Canada orders surrender of citizenship certificates for some “Lost Canadians”

The federal government has issued a directive requiring individuals who received citizenship certificates under the recent “Lost Canadians” legislation to surrender those documents. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sent letters to recipients, stating that the certificates must be turned in while their cases are investigated because the original applications did not provide primary proof of Canadian parentage, such as vital‑statistics records.

Legal experts note that the new Bill C‑3, which replaced an earlier law limiting citizenship by descent, automatically grants citizenship to people born or adopted abroad before 15 December 2025 if they can prove a Canadian parent. The law was deemed unconstitutional in December 2023, and its implementation has led many to search genealogical records to meet the new requirements. Immigration lawyer Amandeep Hayer estimates that “at least a couple hundred people” have received the surrender letters. Recipients may submit additional documentary evidence; if accepted, the certificate will be reinstated. Lawyers have raised concerns about why certificates were issued before meeting the legal criteria and the administrative oversight involved.