Post-Citizenship Checklist

[Empirical-Scientist]

Here are items to check off after becoming a Canadian citizen. Please feel free to share any other generally applicable items.

▢ Complete passport application as per the instructions listed at http://www.passport.gc.ca/info/index.aspx?lang=eng.
▢ Guarantor: Find a Canadian citizen who holds a current passport, or one expired in the last 12 months (6 months in May), and who has known you personally for at least two years.
▢ Two References: Find two references who have known you for at least two years, but who are not your relatives. Friends, colleagues, etc., would do. The guarantor may not be a reference as well.
▢ Go to a Passport or Service Canada location to submit Passport Application - safer (for the originals), faster processing. Find the closest location at http://www.passport.gc.ca/service/index.aspx?lang=eng&chkPPTC=on. Alternatively, you can mail your applications with the originals, or with photocopies of originals such that the guarantor has viewed and signed both sides of photocopies.

▢ Register to vote with NER at: http://www.elections.ca/fast.
▢ Register to vote in your province or territory. Here are the websites:
▢ BC: http://www.elections.bc.ca/
▢ AB: http://www.electionsalberta.ab.ca/
▢ SK: http://www.elections.sk.ca/
▢ MB: http://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en
▢ ON: http://www.elections.on.ca/
▢ QC: http://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/
▢ NL: http://www.elections.gov.nl.ca/
▢ NS: https://electionsnovascotia.ca/
▢ PEI: http://www.electionspei.ca/
▢ NB: http://www.electionsnb.ca/
▢ YK: http://www.electionsyukon.gov.yk.ca/
▢ NWT: http://www.electionsnwt.ca/
▢ NU: http://www.elections.nu.ca/

▢ Register for the Cultural Access Pass: https://www.icc-icc.ca/en/cap/. The registration is available for the first year of your citizenship.

▢ Update your profile on various institutions, especially if you do any investments with brokerage firms or online on your own and which require your citizenship by law.

 

[femzade]

Many thanks for sharing this. Very useful info and reminder. I am looking forward to test and oath and will be using this checklist.

 

[Empirical-Scientist]

If you are wondering whether your references must be Canadian citizens or not, or must have a passport or not, review this Facebook post from Passport Canada's Facebook page. I've highlighted the info in reply to the request a Facebook user has posed (click to enlarge):

 

[ellle]

Thank you for sharing Empirical-Scientist.

 

[Empirical-Scientist]

Another item to add to the checklist...:

▢ Whether you are planning a trip or traveling soon, register with Canada's official travel site, Travel.GC.CA, at http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration.

 

[OP_POP]

Thanks for the info, all registered. Will apply for my passport by Friday hopefully.

 

[skywards747]

One more item;
You need to update your Nexus card if you have one by visiting a Nexus service center.

Also, you are now eligible to apply for Enhanced Drivers Licence if your province has such a facility. It will allow you to cross into US by land borders without a passport.

 

[Empirical-Scientist]

When you go to apply for the passport in person after 2-3 business days, the agent will verify your certificate. In some cases--such as mine--they couldn't verify, so they asked me to call CIC right away to resolve. I called CIC, which claimed that my case was already closed, so they were unsure as to why Passport Canada couldn't verify. CIC said they will send a messagevto Sidney to fix this. However, I went back to the wicket at Passport Canada as the CIC agent asked me to retry. Thisvtime around it worked. I'm pretty sure the CIC agent finalized something on the system while on the call with me... Tryingbto hide errotlrs? Perhaps... Anyways, it's a good idea to go in person...

 

[Empirical-Scientist]

Note the new passport application requirements (mainly time constraints): http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/notices/2015-02-27.asp

 

[yyzhuang]

My oath is in a week. I'm just reading the passport application form and instructions. Do we have to fill everything in capital letters? On top of pptc153 it says "Type or print in CAPITAL LETTERS using black or dark blue ink". It feels strange to have capitalized home address, email address, etc.

 

[Pda]

;D holders of a Canadian passport can visit 173 countries and territories visa-free or with visa on arrival, and the score of Canada is currently ranked 2nd in terms of travel freedom

There are 196 countries in the world today. 8)

Unless you don't count Taiwan…

 

[h3a3j6]

Here are items to check off after becoming a Canadian citizen. Please feel free to share any other generally applicable items.

▢ Complete passport application as per the instructions listed at http://www.passport.gc.ca/info/index.aspx?lang=eng.
▢ Guarantor: Find a Canadian citizen who holds a current passport, or one expired in the last 12 months (6 months in May), and who has known you personally for at least two years.
▢ Two References: Find two references who have known you for at least two years, but who are not your relatives. Friends, colleagues, etc., would do. The guarantor may not be a reference as well.
▢ Go to a Passport or Service Canada location to submit Passport Application - safer (for the originals), faster processing. Find the closest location at http://www.passport.gc.ca/service/index.aspx?lang=eng&chkPPTC=on. Alternatively, you can mail your applications with the originals, or with photocopies of originals such that the guarantor has viewed and signed both sides of photocopies.

▢ Register to vote with NER at: http://www.elections.ca/fast.
▢ Register to vote in your province or territory. Here are the websites:
▢ BC: http://www.elections.bc.ca/
▢ AB: http://www.electionsalberta.ab.ca/
▢ SK: http://www.elections.sk.ca/
▢ MB: http://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en
▢ ON: http://www.elections.on.ca/
▢ QC: http://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/
▢ NL: http://www.elections.gov.nl.ca/
▢ NS: https://electionsnovascotia.ca/
▢ PEI: http://www.electionspei.ca/
▢ NB: http://www.electionsnb.ca/
▢ YK: http://www.electionsyukon.gov.yk.ca/
▢ NWT: http://www.electionsnwt.ca/
▢ NU: http://www.elections.nu.ca/

▢ Register for the Cultural Access Pass: https://www.icc-icc.ca/en/cap/. The registration is available for the first year of your citizenship.

▢ Update your profile on various institutions, especially if you do any investments with brokerage firms or online on your own and which require your citizenship by law.

Reviving an old post by Empirical-Scientist...

I read on one of the threads that we can also register our COPR/IMM-1000 with ServiceCanada for old age pension plans... But I can't seem to find the appropriate thread. Does anyone have the information handy?