Canadian Citizenship Ceremony and Oath: What to Expect in 2026

As of June 13, 2026.

What happens at a Canadian citizenship ceremony?

For most applicants, the citizenship ceremony is the last step before becoming a Canadian citizen. At the ceremony you take the Oath of Citizenship in front of a citizenship official or judge, and then you receive your citizenship certificate, the document that proves you are a citizen. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) runs ceremonies in two formats, online by video conference and in person, and your invitation tells you which one you are attending. Both formats include registration, speeches, the oath taking, congratulations, and the singing of the national anthem. From the moment you take the oath, you are a Canadian citizen. You can read IRCC's citizenship ceremony overview for the full outline.

Is the citizenship ceremony held online or in person?

IRCC holds most citizenship ceremonies online over a video conference platform, and it holds some in person. You do not choose the format yourself at first. IRCC decides and puts the format, along with the date, time, and either a video link or a location, in your invitation. If you are invited to a virtual ceremony but would rather attend in person, or the reverse, you can ask to change the format. You can request a format change only once, and you will be given a new date because you cannot keep the original one. The two formats differ on a few practical points, set out in the ceremony formats guidance.

When will I get my citizenship ceremony invitation?

IRCC invites you to the ceremony after it approves your application, which for most adults happens once you pass the citizenship test. The wait depends on current processing times and your situation, and it can run from a few weeks to a few months. IRCC sends the invitation at least one week before the ceremony date, usually by email and sometimes by phone or mail. Add addresses ending in cic.gc.ca to your safe-sender list and check your spam folder so you do not miss it. Your invitation states the time, date, format, language, and the video link or location.

If you cannot attend on the day, contact IRCC to reschedule rather than skipping the ceremony. If you miss a first ceremony without explanation, IRCC automatically reschedules you and sends a final invitation. You can follow the scheduling status in your citizenship tracker account. The full timing rules are on the when to go to the ceremony page.

What should I bring to my citizenship ceremony?

Bring your ceremony invitation, your permanent resident card even if it has expired, and acceptable identification. Adults need two pieces of identification, and at least one must show both your photo and your signature. If you no longer have your PR card, bring your Confirmation of Permanent Residence instead. For a virtual ceremony, also have your seat number from the first page of the invitation and a pair of scissors, because you cut up your PR card at the start. For an in-person ceremony, bring the signed permission release and consent form if one came with your invitation.

A few extra points to remember:

1. The PR card is surrendered at the ceremony because you no longer need it once you are a citizen.
2. If you became a permanent resident before June 28, 2002, bring your Record of Landing if you still have it.
3. The full checklist is on the what to bring to the ceremony page.

What is the Oath of Citizenship in Canada?

The Oath of Citizenship is the promise you make to become a Canadian citizen, and taking it is the moment citizenship takes effect. You can swear it or affirm it, in English or in French, and at the ceremony you repeat it after the presiding official. Canada updated the wording in 2021 to add an explicit line recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples. Many people take the oath together at the same ceremony. The current wording, confirmed on IRCC's what to expect at the ceremony page, reads:

You can swear the oath if you want to refer to a religious belief, and you may bring your holy book to the ceremony. You can affirm it if you do not want to refer to a religious belief. After the oath, everyone sings the national anthem, O Canada, and you can sing it in English, in French, or bilingually. Who actually has to recite the oath depends on age.

What happens after a citizenship ceremony in Canada?

After the ceremony you are a Canadian citizen, and you receive your citizenship certificate, which proves your citizenship and shows the date you became a citizen. You can choose a paper certificate or an electronic certificate (e-certificate). With your certificate in hand, you can apply for a Canadian passport and register to vote. You cannot apply for a passport until you have the certificate, and an e-certificate has to be printed first. Keep the certificate safe and do not laminate it, because lamination can damage it and make the barcode unreadable for passport and other government services.

Plan your travel around this timing. Your PR card is destroyed or collected at the ceremony, and the citizenship certificate is not a travel document, so wait for your Canadian passport before you leave the country. IRCC's after the citizenship ceremony page lists every next step, including registering to vote.

How long does a citizenship ceremony take in Canada?

Both virtual and in-person citizenship ceremonies generally last a few hours, so plan to set the time aside. Your invitation gives the arrival time and the expected duration, and you should check it before the day. That window covers registration, the ceremony itself with speeches, the oath taking, congratulations and the national anthem, plus any video presentations and post-ceremony instructions. At a large virtual ceremony with more than 100 candidates, you may wait up to 30 minutes at the start before officials greet you and let you into the ceremony room.

What is the dress code for a citizenship ceremony?

There is no uniform. IRCC asks you to wear business attire that suits the occasion and to behave respectfully. You can also wear traditional, religious or ceremonial clothing, head coverings, and the colours red and white. A medical mask or a face covering is allowed, though officials will ask you to remove a face covering briefly during registration to confirm your identity, and they can do this in a private room if you prefer. At an in-person ceremony, do not wear scented products such as perfume or cologne, because they can affect other people.

Can guests attend an oath ceremony?

Yes. Family and friends can join you. At a virtual ceremony, guests may sit in the same physical room with you to watch, but they must not be disruptive and must not join on a separate device. At an in-person ceremony, whether you can bring guests, and how many, depends on the size of the ceremony and the room setup, so check your invitation for the number. Members of the public and elected officials can also attend most in-person ceremonies to support new citizens.

Can I take the oath of citizenship online?

Yes. IRCC holds many citizenship ceremonies online by video conference, and you take the oath during that virtual ceremony. You join with the link in your invitation, confirm your identity privately, take the oath, and then sign and return the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form. You must sign that form on the day you take the oath, not the day before or after. If you would rather attend in person, you can ask to switch formats once, and IRCC will assign you a new date.

Sources

• Citizenship ceremony overview (IRCC, updated September 11, 2025)
• Citizenship ceremony: ceremony formats (IRCC, updated June 4, 2026)
• Citizenship ceremony: when to go to the ceremony (IRCC, updated June 12, 2026)
• Citizenship ceremony: what to bring to the ceremony (IRCC)
• Citizenship ceremony: what to expect and the Oath of Citizenship (IRCC, updated June 4, 2026)
• Citizenship ceremony: who has to take the oath (IRCC, updated September 11, 2025)
• Citizenship ceremony: after the ceremony (IRCC, updated March 5, 2026)

This article is general information, not legal advice. In Canada, only a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), a Canadian immigration lawyer, or a Quebec notary may be paid to represent you to IRCC. Go Far Global, a Toronto RCIC firm (#R515110), can review your file and answer your questions. Book a consultation with Go Far Global.