Canada is fast-tracking citizenship certificates for trans Americans

Trans Americans with Canadian ancestry have been receiving expedited processing of their applications for Canadian citizenship certificates.

Proof of Canadian citizenship certificates, which are provided to individuals who qualify as Canadian citizens on the basis of their ancestry, have become a hot commodity this year in the United States, following changes to Canada’s Citizenship Act last December that removed the generational limit on inheritance.

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At the stroke of a pen, millions of Americans became eligible, including many trans Americans increasingly concerned for their safety in the current U.S. political environment.

This spring, thousands of Americans have been applying for Canadian citizenship certificates so they can obtain Canadian passports as a back-up plan, and the processing time for typical applications has doubled from 5 months to 10 months.

Meanwhile, users identifying themselves as trans Americans across the web have reported having their applications processed in as little as two weeks, under the urgent processing criteria established by Canada’s citizenship department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

According to the Canadian government’s help centre, IRCC allows for urgent processing of citizenship certificates for cases in which an applicant faces “potential harm or hardship” on account of “sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or membership in particular groups,” as well as for those needing access to Canadian healthcare.

To request urgent processing, an applicant must include an explanation letter, along with supporting documents.

If the officer reviewing the file determines that the applicant qualifies for urgent processing, IRCC will expedite the request, but makes no guarantees about the processing time.

The letter and supporting documents for the urgent processing request must accompany the applicant’s complete proof of citizenship application, which requires the appropriate completed form, which most Americans will need to submit on paper, along with copies of official documents proving their descent from a Canadian ancestor.

After obtaining their proof of Canadian citizenship certificate, the applicant can apply for a Canadian passport.

Canadian passport applicants can select the gender which will be printed on their passport entirely at their own discretion, from one of three options: F (female), M (male), or X (another gender).

If selecting a gender different from that on their proof of Canadian citizenship certificate or on their previous passport, they must also submit a gender identifier request form along with the passport application.

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