Canadian citizenship fees jump to highest level in nearly a decade
On This Page You Will Find:
- The exact breakdown of new citizenship application costs that caught thousands off guard
- How March 2025's "quiet" fee increase impacts your family's budget
- What happens if you already submitted your application with the old fees
- Smart timing strategies to minimize costs for families applying together
- Processing timeline updates that could affect your citizenship journey
Summary:
Canadian citizenship just became more expensive overnight. The federal government quietly raised the "right of citizenship" fee from $100 to $119.75 on March 31, 2025—the first increase in nearly a decade. Adult applicants now face a total cost of $649.75, up from $630. If you've already submitted your application but paid the old amount, IRCC will demand the $19.75 difference for each adult family member. With processing times averaging eight months, understanding these new costs is crucial for the estimated 85,000 people who apply for Canadian citizenship annually.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
- Adult citizenship applications now cost $649.75 total (up $19.75 from previous fees)
- Children under 18 still pay only $100 with no fee increase
- Applications submitted before March 31, 2025 with old fees require additional $19.75 payment
- Processing times remain at approximately 8 months despite fee increases
- This marks the first citizenship fee hike in nearly a decade
Maria Santos thought she had budgeted perfectly for her family's citizenship applications. She'd saved $1,360 to cover herself and her teenage daughter's fees, based on the government's published rates. Then came the March 31st surprise—a quiet fee increase that would cost her an extra $19.75, and potentially much more for other families with multiple adult applicants.
If you're planning to apply for Canadian citizenship in 2026, you're facing the highest fees in nearly a decade. The federal government's recent price hike affects every adult applicant, creating budget surprises for families who thought they had their finances sorted.
Understanding the New Fee Structure
The total cost for adult citizenship applications has jumped to $649.75, representing a modest but meaningful increase that reflects the government's ongoing effort to align fees with actual program costs.
Complete Breakdown for Adults (18 and Older)
Your citizenship application now requires two separate payments:
Processing Fee: $530 (unchanged) This covers the administrative costs of reviewing your application, conducting background checks, and processing your paperwork through the system.
Right of Citizenship Fee: $119.75 (increased from $100) This fee, paid upon approval, grants you the legal right to become a Canadian citizen. Think of it as the final step that improve your application from "pending" to "approved."
The combined total of $649.75 makes Canada's citizenship process one of the more expensive among developed nations, though still significantly less than countries like the United States, where naturalization costs over $700 USD.
Children Get a Break
If you're applying as a family, there's good news for your younger children. Kids under 18 face a much simpler fee structure:
- Total cost for minors: $100
- No right of citizenship fee required
- No recent increases applied to children's applications
This means a family with two parents and two young children would pay $1,399.50 total ($649.75 × 2 adults + $100 × 2 children), compared to $1,360 under the previous fee structure.
The March 31st Surprise: What You Need to Know
The timing of this fee increase caught many applicants off guard. Unlike major policy changes that typically receive months of advance notice, this price adjustment was implemented with minimal fanfare.
If You Already Applied
Here's where it gets complicated. If you submitted your citizenship application before March 31, 2025, but paid the previous fee amount, you're not off the hook:
IRCC will contact you directly requesting the additional $19.75 for each adult applicant in your family. This isn't optional—your application won't proceed until you pay the difference.
Timeline implications: This additional payment request can add 2-4 weeks to your processing time while IRCC waits for your payment and updates your file.
Family impact: For families with multiple adult applicants (such as spouses who both applied), this means multiplying the $19.75 by each adult applicant.
Why the Increase Happened Now
IRCC adjusts fees periodically to ensure they cover the actual costs of delivering citizenship services. After nearly a decade without increases, the department cited rising administrative costs, enhanced security screening procedures, and the need to maintain processing capacity as justifications for the adjustment.
The increase also reflects inflation's impact on government operations. What cost $100 in 2015 would require approximately $120 in today's dollars to maintain the same purchasing power.
Processing Times and What They Mean for Your Budget
Despite the fee increase, processing times remain unchanged at approximately eight months for most applications. This timeline starts from when IRCC receives your complete application and all required documents.
What Happens During Those Eight Months
Understanding the citizenship process helps justify the costs you're paying:
- Initial Review (Months 1-2): IRCC staff verify your documents, check for completeness, and begin background verification
- Background Checks (Months 2-5): Security screening through multiple government databases and international partners
- Citizenship Test Scheduling (Months 4-6): Preparation and scheduling of your knowledge test
- Final Review (Months 6-8): Assessment of test results and final eligibility determination
Each step involves multiple government departments and significant administrative overhead, which helps explain the substantial processing fees.
