Minor grant (s.5(2))

CA-NAT-02 is the minor grant of Canadian citizenship under subsection 5(2) of the Citizenship Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-29. It is the streamlined naturalisation route for a permanent-resident child under 18 who is the minor child of a Canadian citizen, or who is applying together with a parent who is themselves applying for a grant at the same time. Like the adult grant (s.5(1)), s.5(2) is mandatory in form: the Minister 'shall' grant citizenship once the statutory conditions are met (decision delegated to IRCC officers). The defining feature versus the adult grant is the absence of the principal personal qualifying tests: a Minor 5(2) applicant does NOT have to meet the 1,095-day physical-presence requirement, file income tax, demonstrate language ability, or pass the knowledge test. The child must, however, be a permanent resident with no unfulfilled PR conditions, must not be subject to a prohibition, and must take the Oath of Citizenship if 14 or older. IRCC operationally distinguishes this 'Minor 5(2)' stream from 'Minor 5(1)' (a PR minor WITHOUT a Canadian or co-applying parent, who applies under s.5(1) and must meet physical presence). The fee is CAD 100 (processing only, no Right of Citizenship Fee). As of 2026-06-01 this route is stable; Bill C-3 (S.C. 2025, c.5, in force 2025-12-15) did not alter the s.5(2) minor-grant core.

The fee for a minor (under 18) citizenship grant is CAD 100.00, comprising the processing fee only with no Right of Citizenship Fee (RCF) — minors do not pay the RCF. This CAD 100 amount applies to Minor 5(2) and, identically, to Minor 5(1). It contrasts with the adult (18+) grant total of CAD 653.00 (CAD 530 processing + CAD 123 RCF), where the RCF rose from CAD 119.75 to CAD 123.00 effective 2026-03-31. Fee figures are from the IRCC citizenship and immigration application fee list (date-modified 2026-04-30); the IRCC minor-types page (modified 2025-09-11) independently states the minor fee as $100 for both minor streams. Citizenship fees are set by regulation and the RCF is indexed annually under the Service Fees Act, so amounts should be confirmed against the live IRCC fee list before payment. There is no separate or additional fee specific to the s.5(2) stream beyond the CAD 100 processing fee; a citizenship certificate is issued as part of the grant (the standalone proof-of-citizenship certificate fee of CAD 75 applies to separate proof applications, not to a grant).

The controlling provision is Citizenship Act s.5(2): 'The Minister shall grant citizenship to any person who is a permanent resident... and is the minor child of a citizen' on application by a person authorised by regulation, where the child has no unfulfilled conditions on their permanent residence. The supporting machinery sits at s.5(1.04) and s.5(1.05): s.5(1.04) authorises a person who has custody of the minor, or who is empowered to act on the minor's behalf by court order/written agreement/operation of law, to make the application; s.5(1.05) allows a minor to make the application personally where no such person can or does apply on their behalf (a waiver-style mechanism). Bill C-6 (S.C. 2017, c.14, s.1) repealed the former s.5(2)(c) and (d) and removed the prior requirement that a Canadian-citizen parent be the applicant, which is why a custodial non-citizen parent or guardian may now apply. The oath threshold derives from s.3(1)(c) ('14 years of age or over'). The controlling statute is administered federally by IRCC under the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (s.1, s.2(1)). All section text was read from the Justice Laws consolidated Citizenship Act, s.5 (date-modified 2026-05-28).