How to Sign Your Citizenship Application Forms: What We Accept and What We Do Not

Most of our clients sign their citizenship forms at home in the United States, mail them to our office in Ottawa, and never think about them again. Then, a few weeks later, we have to ask them to do it all over. Right now, about 20 to 30% of the signature pages and photos we receive have to be redone because a signature is in the wrong place, in the wrong colour, or by the wrong person.

We are strict about this because the stakes are high. If IRCC finds a signature problem, it can return the whole application as incomplete, and that can happen 3, 6 or even 12 months after it was mailed. You then start over with new forms, new signatures and a new place in line. This page shows exactly what we accept and what we do not, so your package goes out right the first time.

The two pages you sign

For a proof of citizenship application, each applicant has two signature pages:

• Application for a Citizenship Certificate (CIT 0001), page 9. It has two boxes: the APPLICANT'S box and the PARENT'S/GUARDIAN'S box. Only one of them is signed.
• Use of a Representative (IMM 5476), page 4, Section E. This is the form that names your lawyer as your representative. Only the first line is signed.

Nothing else in the package needs your signature. Please do not sign or date IMM 5476 page 3 (your lawyer signs there), the document checklist (CIT 0014), or any letter or ancestry sheet we prepare for you.

Who signs: adults, teens and children

The two forms use different age rules, and this is where most mistakes happen.

• 18 or older: the applicant signs the APPLICANT'S box on the CIT 0001 and the first line of the IMM 5476.
• 14 to 17: the teen signs their own CIT 0001, in the APPLICANT'S box. A parent or legal guardian signs the teen's IMM 5476.
• Under 14: the child does not sign anything. A parent or legal guardian signs the PARENT'S/GUARDIAN'S box on the CIT 0001 and the first line of the IMM 5476. The APPLICANT'S box stays empty.

Why the difference? The CIT 0001 asks for a parent's signature only when the applicant is under 14. The IMM 5476 asks a parent or legal guardian to sign for anyone under 18. So a 15-year-old signs one form, and a parent signs the other.

What we accept

CIT 0001, adult or teen 14 or older. One signature, fully inside the APPLICANT'S box, in black ink, with the city and the date written as YYYY-MM-DD. The parent box stays empty.

CIT 0001, child under 14. Only the parent or legal guardian signs, in the PARENT'S/GUARDIAN'S box, with the city and the date.

IMM 5476. One signature and the date on the first line. For anyone under 18, that signature is a parent's. The second line stays blank.

What we do not accept

Signature outside the box

The CIT 0001 asks you to sign inside the box. If your signature touches or crosses the border, we will ask for a new page. Sign a little smaller if you need to.

Blue ink, pencil or coloured pens

Use a black pen only. The CIT 0001 asks for black ink, and that applies to the city and the date too.

A teen or adult signing in the parent box

Anyone 14 or older, teenagers included, signs the APPLICANT'S box on their own CIT 0001. The PARENT'S/GUARDIAN'S box is only for children under 14.

A child and a parent both signing

Children under 14 do not sign the CIT 0001 at all, not even next to a parent's signature. Only the parent signs, and the APPLICANT'S box stays empty.

A child under 18 signing the Use of a Representative

For anyone under 18, a parent or legal guardian signs the IMM 5476, even when the teen signs their own CIT 0001.

Signing the sponsorship line of the IMM 5476

The second line on page 4 is for a spouse or common-law partner in a sponsorship application. On a citizenship application, sign the first line only and leave the second line blank.

Two people signing the IMM 5476

Only one person signs each IMM 5476: the applicant, or one parent or legal guardian for a child under 18. Even when both parents are involved, only one of them signs.

A signature on page 3 of the IMM 5476

Page 3 is the representative's declaration. Your lawyer signs and dates it. Please leave it blank.

A missing city, or a date in the US format

Write the city where you signed, and the date in the format the form asks for: year, month, day (for example, 2026-10-23). A date like 10/23/26 can be misread, and IRCC returns forms that are not signed and dated.

Also not accepted

• Electronic, typed, stamped, scanned or photocopied signatures. IRCC needs your original signature in ink on paper.
• White-out, crossed-out or traced-over signatures. If you make a mistake, ask us for a fresh page.
• Initials instead of your full signature, or a signature that looks different from the one on your passport.
• Signatures more than 90 days old when IRCC receives the application. Please sign and mail your pages within a few days of receiving them.
• Pages printed double-sided, or stapled. Print single-sided on letter-size paper. Paper clips are fine.

Before you mail: send us a photo first

This step is optional, but we strongly recommend it. It takes two minutes and can save you months.

1. Sign your pages, then lay them flat in good light.
2. Take a clear phone photo of each signed page, and of the front and back of your citizenship photos.
3. Email the photos to your lawyer.
4. Wait for our confirmation, then mail the originals.

If something needs to be fixed, we will tell you right away, before you pay for a courier. Mail the originals to Marin Immigration Law, 280 Albert Street, Suite 802, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G8, Canada.

A quick word on citizenship photos

Photos are the other item we most often have to send back. Each applicant needs two identical colour photos from a photo studio, 50 mm wide by 70 mm high (2 by 2¾ inches), with the face measuring 31 to 36 mm (1¼ to 1 7/16 inches) from the chin to the top of the head. The background must be plain white, not off-white or coloured. On the back of each photo, write the applicant's full name, the date the photo was taken, and the studio's name and full address, then let the ink dry before the photos touch. Canadian citizenship photos are a different size from US passport photos (2 by 2 inches), so bring IRCC's photo specifications to the store.

Questions?

We work for you, and we would much rather answer a question before you sign than ask you to sign again. If you are one of our clients, email your lawyer. If you would like our team to prepare and file your citizenship application, book a consultation.

This page is general information based on the CIT 0001 (08-2026) and IMM 5476 (11-2025) forms. It is not legal advice. IRCC updates its forms regularly, so always follow the instructions on the version you are signing.