Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) finalized just 2,420 proof‑of‑citizenship applications in July 2026, extending a month‑to‑month decline in processing speed.
Recent processing figures
- January – May 2026: 28,940 certificates issued (average 5,788 per month).
- June 2026: 3,040 certificates finalized.
- July 2026: 2,420 certificates finalized.
- Cumulative total (Jan 1 – July 31): 34,400 certificates issued, up from 31,980 reported at the end of June.
Queue and wait times
- Applications awaiting a final decision rose from 99,520 at the end of June to 121,800 at the end of July.
- IRCC’s processing‑times tool shows roughly 136,000 people in the proof‑of‑citizenship queue as of early September 2026.
- The quoted processing time for a new proof‑of‑citizenship application has reached 33 months, meaning applicants filing today should expect a wait of about three years.
Requesting urgent processing
IRCC may accelerate a proof‑of‑citizenship file when the applicant demonstrates an urgent need. Common grounds include:
- Employment that requires proof of citizenship
- Travel to or from Canada with a deadline
- Access to health coverage, pension, or other benefits
- Medical or family emergencies
- Enrollment in a Canadian educational program
To request urgent handling, applicants must:
- Submit the standard application.
- Attach a letter explaining the urgent reason, the required date, and supporting documents (e.g., job offer, school letter, travel itinerary, doctor’s note, death certificate).
- Indicate the request in the online form or, if applying on paper, label the envelope “Urgent – Citizenship Certificate (Proof)” and include the UCI or application number.
IRCC evaluates each request individually; meeting the criteria does not guarantee faster completion, and an incomplete application will not be processed regardless of urgency.
Legislative change driving demand
The surge in proof‑of‑citizenship applications traces back to Bill C‑3, which took effect on 15 December 2025. The bill removed the first‑generation limit on citizenship by descent, allowing individuals born abroad before that date to claim Canadian citizenship through a Canadian grandparent, great‑grandparent, or more distant ancestor.
- The change has generated significant interest from the United States, especially among descendants of the roughly 900,000 French‑Canadian emigrants who settled in New England during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
- In June 2026 IRCC paused finalizing new citizenship‑by‑descent applications for part of the month while reviewing about 6,500 already‑issued certificates. The pause, combined with the heightened demand, contributed to the longer processing times observed in July.
Proof of citizenship vs. citizenship grants
- Proof of citizenship applications are for individuals who are already Canadian citizens and need a certificate (first issuance, replacement, or confirmation for those born abroad to a Canadian parent). This category now absorbs most of the new demand created by Bill C‑3.
- Citizenship grants are for permanent residents applying for citizenship for the first time. Between January 1 and July 31 2026, IRCC finalized 193,320 grant applications, with 328,200 still pending—a processing pace far faster than that for proof‑of‑citizenship. The grant queue has remained relatively stable, while the proof‑of‑citizenship queue more than tripled since May 2026.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
