Citizenship Certificate Backlog Reaches 82,000 in Canada

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 28,940 citizenship certificates to proof of citizenship applicants between January 1 and May 31, 2026.

New figures published by the department on July 21 show that demand remains high after Canada expanded its citizenship-by-descent rules in December 2025.

A proof of citizenship application is used by someone who is already a Canadian citizen but needs official confirmation of that status. Applicants may qualify through birth, descent or an earlier citizenship grant. Successful applicants receive a citizenship certificate, which they can use to apply for a Canadian passport.

More Than 82,000 Applications Remain Pending

Although IRCC completed nearly 29,000 applications during the first five months of 2026, another 82,020 were still awaiting final decisions as of May 31.

That means close to three applications remained in the system for every certificate issued during the reporting period.

The figures appeared on IRCC’s updated “Inside IRCC’s application processing system” webpage. It marks the first time the department has published separate completion data for proof of citizenship applications.

IRCC reportedly received more than 12,000 citizenship-by-descent applications between December 15, 2025, and the end of January 2026. The department approved almost 6,300 applications during that period.

However, only 1,480 approvals came through the expanded eligibility rules introduced under Bill C-3.

Americans represented the largest group. Nearly 2,500 United States citizens received approvals in January alone.

Processing Time More Than Doubles

Applicants are also facing longer waits.

In November 2025, proof of citizenship applications took approximately nine months to process. By July 2026, the estimated processing time had increased to 19 months.

The waiting period has therefore more than doubled since Bill C-3 took effect.

Provincial archives have also reported heavy demand for birth, marriage and other historical records. Applicants often need these documents to prove a family connection to a Canadian ancestor.

Delays in obtaining archival records can add more time before an applicant can submit a complete case.

Bill C-3 Expanded Citizenship by Descent

The increase in applications followed a Citizenship Act amendment that took effect on December 15, 2025.

The change removed the first-generation limit for people born before that date. Previously, someone born outside Canada could not usually inherit citizenship from a Canadian parent who was also born abroad.

The new rules opened eligibility to people who can trace their family line to a Canadian grandparent, great-grandparent or earlier ancestor.

Many newly eligible people are Americans with French-Canadian roots.

From the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, an estimated 900,000 French Canadians moved from Quebec and the Maritimes to New England, often seeking work in textile mills. Some of their descendants may now qualify for Canadian citizenship.

Proof Applications Differ From Citizenship Grants

Proof of citizenship applications are not the same as citizenship grant applications.

Proof applicants are already citizens and need documentation confirming their status. Citizenship grants are for permanent residents applying to become Canadian citizens for the first time.

IRCC finalized 131,420 citizenship grant applications between January 1 and May 31. Another 326,365 grant applications remained pending as of May 31.