Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada finalized just 2,420 proof of citizenship applications in July, continuing a downward trend in month to month processing. This marks the second consecutive month that finalizations have dropped below the previous monthly average. The queue of applications awaiting a final decision has significantly climbed, impacting wait times for Canadian citizens needing their certificates.
Between January and May of 2026, the department issued 28,940 citizenship certificates, yielding a monthly average of 5,788 certificates processed in that time period. In June, the department finalized 3,040 applications. The total number of certificates finalized between January 1 and July 31, 2026, is 34,400.
The queue of applications awaiting a final decision climbed from 99,520 at the end of June to 121,800 at the end of July. As of early September, roughly 136,000 people are in that queue. The quoted wait for a new proof of citizenship application has reached 33 months.
The surge in demand for proof of citizenship applications traces back to December 15, 2025, when Bill C-3 removed the first generation limit on Canadian citizenship by descent for those born before that date. This rule previously blocked someone born outside Canada from claiming citizenship through a Canadian parent if that parent was also born abroad.
With the limit gone, those born before December 15, 2025, who can trace an unbroken line to a Canadian grandparent, great grandparent, or more distant ancestor can now claim Canadian citizenship. Much of that demand is coming from the United States, including descendants of the roughly 900,000 French Canadians who left Quebec and the Maritimes for New England between the mid 1800s and early 1900s.
In June, the department paused finalizing new citizenship by descent applications for part of the month while it reviewed paperwork behind roughly 6,500 certificates it had already issued. The review wrapped up on June 30, and this pause, on top of climbing demand, likely pushed processing times even higher in the months that followed.
A successful proof of citizenship application results in a Canadian citizenship certificate, a document that cements their status. It gives them access to the many benefits that come with Canadian citizenship, such as the right to freely live, work, and travel within Canada, and to apply for a Canadian passport.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada speeds up a proof of citizenship application when the applicant shows an urgent need. Common grounds for urgent processing include a job that requires proof of citizenship, travel to or from Canada, access to a benefit or service such as health coverage or a pension, and a medical or family emergency. A student who needs the certificate to enrol or hold a place can also qualify.
To request urgent processing, applicants apply the normal way and add a letter that sets out the reason, the date they need the certificate by, and documents that back it up, such as a job offer, a school letter, or a travel booking. The department weighs each request on its own, and an approved one moves the file ahead of the queue. Meeting the criteria does not guarantee that the department will process an application urgently, and even where it agrees, it may not finish the application in time to help the situation. The department will not process an incomplete application at all. For citizenship grants, 193,320 applications were finalized between January 1 and July 31, with 328,200 still awaiting a decision.