Canada has begun returning citizenship certificates to some people it had asked to surrender only days earlier, after completing reviews of their proof-of-citizenship applications.
Some affected applicants have received “revalidation letters” confirming that they are entitled to keep their certificates. The letters are signed by Peggy Sun, Registrar of Canadian Citizenship, and dated June 19, 2026. Peggy Sun was also the sender of the original surrender letters.
The revalidation letters state that the review of the applicant’s documents is complete and that there is sufficient evidence to support the citizenship claim. They confirm that the person is entitled to hold a Canadian citizenship certificate.
The letters say the certificate “shall not be cancelled,” citing subsection 26(4) of the Citizenship Regulations. That provision requires the Registrar to return a certificate once the Minister determines that the person is entitled to it.
The letters also state that IRCC’s records and electronic systems now show the certificate as active, that an electronic certificate was issued, and that no further action is required.
How the review began
The reversal follows a fast-moving review process.
On June 13, 2026, IRCC asked some recent recipients of citizenship certificates to return them for review. The department pointed to gaps in the documents submitted with their proof-of-citizenship applications.
Days later, IRCC paused finalizing some new proof-of-citizenship applications. It clarified that affected people already in Canada could continue working, but could not use a Canadian passport while their citizenship certificate was under review.
The episode also led to new IRCC guidance on what counts as proof of Canadian lineage. The updated approach raised the documentary standard for citizenship-by-descent applications.
Legal questions remain unresolved. Some lawyers argued that the government changed the evidentiary standard after applications had already been approved. Others warned that forced surrender of citizenship certificates may be unconstitutional.
What applicants should understand
Bill C-3 remains in force, and the eligibility rules have not changed.
The main change is in the proof required. Recent developments show that IRCC is applying a higher documentary standard and expecting applicants to show not only supporting evidence, but also records of their attempts to obtain missing or difficult-to-procure documents.
For applicants, the practical risk is that a citizenship certificate may be questioned after issuance if IRCC later decides the file does not contain enough evidence. A strong application should document the family lineage clearly and preserve evidence of efforts to obtain records where documents are unavailable or incomplete.
Applicants who receive a surrender letter should respond to the specific evidentiary gap identified by IRCC rather than submitting a general explanation.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
