Canada’s processing time for proof of citizenship certificates has risen to 19 months, as the queue of applicants waiting for a decision has grown to 99,500. The increase follows expanded eligibility for citizenship by descent and a temporary review of certificates issued under Bill C-3.
As of July 7, 2026, the number of people waiting for a decision on proof of Canadian citizenship applications had increased by about 17,500 in one month.
Canada’s processing-time tool now lists the wait at 19 months, up from 15 months in June and 12 months in May. The queue stood at 70,400 applications in May, rose to 82,000 in June, and reached 99,500 by July 7.
Certificate review may have added to delays
A second factor may have contributed to the July increase. In June, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reviewed proof of citizenship certificates that had already been issued under Bill C-3.
IRCC paused finalizing new citizenship-by-descent applications while reviewing about 6,500 certificates to check whether the supporting documentation was sufficient. The department said the review was completed on June 30.
Of the certificates reviewed:
- 100 were flagged for potentially insufficient documentation
- 33 were reinstated after IRCC confirmed the evidence supported the claim
- 67 remained unresolved at the time of the report
- The 67 unresolved cases represented about 1% of certificates issued under the new law
IRCC said paused applications should resume shortly, but the review overlapped with an already growing application backlog and likely contributed to the longer July processing estimate.
Whether to wait before applying
An application filed now joins a queue of nearly 100,000 people. Based on the 19-month estimate, a decision could realistically arrive around February 2028.
Since Bill C-3 took effect, both the number of pending applications and processing times have increased. Delaying an application may mean entering a longer queue later, because IRCC’s estimate depends partly on how many applications are already waiting.
Applicants should also account for updated IRCC guidance issued in June on supporting documents for proof of citizenship. Documents proving a line of descent must come from the original source authority.
How IRCC calculates the wait
IRCC uses a forward-looking method for proof of citizenship processing times. The estimate is based on:
- The number of applications already waiting
- The number of staff available to process them
- The number of new applications expected in the months ahead
The estimate changes monthly and can shift when application volumes rise suddenly.
Why applications increased
On December 15, 2025, Canada removed the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent for people born before that date.
The change opened eligibility to anyone who can trace an unbroken line back to a Canadian ancestor, regardless of how many generations have passed.
This may affect millions of Americans, especially in New England, where hundreds of thousands of French Canadians settled between 1840 and 1930.
Citizenship versus proof of citizenship
People born before December 15, 2025 who can trace ancestry to a Canadian grandparent, great-grandparent, or other Canadian ancestor may already be Canadian citizens, regardless of where they were born or whether their parents or grandparents ever lived in Canada.
Being a Canadian citizen and holding proof of citizenship are different. A proof of citizenship certificate confirms citizenship that already exists. It is also the document needed to apply for a Canadian passport.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
