Canada's citizenship by descent documentation requirements

Canadian authorities require notarized affidavits for a range of official uses, including study permits, estate matters, marriage registration and business transactions. A notarized affidavit is a sworn written statement verified by a licensed notary, providing the legal credibility needed by courts, immigration officers and financial institutions.

For citizenship by descent applications, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) now accepts only original documents issued by civil registries or archives. The two most critical records are birth certificates (or certified baptismal records when a birth certificate is unavailable) and marriage certificates. Long‑form birth certificates establish parent‑child links and confirm Canadian citizenship by birthright, while marriage certificates anchor the genealogical chain. The rule change, effective June 2026, excludes third‑party copies such as genealogy website printouts, raising the importance of obtaining documents directly from the issuing authority.