The government fee for a Canadian citizenship certificate application (CIT 0001) is $75 CAD. IRCC accepts payment online only. No cheques. No money orders. No bank drafts. No cash.
If you include payment in any other form, or forget to include the printed receipt, your entire application will be returned unprocessed. Here is exactly how to pay and what to do with the receipt.
Step 1: Go to IRCC's Fee Payment Page
Navigate to IRCC's online services portal and locate the fee payment section for "proof of citizenship" or "citizenship certificate." The URL is on the official canada.ca domain. Do not pay through any third-party site.
You do not need an IRCC account to pay the fee. You will enter your personal information directly on the payment page.
Step 2: Select the Right Fee Category
The fee page lists multiple citizenship-related services. Select "Proof of citizenship (certificate) - adult" if you are 18 or older. If you are applying for a minor under 18, select the minor category.
The fee is the same $75 CAD in both cases. Do not select "citizenship grant" (the fee for people who were not already citizens and are going through the naturalization process) or any other category.
Step 3: Enter Your Information
You will be asked for:
- Your full legal name (as it will appear on the application)
- Date of birth
- Contact email address
Use the same name and date of birth you will use on your CIT 0001 form. These fields are linked to your receipt, which IRCC uses to match your payment to your application.
Step 4: Pay by Credit or Debit Card
IRCC accepts Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. The charge will appear in Canadian dollars on your statement. If you are paying from a US bank account, your card issuer will convert the $75 CAD to USD at the prevailing exchange rate.
There is no additional processing fee charged by IRCC.
Step 5: Print Your Receipt
After successful payment, IRCC generates a receipt with a unique transaction number and a barcode. Print this receipt immediately. You cannot regenerate it later from IRCC's portal if you lose it.
Print on standard 8.5 x 11 paper. The barcode must be legible. Do not print at reduced size. If the barcode is too small to scan, your application may be flagged.
Save a digital copy of the receipt (screenshot or PDF) as a backup before printing.
Step 6: Include the Receipt in Your Application Package
The printed receipt goes inside the envelope with your CIT 0001 form and supporting documents. Place it on top of the form so it is the first thing the intake officer sees.
A common mistake: applicants pay online, think they are done, and mail the form without the receipt. IRCC needs the physical printed receipt in the package to verify payment. An online transaction alone is not enough.
Paying for Multiple Applicants
Each applicant needs a separate $75 CAD payment and a separate receipt. If you are submitting for yourself and two children at the same time, you make three separate payments and include three separate receipts, one in each application package.
You can submit multiple applications in one envelope, but each must have its own complete document set including its own payment receipt.
If You Paid Incorrectly
If you accidentally paid the wrong fee amount or selected the wrong fee category, contact IRCC before mailing. IRCC may issue a refund or allow you to pay the correct amount. Do not mail the application with an incorrect payment, as the application will be returned.
After You Pay
Once you have your printed receipt, you are ready to assemble and mail your application. Review the full CIT 0001 step-by-step guide for a complete checklist of everything that needs to go in the envelope.
Current processing time after IRCC receives your application is approximately 11 months. See what happens after you submit for the complete timeline.