The Canadian citizenship ceremony: the oath, the dress code & the day itself
The citizenship ceremony is the last step in becoming a Canadian citizen. You take the oath, sign the oath form and receive your certificate. Ceremonies run in person and by video, and both last a few hours.
Key takeaways
The Canadian citizenship ceremony is the final step of a grant application. IRCC sends the invitation at least one week ahead, and ceremonies are held in person or by videoconference, each lasting a few hours. Applicants aged 14 and over take the oath of citizenship, wear business attire, and bring their invitation, PR card or Confirmation of Permanent Residence and identification. Paper certificates are handed out at in-person ceremonies, while e-certificates appear in the IRCC Portal within 5 business days of the signed oath form reaching IRCC.
- IRCC sends the invitation at least one week before the ceremony date.
- Ceremonies last a few hours, in person or by video; the oath itself is minutes.
- Everyone 14 and over takes the oath; under 14s may attend but need not.
- Dress code is business attire; traditional, religious and ceremonial clothing is welcome.
- Your PR card is collected or cut up, so do not book travel until your passport arrives.
What happens at a Canadian citizenship ceremony?
The Canadian citizenship ceremony is the moment a grant application ends and citizenship begins. IRCC invites you once your application is approved, and according to canada.ca both virtual and in-person ceremonies last a few hours, with the arrival time and duration set out in your invitation (source: IRCC, “Citizenship ceremony: What to expect”, read September 2026).
The running order is broadly the same in either format: registration and brief instructions, then the ceremony itself with speeches, the oath taking, congratulations and the national anthem, video presentations, an opportunity for photographs with the presiding official, and finally post-ceremony instructions about your certificate and passport. Ceremonies may include special guests such as an Indigenous participant, elected officials at in-person events, community members and performers.
| Stage of the day | In person | Virtual |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | At a registration table; identity verified, PR card and signed consent form collected | Private video meeting; identity verified, you cut up your PR card with scissors |
| Waiting | You wait in the ceremony room until all candidates are registered | You may wait up to 30 minutes to be let in where there are over 100 candidates |
| The ceremony | Speeches, the oath, congratulations, O Canada | Speeches, the oath, congratulations, O Canada |
| Signing the oath form | You sign the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form at the ceremony | You sign and email the form back on the same day you take the oath |
| Your certificate | Paper certificate handed to you at the ceremony, if you chose paper | Paper certificate posted in 2 to 4 weeks, or e-certificate in the IRCC Portal |
| Afterwards | A reception may follow and media may be present | Post-ceremony instructions are given before the call ends |
Who has to take the oath of citizenship?
Whether you must take the oath depends on your age on the day, not on when you applied. IRCC sets it out simply: adults and teenagers take the oath, and young children do not have to.
| Age when taking the oath | Must take the oath? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 18 and above | Yes | Every adult applicant takes the oath personally |
| 14 to 17 | Yes | IRCC encourages the parent or guardian who applied to attend and help with registration questions |
| Under 14 | No | Welcome to attend; if they do, the parent or guardian who applied must be present |
If you need help to take the oath, IRCC can consider an accommodation or a waiver. Raise it as early as you can rather than on the day. As a regulated practice we advise on citizenship by grant and by descent and prepare applications, but we do not represent clients before the Immigration and Refugee Board or the courts, and we never guarantee an outcome.
What are the words of the oath of citizenship?
You will swear or affirm the oath. Swearing refers to a religious belief, and you may bring a holy book of your choice to swear on. Affirming carries the same legal weight without a religious reference. IRCC encourages candidates to repeat the oath after the presiding official in both official languages if they can. The current English text is:
Oath of Citizenship (English)
After the oath everyone sings a bilingual version of O Canada. In all provinces and territories except Quebec, IRCC uses the English-first bilingual version, and you may choose to sing in English, in French or bilingually. Practising the oath and the anthem beforehand is worth the ten minutes it takes, because you will be reciting both in a room of strangers.
What is the dress code for a citizenship ceremony?
IRCC's guidance is short: wear business attire that is appropriate for the occasion. Beyond that, the ceremony is deliberately accommodating. You can wear traditional, religious or ceremonial clothing, head coverings, the colours red and white, a medical mask or a face covering.