Smart Strategies for Managing Citizenship Costs
Family Application Timing
If you have teenagers approaching their 18th birthday, timing becomes crucial. Children who turn 18 during the application process may need to pay adult fees, depending on their age when the application is submitted.
Pro tip: Submit applications for 17-year-olds as soon as they're eligible, even if parents aren't ready to apply yet. The $549.75 savings ($649.75 adult fee minus $100 child fee) easily justifies separate applications.
Budget Planning for Families
For families planning multiple applications, consider these total costs:
- Two adults, no children: $1,299.50
- Two adults, one child: $1,399.50
- Two adults, two children: $1,499.50
- Single parent, two children: $849.75
Payment Method Considerations
All fees must be paid online through IRCC's official payment portal. The system accepts major credit cards and debit cards, but doesn't offer payment plans or installment options.
Financial planning tip: Since you can't pay in installments, ensure you have the full amount available before starting your application. Incomplete payments will delay processing.
Comparing International Citizenship Costs
Canada's new fees, while higher than before, remain competitive internationally:
- United States: $725 USD (approximately $980 CAD)
- Australia: $490 AUD (approximately $440 CAD)
- United Kingdom: £1,580 (approximately $2,700 CAD)
- New Zealand: $470 NZD (approximately $400 CAD)
Canada's fees fall in the middle range, more expensive than Australia and New Zealand, but significantly less than the UK's premium pricing.
What These Changes Signal for Future Applicants
This fee increase likely represents the government's ongoing effort to make immigration and citizenship programs more self-funding. Rather than relying heavily on taxpayer subsidies, IRCC is shifting costs directly to program users.
Expect More Adjustments
Given that this marks the first increase in nearly a decade, future adjustments will likely occur more regularly—perhaps every 3-5 years—to keep pace with inflation and program costs.
Service Quality Implications
The additional revenue should theoretically improve service delivery, though IRCC hasn't announced specific service enhancements tied to the fee increase. Applicants should monitor whether processing times improve or additional services become available.
Preparing for Your Application
Beyond the financial costs, successful citizenship applications require significant time investment and documentation preparation. The fees you're paying cover processing, but much of the work falls on applicants.
Essential Preparation Steps
- Document gathering: Collect tax returns, language test results, and travel history
- Residency calculation: Ensure you meet the physical presence requirements
- Test preparation: Study for the citizenship knowledge test
- Timeline planning: Factor in the eight-month processing period
Hidden Costs to Consider
While the application fees are now clear, don't forget these additional expenses:
- Language testing: $280-$400 if required
- Document translation: $50-$200 per document
- Passport photos: $15-$30
- Postage and courier fees: $20-$50
Looking Ahead: Your Citizenship Journey
The fee increase, while unwelcome, shouldn't deter qualified applicants from pursuing Canadian citizenship. The benefits—including voting rights, passport privileges, and permanent security in Canada—far outweigh the costs for most applicants.
Your $649.75 investment (or $100 for children) represents the final financial hurdle in your immigration journey. After years of temporary permits, work visas, and permanent residence fees, citizenship represents both an ending and a beginning.
The key is planning ahead, budgeting appropriately, and understanding that these fees support a system processing thousands of applications monthly. While nobody enjoys paying more, the alternative—longer processing times due to underfunded operations—would cost applicants far more in delayed benefits and extended uncertainty.
As you prepare your application, focus on what you can control: gathering complete documentation, meeting all requirements, and submitting your application as soon as you're eligible. The fees are now a known quantity, and with proper planning, they shouldn't prevent you from achieving your goal of Canadian citizenship.
FAQ
Q: How much does Canadian citizenship cost now after the March 2025 fee increase?
Adult Canadian citizenship applications now cost $649.75 total, representing a $19.75 increase from the previous $630. This breaks down into two separate payments: a $530 processing fee (unchanged) that covers administrative costs, background checks, and application review, plus a $119.75 "right of citizenship" fee (increased from $100) paid upon approval. Children under 18 still pay only $100 with no fee increase applied. For families, this means a household with two adults and two children would pay $1,399.50 total. The increase marks the first citizenship fee hike in nearly a decade and reflects rising administrative costs and inflation. While higher than before, Canada's fees remain competitive internationally—significantly less expensive than the UK's $2,700 CAD equivalent but more than Australia's $440 CAD fees.
Q: What happens if I already submitted my citizenship application before March 31, 2025?
