Starting December 12, 2011, you must show your face when you take the Oath of Citizenship at a citizenship ceremony.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada officials need to see you take the oath. If they cannot see you, you will not receive your citizenship certificate on that day.

In some circumstances, it is difficult to ascertain whether candidates are taking the oath because they are wearing a full or partial face covering.

As it is necessary to ensure that ALL candidates take the Oath of Citizenship, the following procedures are to be implemented immediately:

• To facilitate the witnessing of the oath taking by CIC officials, all candidates for citizenship are to be seated together, as close to the presiding official as possible:
• For larger ceremonies (50 or more candidates), additional CIC officials will be required to assist in the witnessing of the oath taking.
• At time of check-in, all candidates wearing full or partial face coverings must be reminded that they will be required to remove their face coverings for the oath taking portion of the ceremony:
• They are to be informed that failure to do so will result in the candidate not becoming a Canadian citizen on that day and not receiving their citizenship certificate.
• The preamble message delivered by the clerk prior to the commencement of the ceremony must reinforce that during the taking of the Oath of Citizenship; candidates must be seen taking the oath in either English or French.