If you wear a face covering or mask, staff will ask you to remove it briefly to verify your identity at registration, and IRCC can do that in a private room, or a private virtual room for video ceremonies. You can put it back on for the ceremony itself. The one clothing-adjacent prohibition at in-person ceremonies is scented products: perfumes and colognes are not allowed, because they can cause headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath and skin irritation for other people in the room.
| Dress and conduct | What IRCC says |
|---|---|
| Standard dress | Business attire appropriate for the occasion |
| Traditional or religious clothing | Permitted, including head coverings and ceremonial dress |
| Face coverings and medical masks | Permitted; removed briefly at registration to verify identity, in private if you prefer |
| Scented products | Not permitted at in-person ceremonies |
| Standing | In-person candidates stand for the oath and O Canada if they can; virtual candidates stay seated throughout |
| Conduct | Behave respectfully; no personal or political views, no promoting a business or selling a product |
| Photographs | You may photograph yourself and your family for personal use; no recording during virtual registration or the virtual ceremony |
What should you bring to the citizenship ceremony?
Arriving without the right documents is the one avoidable way to derail the day, so check this the night before. Everyone brings the invitation and proof of permanent residence; adults add two pieces of identification.
- 01
Your ceremony invitation
The invitation carries your ceremony time, format, and for virtual ceremonies your seat number and joining link.
- 02
Your PR card or Confirmation of Permanent Residence
Bring the PR card even if it has expired, or your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688) instead.
- 03
Two pieces of ID (adults)
At least one must show both your photo and your signature. A passport, driver's licence, health card or provincial ID all qualify.
- 04
Two pieces of ID (minors)
These do not need a photo or signature. A school ID card or health card is acceptable; parents or guardians who applied bring one piece of ID.
- 05
The signed consent form
Your invitation may include a permission release and consent form for photos or video. Sign it and bring it to either format of ceremony.
- 06
Virtual only: scissors and your seat number
You cut up your own PR card on camera at the start of a virtual ceremony, and use your seat number as your screen name.
- 07
Optional extras
A holy book if you want to swear the oath on it, a water bottle for in-person ceremonies, and a phone or camera for photographs.
Keep your Record of Landing or COPR afterwards
How does a virtual citizenship ceremony work?
Video ceremonies are now routine. You join with the link in your invitation and replace your screen name with your seat number to protect your privacy. At larger ceremonies, those with over 100 candidates, you may wait up to 30 minutes before staff greet you and admit you.
Registration happens individually or as a family in a private video meeting, where staff verify your identity and ask the questions that confirm nothing prevents you becoming a citizen. You then cut up your permanent resident card on camera. Once every candidate is registered, the ceremony proper begins.
The rules for the video call are specific: sit down throughout, including during the oath and the anthem; keep your head and shoulders visible; choose a quiet space; stabilise any handheld device; and use no virtual backgrounds. You may display a plain background, a Canadian flag or symbol, or the colours red and white. You must not share the videoconference link with anyone, even family members you applied with, and you must not photograph or record the registration or ceremony. IRCC warns that doing so may pause, delay or reschedule your ceremony. A laptop, desktop, tablet or phone all work, with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox as the supported browsers.
When does the citizenship certificate arrive, and when can you get a passport?
The oath makes you a citizen, but the certificate is the document that proves it. You choose the format in your application and confirm it at the ceremony.
| Certificate type and ceremony format | When you receive it |
|---|---|
| Paper, in-person ceremony | Handed to you at the ceremony after you take the oath |
| Paper, virtual ceremony | Posted to your Canadian address 2 to 4 weeks after IRCC receives your signed oath form |
| Electronic (e-certificate) | Available in the IRCC Portal within 5 business days of IRCC receiving your signed oath form |
| Grant application overall | IRCC publishes about 12 months from a complete application to the ceremony (September 2026 update) |
Two practical warnings follow from this. First, you can only apply for a Canadian passport after you have the certificate, and if you hold an e-certificate you must print it to apply. Second, do not book travel for the weeks after your ceremony. Your PR card is collected or destroyed on the day, and a citizenship certificate is not a travel document, so it cannot be used to enter Canada. As a Canadian citizen you need a Canadian passport to travel abroad and return. Dual citizens can enter Canada only with a valid Canadian passport or a special authorization issued in limited circumstances.
Do not laminate the certificate or add any plastic coating. IRCC warns this can damage it and may prevent the information or barcode being confirmed, which matters precisely when you need it most, at a passport application. Check the details on both sides as soon as you receive it.
What if you miss the ceremony or the invitation goes astray?
IRCC sends the invitation by email if you gave an email address, so add addresses ending in “@cic.gc.ca” to your safe sender list and check your junk folder while you are waiting. If IRCC has no email address it may telephone, and the call can show as an unknown caller or a number from outside Canada. If neither works, the invitation is posted.
