Canada Announces Extension of Proof of Citizenship Processing Time
- IRCC has increased the processing wait time for Canadian proof of citizenship to 19 months
- The backlog has ballooned close to 100,000 applications following December 2025 citizenship-by-descent policy changes
- American applicants represent the highest volume of filings, outstripping the next nine leading source countries combined
The Canadian government has extended the official processing time for proof of citizenship applications to 19 months.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the update takes effect immediately, altering the timelines for both newly submitted and currently pending files.
Source: Getty Images
The sudden adjustment marks a substantial shift from earlier execution standards. Historically, securing a citizenship certificate, the legal documentation required to obtain a Canadian passport, took anywhere from a few months to a year, Punch reports.
Surge driven by citizenship-by-descent law
The primary driver behind the bottleneck is an unprecedented surge in demand following major overhauls to Canada’s citizenship-by-descent framework (Bill C-3), which officially took effect in December 2025.
The revised statutes expanded eligibility parameters, allowing individuals born outside Canada to claim citizenship through an extended line of foreign ancestry.
The policy shift triggered an immediate wave of applications that has outpaced federal intake capacity: The total volume of pending citizenship certificate applications is rapidly approaching a milestone backlog of 100,000 files.
Data indicates that American citizens comprise the vast majority of applicants seeking to utilize the expanded heritage laws. In January 2026, applicants from the United States filed nearly 2,500 requests, roughly 10 times the volume of the United Kingdom, the second-highest source nation.
Alongside the timeline adjustments, IRCC noted that applications submitted by foreign nationals residing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda are temporarily paused due to ongoing administrative halts, which could prolong their wait times indefinitely.
Source: Getty Images
Despite the dramatically prolonged wait times, IRCC confirmed that core procedural criteria, registration fees, and mandatory documentation rules remain unchanged. Applicants are encouraged to track their files through the official government portal, though they are warned to expect significantly deferred approvals
Canada introduces new immigration, asylum rule
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Canada has rolled out far-reaching changes to its immigration and asylum framework that will affect Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking protection, study, or work opportunities in the country.
The reforms follow the passage of Bill C-12, officially titled the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act, which received royal assent on March 26, 2026.
Source: Legit.ng
