Most articles about the Canadian citizenship oath ceremony tell you the rules — what to wear, who can attend, when to log in. They don't tell you what it's actually like. The seconds before the official asks you to raise your right hand. The pause between the English and French versions of the oath. The strange feeling of becoming a Canadian on a Tuesday morning before lunch.
This article is a first-person account from a couple who experienced both ceremony formats. My husband took the online oath in 2023. I took the in-person oath in 2024. The procedural details are sourced from IRCC; the experiential details are ours.
Studying for the test, not the ceremony? See our complete study plan.
Already a citizen and want your Canadian passport next? See our first Canadian passport guide for new citizens.
Quick Answer
Canadian citizenship oath ceremonies happen in two formats — online (a video call IRCC schedules with you) or in-person (at a Service Canada or IRCC office near you). Both formats have been operating since 2020/2022 respectively, and both end the same way: you take the Oath of Citizenship, and you're legally Canadian.
The differences worth knowing:
- Online: faster to schedule, takes ~30 minutes, certificate arrives in the mail a few weeks later. Family can be in the room with you on your end of the call.
- In-person: takes about an hour, more ceremonial, certificate handed to you the same day. You're there with other new citizens; family is welcome.
You don't always get to choose. IRCC offers what's available based on your location and queue — but you can sometimes request a format if you have a strong preference. (Source: canada.ca citizenship ceremony page.)
You Choose (Or IRCC Chooses)
When IRCC sends your ceremony invitation through your account, they'll either schedule you for a specific format or offer you options. We've heard accounts of both. If you have a strong preference and your invitation gives you flexibility, reply through your IRCC account quickly — slots fill up.
If you're assigned a format that doesn't work for you, you can request to reschedule. The most common reason for requesting in-person specifically is that you want the ceremonial moment with family present in the room. The most common reason for requesting online is scheduling — same-day in-person attendance can be hard if you have to travel.
Neither format is "more legitimate" than the other. The Oath of Citizenship is the Oath of Citizenship; the words are the same in both formats and you become a citizen the moment you take it. (See the full text of the Oath.)
Online Oath: My Husband's Experience (2023)
My husband took the online oath on a weekday morning in 2023. He'd received his invitation in his IRCC account about three weeks before the date. The invitation included a link to download an Oath of Affirmation form, the date and time of the ceremony, a Zoom link, and instructions for what to have ready.
The setup. He logged in fifteen minutes early from our home office. The official conducting the ceremony was already there, along with about a dozen other applicants — small grid of faces on his screen, each one in their own home in their own version of "Tuesday morning, becoming a Canadian." The official greeted everyone and ran through the agenda: a brief welcome, identity verification, the oath, signing the affirmation form, cutting the PR card, and a few closing words.
Identity verification. Each applicant was asked to hold up their permanent resident card and a piece of photo ID to the camera. The official compared the photos to the live faces on screen. The whole thing took about two minutes per person.
The oath itself. When his turn came, he raised his right hand — even though no one explicitly said to, it just felt right — and read the Oath of Citizenship aloud, first in English, then a French version is offered too. The official confirmed that he had taken the oath. That was the moment. He was Canadian.
Signing the affirmation form. Right after the oath, IRCC's process required him to sign the Oath of Affirmation form (a paper form he'd printed from the invitation), date it, and email a scan back to the address provided in the invitation. This is the official record of his oath-taking — without it, the ceremony isn't documented as complete.
Cutting the PR card. Toward the end of the ceremony, the official asked everyone to cut their permanent resident card on camera — typically into pieces. (Bring scissors. The PR card no longer represents your status; you're a citizen now.) It's a small ritual, but a memorable one — the visible end of one chapter and the start of another.
The closing. The official said a few words about what citizenship means, the official portrait of King Charles III appeared on the shared screen, everyone sang "O Canada" (with various levels of confidence — most people muted themselves, which was a kindness to all of us), and that was it. The whole thing took just over half an hour.
Family in the room. I was in the room with him during the ceremony, off-camera. The official didn't mind. We had a quiet moment after the call ended, made coffee, and he went to work.
The certificate. It arrived in the mail about three weeks later — a paper certificate in a sturdy envelope. He photographed it the day it arrived (good idea, in case it ever goes missing), then put the original somewhere safe.
The ceremony was efficient, friendly, and completely undramatic in the best way. There's a strange flatness to becoming a citizen on a video call — no music, no rising to your feet, no group of strangers becoming Canadians together in a room. But the legal moment is the same, and the convenience is real.
