I recently received two questions about my still relatively new Canadian citizenship. One reader asked me if there were any drawbacks to applying for Canadian citizenship and another asked me why I decided to become Canadian. Since applying for Canadian citizenship is usually the ultimate goal for most permanent residents, I’m going to try to answer both questions.
On March 4th, I went to accomplish my duty as a new Canadian citizen: I voted for the first time in Canada at the provincial bylection in Ottawa West-Nepean.I drove to the polling station slightly honored I could now vote. I know, I’m weird.
By comparison, voting in France is more ceremonious. I received my carte d’électeur when I turned 18 and I couldn’t wait to use it.
Two weeks ago, I completed what I hope is my last paperworks for a while. But it was worth it: today, I picked my Canadian passport up!
Applying for a Canadian passport is not that easy though: references, guarantors… what is that??
As of this morning, 12:30…I am Canadian!
We arrived at the Sciences and Technology museum around 11:00 am. It didn’t start very well: it was raining and there had been a power outage and we queued in the dark. Have you ever tried to sign a bunch of papers with the help of a flashlight? Not my best signature, I’d bet.
I knew this envelope, with the little Canadian flag on it: it had brought me good news and bad news over the last five years. I was usually in a hurry to ripe it open, to read the letter inside. But this time, I paused.
So here I was, this morning, trying to remember which province joined the Confederation last (in case you want to know, it’s Newfoundland in 1949).
I Have just received the precious letter from Citizenship and Immigration: on June 11th, I’m invited to write my citizenship test.
The city hasn’t changed… I guess it never really does. It’s both comfortable and slightly disturbing to slip into our old lives, like nothing happened.
I’m applying for Canadian citizenship. Finally. I meet all the requirements: I have been in Canada for a minimum of two years and I lived there for at least 1,095 days for the last three years. I haven’t been charged or convicted of anything. I speak French and English. I’m that close to be Canadian… minus the one-year citizenship application’s processing time.