Canada extends citizenship‑by‑descent certificate processing to up to 19 months

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) completed a review of roughly 6,500 citizenship‑by‑descent applications filed under Bill C‑3 and identified 100 certificates with potentially insufficient documentation. Of those, 33 have been reinstated and the remaining 67 are being worked through, with applicants expected to be contacted within days. The department said the issue stemmed from unclear guidance on acceptable documents, prompting stricter standards for future submissions.

At the same time, IRCC announced that processing times for proof of Canadian citizenship have been lengthened to as much as 19 months, reflecting a backlog of nearly 100,000 applications. The increase follows amendments to the citizenship‑by‑descent law that took effect in December 2025, which broadened eligibility and spurred a surge in applications, particularly from the United States. While the eligibility criteria and fees remain unchanged, the longer wait may affect applicants’ access to benefits and services. Existing certificate holders retain their citizenship status and can continue to work while their files are reviewed.

IRCC expects applicants to provide more comprehensive supporting documentation, and explanations for missing records now carry greater weight. The tighter scrutiny may further extend processing times for new applications.