In-Person Oath: My Experience (2024)
I took the in-person oath about a year and a half later, in 2024. By then, in-person ceremonies had fully resumed, and IRCC scheduled mine at a Service Canada office about a half hour from home.
The invitation. Like my husband's, mine arrived through my IRCC account a few weeks before the date. The invitation specified the time (mid-morning), the office location, what to bring (my PR card, photo ID, a printed copy of the invitation), and what to expect. It also said family was welcome.
Arriving. I arrived about thirty minutes early. There was a small line outside the ceremony room — other new-citizens-to-be, most of them with family. The room held maybe forty of us applicants and easily that many guests. There were Canadian flags on the walls, a portrait of the King, rows of chairs facing a small podium, and a single official Canadian flag at the front. Quiet music playing.
Identity verification. A Service Canada agent checked each of us in at the door — PR card, photo ID, invitation. They marked off our names and showed us where to sit. By the time the ceremony started, the room was full.
The ceremony. A presiding official — in our case a citizenship judge — stood at the podium and welcomed everyone. There was a brief speech about Canada, citizenship, and the rights and responsibilities we were about to accept. Then we all stood, raised our right hands, and recited the Oath of Citizenship together — first the English version, then the French version. The room was full of voices in slightly different rhythms, some confident, some careful. When we sat back down, we were citizens.
Signing the oath form. The official affirmed that we had taken the oath. We were called up one at a time, by name, to sign the Oath of Affirmation form and receive our citizenship certificates from the official's hand. This is the moment most people remember — handshake, certificate, photograph. Family in the audience often stands and claps.
Singing "O Canada." Together, in person, off-key in the best way. The English and French verses both. Some people sang both, some only one, but everyone sang.
Photos. After the formal ceremony ended, the official stayed to take individual photos with new citizens at the podium. There was no rush — we waited maybe fifteen minutes for our turn. My husband took the photos for me; if you don't have someone with you, the staff or your fellow new citizens are happy to help.
Total time. About an hour from sit-down to walking out with the certificate.
Leaving. I walked out of that office a Canadian citizen, with the certificate already in my hand. There's something about that — about the certificate being yours, today, not three weeks from now in the mail — that the online format can't replicate. We went out for lunch.
Side-by-Side Comparison
The procedural details are the same, but the texture of the experience is different.
| Online Oath | In-Person Oath | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | ~30 minutes | ~60 minutes |
| Where | Your home (or wherever has good wifi and a quiet room) | A Service Canada / IRCC office |
| Identity verification | PR card + photo ID held up to camera | PR card + photo ID + invitation, in person at the door |
| Number of new citizens | Anywhere from a small group to 100+ applicants on the call | Anywhere from 20 to 100+ in the room |
| Family attendance | Off-camera in your room | In the audience |
| Certificate | Mailed a few weeks after | Handed to you the same day |
| Affirmation form | You sign it after, scan, email back | Signed at the ceremony, handed back |
| Photo opportunity | Screenshots only | Group + individual photos with the official |
| "Becoming Canadian" feel | Functional and efficient | Ceremonial and shared |
| Best if | Schedule constraints, distance from a passport-services office, you want it done quickly | You want the moment, you want family present in the room, you have time to attend |
Neither is "better." They're different versions of the same legal step.
What to Wear
Both formats: smart-casual to business-casual is the standard. Many in-person attendees go full formal — suits, dresses, sometimes traditional clothing from their country of origin. There's no dress code, but the room is photographed and most people dress for the occasion.
For online ceremonies, what matters is what shows on camera — clean shirt or top, neat hair, a clean wall or backdrop behind you. We've heard of people wearing pyjama bottoms below the camera frame. Tactically reasonable; emotionally a little anticlimactic.
If you're attending in person, plan for the photo. You'll have one of those photos for the rest of your life.
Can Family Attend?
In person: yes, family is welcome and often expected. Children, parents, friends — all welcome in the audience. Some offices ask you to indicate the number of guests when you confirm the ceremony date, others just have a fixed-capacity room. Check your invitation.
Online: family can be in the room with you on your end of the camera, but they should stay off-camera unless invited to appear (e.g., during the closing). The official is leading the ceremony for everyone on the call, not just you, so a family member appearing on camera and waving is a small breach of decorum that won't disqualify you but might raise an eyebrow.
For both formats, dual-citizenship-holding family who are already Canadian citizens are welcome to attend. There's no rule against it.
What Comes in the Mail After
Both formats lead to the same final document — the citizenship certificate — but the timing differs.
In person: certificate handed to you at the ceremony, the same day. You walk out a citizen, with the document.
