Language Test, Police Certificate and Interview: What a Citizenship Application Actually Requires

How to use this checklist

Citizenship and permanent residence are separate immigration statuses. Evidence that supports a permanent-residence application should not automatically be treated as sufficient for a citizenship application. Use the checklist for the specific country and application route, verify every document against the current official page, and do not assume that a checklist item is the only requirement.

Fees, test arrangements, and processing times can change. The figures below reflect the cited official guidance and should be confirmed on the official website before submission or payment.

Canada: language proof for adult citizenship applicants

[ ] Confirm the applicant’s age when signing the application. Language proof under this rule applies if the applicant is between 18 and 54 years old.
[ ] Choose only one accepted language-proof document. The application must include a copy of the selected proof.
[ ] Consider an education-based route if appropriate. Secondary or post-secondary studies completed in English or French, whether in Canada or abroad, can qualify. Acceptable evidence may include a diploma, official transcript, certificate, or report card.
[ ] Check the language of the education documents. If they are not in English or French, include a certified translation, confirmation from the school identifying the language of instruction, and the school’s address and telephone details.
[ ] Check the score for CELPIP-General. For a test taken on or before 2014-03-31, the required result is 2H or higher in both Listening and Speaking. For a test taken on or after 2014-04-01, the required result is 4 or higher in both Listening and Speaking. Expired CELPIP-General results are accepted.
[ ] Check the score for CELPIP-General LS. For a test taken on or before 2014-03-31, the required result is 2H or higher in Listening and Speaking. For a test taken on or after 2014-04-01, the required result is 4 or higher in Listening and Speaking. Expired CELPIP-General LS results are accepted.
[ ] Check the PTE Core score. The required results are at least 28 in Listening and 42 in Speaking.
[ ] Check the IELTS General Training result using the correct date band.
For a test taken on or before 2008-11-27, the required score is 4.0 or higher in Listening and 4.0 or higher in Speaking.
For a test taken on or after 2008-11-28, the required score is 4.5 or higher in Listening and 4.0 or higher in Speaking. Expired IELTS General results are accepted.
[ ] Check the TEF result if using it as French proof.
For a test taken on or before 2012-06-30, the required result is Level 3 or higher in Listening and Speaking.
For a test taken on or after 2012-07-01, the required result is B1 or higher in Listening and Speaking. Expired TEF results are accepted.
[ ] Make every document clear and easy to read. If the information cannot be read, the application may be returned, which can increase processing time.
[ ] Keep permanent residence and citizenship evidence distinct. On the cited Canadian page, the eligibility period for the relevant permanent-resident or travel-document proof route is the 5 years before the application form is signed, and it must include 730 days spent as a permanent resident. That is not a general description of every language-testing route.

Canada: police certificate and translation

[ ] Obtain the correct country-specific police certificate. A police certificate is a statement showing that the person has no criminal record or, if there is a record, providing a copy of it. Immigration uses the document to help identify possible grounds of inadmissibility to Canada.
[ ] Check the document’s local name. Certificate names differ between countries and territories. They may be called a police clearance certificate, good conduct certificate, judicial record extract, or another name.
[ ] Include both required versions of a non-English or non-French certificate. The immigration application must contain:
a copy of the original police certificate; and
a copy in English or French prepared by a certified translator.
[ ] Use the issuing authority for the relevant country. In most cases, the applicant must contact the local police or government authority to request the certificate. The authority may ask for personal information or supporting documents.
[ ] Do not assume that one valid certificate closes the issue. Canadian guidance states that a police certificate may be requested at any point during processing, even if a valid certificate has already been submitted. Check the linked country-specific instructions and the official “when” guidance before filing, and be prepared to provide another requested certificate.
[ ] Do not confuse a police certificate with language proof or permanent residence. Each answers a different question: the accepted language document addresses language knowledge, the police certificate addresses criminal-record and inadmissibility checks, and permanent residence remains a status distinct from citizenship.

United Kingdom: English evidence and the Life in the UK test

[ ] Identify the correct UK application. English-language guidance may apply to an applicant who is 18 or over and applying either for citizenship or to settle in the UK. Those are separate decisions, so confirm which evidence belongs to the application being submitted.
[ ] Check whether an English qualification is required. The applicant might need to prove English knowledge if they are 18 or over. One accepted route is an English qualification at B1, B2, C1, or C2 level. Another is a degree taught or researched in English.
[ ] Check whether an exemption applies. The official guidance states that English knowledge does not have to be proved in certain circumstances.
[ ] Verify the qualification before submitting it. The wrong qualification can cause the citizenship or settlement application to be refused. Do not assume that an English qualification below the stated level, or an unrelated qualification, will satisfy the route.
[ ] Confirm the Life in the UK requirement. The citizenship eligibility checklist requires the applicant to have passed the Life in the UK test.
[ ] Check the other citizenship conditions shown in the official eligibility table. The applicant must be over 18, prove residence in the UK for exactly 5 years before the day the Home Office receives the application, prove knowledge of English, Welsh, or Scottish Gaelic, intend to continue living in the UK, and be of good character.
[ ] Allow for the stated UK charges. The cited total is £1,839: £1,709 to apply and a £130 citizenship ceremony fee.
[ ] Allow for the stated decision period. A decision is usually issued within 6 months, although a faster decision may be available for an additional payment.
[ ] Complete biometrics when instructed. Fingerprints and a photograph are required for the relevant application process, and the official page states that there is no fee for this step. Instructions are provided after the application is submitted.
[ ] Check current fees and timing before committing to a plan. The Home Office states that a faster decision may cost extra. Both charges and processing times can change, so the official fee and decision guidance should control.

Australia: citizenship test and interview

[ ] Confirm that the application is for Australian citizenship by conferral. The Australian citizenship test forms part of the application process for most applicants using this route.
[ ] Check the age requirement. Most applicants between 18 and 59 years of age will need to take the Australian citizenship test.
[ ] Prepare for the exact test standard. The test contains 20 multiple-choice questions. To pass, the applicant must achieve an overall result of at least 15/20, equivalent to 75%.
[ ] Allow for the stated test duration. The test must be completed within 45 minutes.
[ ] Include the test in the application-fee budget. There is no extra cost to sit the citizenship test because it is already included in the citizenship application fee.
[ ] Read the appointment instructions carefully. Most applicants aged between 18 and 59 will have an appointment to sit the citizenship test, while others may have only an interview. This should not be read as a statement that every applicant has the same appointment format.
[ ] Use official preparation material. The Department of Home Affairs points to Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, which is available in 40 community languages.
[ ] Evaluate private preparation claims carefully. The Department does not endorse or recommend external courses, including paid external apps, that claim to help applicants prepare for the citizenship test.

Final document check before filing

[ ] Match the application route with the correct country’s citizenship requirements.
[ ] Use the applicant’s exact age and test date to select the correct language-score band.
[ ] Include every component required for the chosen proof, especially certified translations where requested.
[ ] Keep the citizenship application distinct from any permanent-residence application.
[ ] Check whether a police certificate is needed and retain the required original-language and certified-translation versions.
[ ] Recheck official test, appointment, fee, and processing information immediately before filing, because fees and durations may change and the latest official guidance should be used.

Sources

All requirements, scores, fees and durations below were taken from these official pages. Fees and processing times change, so recheck each page before you file.