If you submitted your citizenship application before March 31, 2025, but paid the old fee amount, you're still required to pay the difference. IRCC will contact you directly requesting an additional $19.75 for each adult applicant in your family—this payment isn't optional, and your application won't proceed until you pay. This process typically adds 2-4 weeks to your processing time while IRCC waits for payment and updates your file. For families with multiple adult applicants, you'll need to multiply the $19.75 by each adult. The system accepts major credit cards and debit cards through IRCC's official payment portal, but doesn't offer payment plans. To avoid further delays, respond promptly when IRCC requests the additional payment, as your 8-month processing timeline effectively pauses until they receive the outstanding amount.
Q: How do the new citizenship fees compare to other countries, and are they justified?
Canada's new $649.75 citizenship fee positions it in the middle range internationally. The United States charges approximately $980 CAD, the United Kingdom costs around $2,700 CAD, while Australia and New Zealand charge roughly $440 CAD and $400 CAD respectively. IRCC justifies the increase by citing rising administrative costs, enhanced security screening procedures, and the need to maintain processing capacity after nearly a decade without adjustments. The fees now better reflect inflation's impact—what cost $100 in 2015 requires approximately $120 today. Your payment covers extensive services including document verification, multi-database security screening involving international partners, citizenship test administration, and final eligibility assessment across multiple government departments. The 8-month processing timeline involves significant administrative overhead, and the fee increase represents the government's shift toward making citizenship programs more self-funding rather than taxpayer-subsidized.
Q: What smart strategies can families use to minimize citizenship application costs?
Timing is crucial for families, especially those with teenagers approaching 18. Children who turn 18 during the application process may need to pay adult fees, so submit applications for 17-year-olds immediately when eligible—the $549.75 savings ($649.75 adult fee minus $100 child fee) easily justifies separate applications even if parents aren't ready. For budget planning, consider total family costs: two adults cost $1,299.50, while adding children costs only $100 each. Since IRCC doesn't offer payment plans, ensure you have the full amount available before starting—incomplete payments delay processing. Consider applying for children first if budget is tight, as their lower fees and faster processing can provide citizenship security while parents save for their applications. Document all family members simultaneously to avoid duplicate translation and preparation costs, even if submitting applications separately for strategic timing reasons.
Q: How long does citizenship processing take, and what happens during those 8 months?
Canadian citizenship processing averages 8 months from when IRCC receives your complete application, and this timeline remains unchanged despite fee increases. The process involves four key phases: Initial Review (months 1-2) where staff verify documents and check completeness; Background Checks (months 2-5) involving security screening through multiple government databases and international partners; Citizenship Test Scheduling (months 4-6) for test preparation and administration; and Final Review (months 6-8) for test result assessment and final eligibility determination. Each step requires coordination between multiple government departments, explaining the substantial processing fees. If you're contacted for additional fee payments, expect 2-4 weeks added to your timeline. The $649.75 you're paying supports this comprehensive system processing approximately 85,000 applications annually. While 8 months seems lengthy, this timeline includes thorough security verification and ensures only qualified applicants receive citizenship.
Q: What additional costs should I budget for beyond the basic citizenship application fees?
Beyond the $649.75 citizenship fee, budget for several additional expenses that can significantly impact your total costs. Language testing ranges from $280-$400 if you need to prove English or French proficiency and don't have acceptable existing credentials. Document translation costs $50-$200 per document for any foreign-language certificates, with sworn translations required for official documents. Professional passport photos cost $15-$30, and you'll need multiple copies for your application. Postage and courier fees for secure document submission range from $20-$50. If you need legal assistance or immigration consultant services, expect $500-$2,000 additional. Some applicants also invest in citizenship test preparation materials ($30-$100) or courses ($200-$500). For families with multiple applicants, these costs multiply quickly. Plan for a total budget of $800-$1,200 per adult applicant when including all associated expenses, ensuring you're financially prepared for the complete citizenship journey.
Q: Will citizenship fees continue increasing, and what does this mean for future applicants?
This March 2025 increase likely signals a shift toward more regular fee adjustments after nearly a decade of unchanged pricing. Expect future increases every 3-5 years to keep pace with inflation and program costs, as IRCC moves toward making immigration programs more self-funding rather than taxpayer-subsidized. The $19.75 increase represents approximately 3% growth, suggesting future adjustments may follow similar modest increments rather than dramatic jumps. However, if you're eligible now, don't delay your application hoping for fee reductions—citizenship costs historically only increase over time. The additional revenue should theoretically improve service delivery, though IRCC hasn't announced specific service enhancements tied to this increase. Monitor whether processing times improve or new services become available. For prospective applicants, start saving early and apply as soon as you meet eligibility requirements. The long-term benefits of Canadian citizenship—voting rights, passport privileges, and permanent security—far outweigh the costs for most applicants.