The wait for an invitation depends on IRCC's processing time and your own file. When the citizenship tracker shows the ceremony section as in progress, IRCC is scheduling it and will send the invitation at least a week before the date. If the invitation reaches you while you are outside Canada, reply and explain the situation, using the subject line “Outside Canada, Oath of Citizenship”, with your full name, application number, the date you were last in Canada, the date you plan to return and your reasons. Our citizenship processing time page tracks the current published figure and what tends to slow a file down.
How Wild Mountain Immigration helps
Working under a licensed RCIC (CICC #R706497), we confirm whether you meet the Canadian citizenship requirements, count your physical presence accurately with our citizenship calculator, check your tax filings line up and review the application before it reaches IRCC. Most ceremony-day problems trace back to something earlier in the file, so the work that matters happens long before the invitation arrives.
We advise on citizenship by grant and by descent, and on the permanent residence routes that lead to it. The citizenship test and the oath are yours to complete in person: no consultant can sit either on your behalf, and no one can promise you an outcome. What a licensed representative can do is make sure the application underneath is accurate.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Canadian citizenship ceremony?
IRCC says both virtual and in-person ceremonies last a few hours, and your invitation gives the arrival time and expected duration. The oath itself takes only a few minutes; the rest is registration, speeches, video presentations, the national anthem, photographs and post-ceremony instructions. At larger virtual ceremonies with more than 100 candidates you may wait up to 30 minutes before you are let into the videoconference, so allow more time than the oath alone suggests.
What is the dress code for a Canadian citizenship ceremony?
IRCC asks you to wear business attire appropriate for the occasion. You may also wear traditional, religious or ceremonial clothing, head coverings, the colours red and white, a medical mask or a face covering. At in-person ceremonies you cannot wear scented products such as perfumes and colognes, because they can cause headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath and skin irritation for others. There is no penalty attached to a specific garment, the requirement is simply to dress appropriately and behave respectfully.
What do I need to bring to my citizenship ceremony?
Bring your ceremony invitation, plus either your permanent resident card (even if expired) or your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688). Adults also bring two pieces of identification, at least one showing both photo and signature. Minors bring two pieces of ID that do not need a photo or signature. For a virtual ceremony you also need your seat number and a pair of scissors to cut up your PR card at the start. Optional items include a holy book if you want to swear the oath on it, a water bottle for in-person ceremonies, and a phone or camera.
What are the words of the Canadian oath of citizenship?
The oath is: I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen. You can swear the oath, which refers to a religious belief, or affirm it, which does not.
When do I get my citizenship certificate after the ceremony?
It depends on the format you chose. If you attend in person and asked for a paper certificate, you receive it at the ceremony itself. If you attend a virtual ceremony and chose paper, IRCC mails it to your Canadian address 2 to 4 weeks after it receives your signed Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form. If you chose an electronic certificate, it becomes available in the IRCC Portal within 5 business days of IRCC receiving that signed form.
Can I apply for a Canadian passport straight after the ceremony?
Not immediately. You can only apply for a passport once you have your citizenship certificate, which is the proof of citizenship a passport application requires. If you hold an electronic certificate you must print it to apply. Plan travel carefully: your PR card is collected or destroyed at the ceremony, and a citizenship certificate is not a travel document, so you cannot use it to re-enter Canada. Wait for your Canadian passport before leaving the country.
Does everyone in the family have to take the oath?
Applicants aged 18 and over must take the oath, and so must minors aged 14 to 17. Children under 14 do not have to take it, though they are welcome to attend; if they do, the parent or guardian who applied for them must be at the ceremony. IRCC also encourages the parent or guardian who applied for a 14 to 17 year old to attend and help them answer registration questions.
Can my consultant take the oath for me?
No. The oath of citizenship must be taken by you personally. No representative, including a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, can take the oath or sit the citizenship test on your behalf. An RCIC can confirm your eligibility, prepare and review your application and explain exactly what the ceremony involves, but the oath is yours to take. We never guarantee an outcome on any application.
Before and after the oath
The ceremony is the last step. Here is what surrounds it.
Citizenship test
20 questions from Discover Canada, pass mark 15 out of 20, taken before your ceremony.
Learn moreCitizenship requirements
Physical presence, tax filing, language and the full 2026 eligibility picture.
Learn moreDual citizenship
Canada has allowed dual citizenship since 1977. What that means for your other nationality.
Learn moreGetting ready to apply for citizenship?
Get an honest read on your physical presence count, your timeline and your application from a licensed RCIC.