immigration will send you a pamphlet to study.
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Have an adequate knowledge of either English or French. These are the two official languages of Canada. You must be able to understand and communicate both verbally and in written form of one of these languages.
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Keep your record clean. If you are on probation, had your Canadian citizenship taken away within the last five years, have been convicted of a criminal offense within the three years prior to your applying or are under investigation for war crimes, you will not be able to gain citizenship.
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Submit your application for citizenship. The fees associated with the application process vary, depending on which service you are applying for. Refer to the resources section to find a link to a fee calculator.
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References
Resources
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