Do You Need to Give Up Your Current Citizenship to Become a Canadian Citizen?

If you're thinking about becoming a Canadian citizen, you may be wondering whether you'll have to renounce your current citizenship. The answer depends on the rules of your home country.

Canada does allow dual citizenship. This means that once you become a Canadian citizen, you may be able to keep your original citizenship. However, whether you can hold both depends on your other country’s laws.

Dual Citizenship Rules by Country

Some countries fully allow dual citizenship. Others allow it only under certain conditions, and a few don’t allow it at all. Below is a summary of how some of the top source countries for new Canadian citizens handle dual citizenship:

What If Your Country Does Not Allow Dual Citizenship?

If your home country does not permit dual citizenship, you may automatically lose your original citizenship when you become a Canadian. In some cases, you may be required to officially renounce it. This is especially important if your home country treats this as a legal or criminal issue.

A Closer Look at Key Countries

India

India does not allow dual citizenship. If you become a Canadian citizen, you must give up your Indian passport and citizenship. However, you may be eligible to apply for an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, which grants lifelong visa and other benefits.

Philippines

The Philippines allows dual citizenship in some situations—such as if you are married to a Filipino, born to Filipino parents, or born in the Philippines but later acquired another nationality.

China

China does not allow dual nationality. If you become a Canadian citizen, you automatically lose your Chinese citizenship. Chinese-Canadians are advised to travel with a Canadian passport and avoid using Chinese identity documents while in China.

Nigeria

You can keep Nigerian citizenship if you got it by birth or descent. But if you were naturalized as a Nigerian citizen, you must renounce it to become Canadian.

Pakistan

Pakistan allows dual citizenship with certain countries, including Canada. Pakistani citizens can keep their citizenship after becoming Canadian.

Iran

Iran does not recognize dual citizenship. If you are Iranian-Canadian, Iran may still treat you as only Iranian. You will need to enter and exit Iran using your Iranian passport and may face limits on Canadian consular help.

United States

The U.S. allows dual citizenship. You can become Canadian without giving up your U.S. citizenship. However, U.S. citizens must use their U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.

Brazil

Brazil recognizes dual citizenship and does not require renouncing your Brazilian nationality. However, Canadian consular services may be limited while you are in Brazil.

France

France fully supports dual citizenship. You don’t need to give up your French nationality when you become Canadian.

Syria

Syria allows dual citizenship, but Syrian law treats you as a Syrian citizen first. This can affect legal matters and how Syrian authorities deal with you.

How to Become a Canadian Citizen

If you were not born in Canada or don’t have Canadian citizenship by descent, you can still become a citizen through naturalization. To qualify, you must:

• Be a permanent resident of Canada
• Have lived in Canada for at least 1,095 days (about 3 years) in the last 5 years
• Have filed taxes (if required) in those years
• Pass a citizenship test (if you are between 18 and 54)
• Show language ability in English or French at a basic level (CLB 4 or higher)

Minors under 18 do not need to meet the residency or test requirements.

The Canadian citizenship test has 20 multiple-choice or true/false questions and can be taken in English or French.

If approved, you’ll attend a citizenship ceremony—either in person or online—and take the oath of citizenship. Children under 14 are not required to take the oath.

Currently, the application processing time is about 10 months, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).