Canada proof of citizenship wait times jump to 19 months

Canada proof of citizenship wait times jump to 19 months

The processing time for proof of Canadian citizenship certificates has risen to 19 months, according to official tracking tools updated on July 7, 2026. This represents a sharp increase from a 15-month estimate in June and a 12-month estimate in May.

The backlog has grown to 99,500 applicants as of July 7, adding roughly 17,500 people to the queue in a single month. For those filing applications now, a decision is realistically expected around February 2028.

The impact of Bill C-3

The surge in applications follows the implementation of Bill C-3 on December 15, 2025. This legislation removed the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent for individuals born before that date, allowing anyone who can trace an unbroken line back to a Canadian ancestor to be eligible, regardless of how many generations have passed.

The law was intended to address issues for "Lost Canadians" and their descendants. It has particularly affected millions of Americans, especially in New England, where hundreds of thousands of French Canadians settled between 1840 and 1930. Following the law's implementation, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) received more than 12,000 applications in the following weeks.

Government officials distinguish between being a citizen and holding proof of that status. While many may already be citizens under the law, they require a proof of citizenship certificate to apply for a Canadian passport or access specific government services.

Administrative reviews and delays

Beyond the volume of new claims, a secondary factor contributing to the delay was an internal review of certificates issued under Bill C-3. In June, IRCC paused the finalization of new citizenship-by-descent applications to audit roughly 6,500 certificates to ensure supporting documentation was sufficient. This review concluded on June 30.

Of the audited certificates, 100 were flagged for potentially insufficient documentation. Thirty-three were reinstated after IRCC confirmed the evidence supported the claim. The remaining 67, roughly one percent of certificates issued under the new law, are still being resolved.

Some applicants were notified on June 13 that they "may not be entitled" to hold a certificate and were ordered to surrender paper documents while their files were reviewed. IRCC stated these reviews were not revocations but re-examinations to determine if certificates were properly issued based on legal evidence.

Common reasons for flags included documents not being obtained directly from official record-holding authorities or a failure to explain why official records could not be obtained. Some applicants had relied on archival records or genealogy websites such as FamilySearch or Ancestry.

Application guidance and calculations

IRCC has updated its guidance, specifying that documents proving a line of descent must come from the original source authority, such as civil registries or vital statistics offices. If a record cannot be located, applicants must provide a written explanation and "no record" letters to show their efforts to obtain the document.

The department uses a forward-looking method to calculate processing times based on:

• The number of applications currently in the queue.
• Available staff capacity.
• The volume of new applications expected in coming months.

Because these factors fluctuate, the wait time continues to climb. IRCC notes that delaying an application likely results in a longer wait, as estimates are based on the volume of applications ahead of the submitter at the time of filing.

While there is no paid fast-track option, a discretionary urgent-processing path exists for those with documented, time-sensitive needs, such as medical situations, imminent travel, or job offers.

IRCC has stated that finalizing paused applications should resume shortly. Eligibility criteria, fees, and the application process remain unchanged.