Online: paper certificate mailed to your address on file, typically arriving 2–4 weeks after IRCC receives your signed Oath of Affirmation form. IRCC also offers an electronic certificate (e-certificate) that appears in your IRCC Portal account within about 5 business days of receiving your signed form — useful if you need proof of citizenship sooner (e.g., for a passport application). If your mailing address changed between application and ceremony, log into your IRCC account immediately to update it; certificates sent to old addresses are a major source of delay.
The certificate itself is not a travel document. To travel as a Canadian, you need a Canadian passport. The certificate is your proof of citizenship for applying for the passport — see our first Canadian passport guide for that next step.
Common Worries
"What if my internet drops during the online ceremony?"
Test your connection the day before — log into the meeting link if it's available, check audio, check video. Use ethernet if you have it. If your connection drops mid-ceremony, the official will pause; you'll be reconnected. If you can't get back in, IRCC reschedules. They've done this thousands of times.
"What if I forget the words to the oath?"
You read the oath from your screen (online) or from the program (in person). It's not a memorization test. The pace is set by the official — you follow.
"What if I miss my ceremony date?"
You can reschedule through your IRCC account. Don't ignore the date — missing without notification can delay you significantly. If something urgent comes up, message IRCC immediately.
"Can I take the oath in French if my English is better — or vice versa?"
You repeat the oath after the official in either language; in most ceremonies, both English and French are recited by everyone present. You don't need to choose one or the other.
"Do I have to swear to King Charles III? I'd rather not."
The Oath of Citizenship includes loyalty to the King of Canada (currently Charles III). For most people this is a formal point and not a personal one. If you have a serious religious or conscientious objection to the wording, look into the option to affirm rather than swear — the words are the same, but "swear" is replaced by "solemnly affirm." Your invitation will explain how to indicate this preference.
"What if I cry?"
Most people don't, some people do, and either is fine. The officials are gentle people. They've seen everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I choose between an online and in-person citizenship oath ceremony?
Sometimes. IRCC schedules ceremonies based on availability and your location. If your invitation gives you a choice, respond quickly. If you have a strong preference and your assigned format doesn't work for you, you can request to reschedule into the other format — but availability is not guaranteed.
How long does the citizenship oath ceremony take?
Online ceremonies typically take about 30 minutes. In-person ceremonies typically take about an hour. Both include time for identity verification, the oath itself, the singing of "O Canada," and (for in-person) handing out certificates.
What do I need to bring to my citizenship ceremony?
For both formats: your permanent resident card, a piece of photo ID, and your printed ceremony invitation. For in-person ceremonies, also bring any pieces of ID listed in your invitation. Your full requirements are listed in your invitation — read it carefully.
Can my family attend my citizenship oath ceremony?
For in-person ceremonies: yes, family is welcome in the audience. For online ceremonies: family can be in the room with you on your end of the camera, but should stay off-camera during the formal portions of the ceremony.
Do I get my Canadian citizenship certificate the same day?
For in-person ceremonies: yes, in most cases the certificate is handed to you at the ceremony. For online ceremonies: the paper certificate is mailed to your address and typically arrives 2–4 weeks after IRCC receives your signed Oath of Affirmation form. IRCC also offers an electronic certificate (e-certificate) that appears in your IRCC Portal account within about 5 business days of receiving the signed form.
When does my Canadian citizenship officially begin — at the test or at the oath?
At the oath. Passing the citizenship test is one step in your application; citizenship is granted at the moment you take the Oath of Citizenship at your ceremony.
Do I need to sing "O Canada" at the ceremony?
Most ceremonies include the national anthem, both formats. Singing along is encouraged but not strictly required. You can mouth the words or stay quiet — the legal moment is the oath, not the anthem.
Can I take photos at my citizenship ceremony?
For in-person ceremonies: yes, family in the audience often takes photos, and there's typically a designated photo opportunity at the end with the official. For online ceremonies: screenshots are at your discretion (you're at home), but recording the official portion of the ceremony is generally not allowed.
What if I miss my scheduled oath ceremony?
Contact IRCC through your account immediately. Missing a ceremony without notification can significantly delay your application. Rescheduling for a legitimate reason (illness, family emergency) is generally accommodated, but you may wait weeks for the next available slot.
What's the difference between swearing and affirming the oath?
Swearing the oath uses the word "swear" and traditionally a religious framing; affirming the oath uses the words "solemnly affirm." Both have identical legal effect. If you have a religious or conscientious objection to swearing, you can affirm — note this in advance through your IRCC account or in your ceremony invitation response.
If you haven't taken the test yet, see our complete study plan. Already a citizen with your certificate in hand? Your next step is the first Canadian passport guide for new citizens.