New applicants for a proof of Canadian citizenship certificate now face a wait of 33 months, according to the latest IRCC processing‑times tool updated on 3 September 2026. The estimate has risen by eight months since August, when the quoted time was 25 months, and by 21 months since May, when it was 12 months.
Current processing times and backlog
| Month (2026) | Quoted processing time | Increase from previous month |
|---|---|---|
| May | 12 months | +2 months (20 % increase) |
| June | 15 months | +3 months (25 % increase) |
| July | 19 months | +4 months (26.7 % increase) |
| August | 25 months | +6 months (31.6 % increase) |
| September | 33 months | +8 months (32 % increase) |
IRCC reports 136 000 people waiting for a decision and an additional 14 200 applications added in less than a month. The queue has more than tripled since December 2025, when the quoted processing time was about 9 months and the waiting list was roughly 40 000.
Urgent processing – limited availability
IRCC offers an expedited “urgent processing” stream for proof‑of‑citizenship applications that meet narrowly defined criteria. Eligibility does not guarantee approval of the underlying citizenship claim, but it can shorten the processing period. Qualifying reasons include:
- Employment needs (new job or retaining an existing position)
- Educational enrollment that depends on proof of citizenship
- Travel emergencies due to death or serious illness in the family, when a foreign passport cannot be obtained in time
- Relocating a minor child born abroad to Canada who has a Canadian parent
- Requirement to renounce another citizenship by a fixed deadline, contingent on proof of Canadian status
- Protection from harm or hardship linked to race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or group membership
- Access to social benefits such as a pension, health care, or a Social Insurance Number
A complete, well‑documented application generally proceeds faster than one with missing records or name mismatches, which can trigger requests for additional information and further delay the process.
Why processing times have surged
- Bill C‑3 (effective 15 December 2025) removed the first‑generation limit on citizenship by descent. Anyone born before that date who can trace an unbroken line to a Canadian ancestor now qualifies as a Canadian citizen, regardless of how many generations separate them. This change opened eligibility to millions of individuals, especially Americans with Canadian ancestry, leading to a rapid increase in applications.
- IRCC’s estimate is based on the number of files ahead of a new application, staffing levels, and expected intake. Current trends show the department finalizing fewer certificates each month than required to keep the backlog stable.
- A review of already‑issued certificates paused processing of citizenship‑by‑descent applications for about a month in June 2026. Although processing resumed on 30 June, the lost month has not been recovered.
Should applicants wait?
Waiting to submit an application does not shorten the overall wait. The queue is counted at the moment an application is received; a later filing simply places the applicant behind all earlier submissions, and the line has been growing each month since the law change.
Who is eligible for a citizenship certificate?
Anyone born before 15 December 2025 who can demonstrate an unbroken lineage to a Canadian grandparent, great‑grandparent, or more distant ancestor is considered a Canadian citizen. Birth outside Canada, the ancestor’s passport status, or residence history do not affect eligibility. The citizenship certificate serves to confirm this status and enables access to benefits such as a Canadian passport.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
