The top 11 mistakes that can derail a proof of Canadian citizenship application, according to a lawyer

Americans who now qualify for Canadian citizenship by descent can use a checklist to avoid common mistakes that can result in the return, delay, or refusal of their proof of Canadian citizenship applications.

If you’re an American born before December 15, 2025 with at least one Canadian ancestor, you have the right to Canadian citizenship.

Get a Free Consultation on Applying for Proof of Canadian Citizenship

But simply having the right to Canadian citizenship doesn’t mean things can’t go wrong with your application for a proof of Canadian citizenship certificate, which is required to obtain a Canadian passport as a U.S.-Canadian dual citizen by descent.

As of the time of writing, processing time for proof of citizenship applications stands at 12 months, and even a minor error risks having your application returned and having to start over.

We spoke with Ala Bujac, a Canadian immigration lawyer at Cohen Immigration Law, who called out eleven common errors to watch out for.*

Not meeting the photo specifications

According to Bujac, a failure to conform to photo specifications is the single most common mistake.

Canada's citizenship department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), requires two identical colour printed photos with strict requirements for proof of citizenship applications.

The photographs of the applicant must meet specific dimensions, have been taken within the last 12 months, and feature a white or light-coloured background.

Each printed photograph should also have the photographer’s stamp on the back, along with the date taken and the applicant's name.

If you submit non-compliant photos, such as a U.S. passport photo, a selfie, or a photo cropped from a larger image, Canada's citizenship department will reject your application.

The Government of Canada has published exact photo specifications, which you can share directly with your photographer.

Submitting black-and-white photocopies

All proof of Canadian citizenship applications require copies of supporting documentation. A common mistake is submitting those copies in black and white. IRCC requires colour photocopies — submitting black-and-white copies will result in the application being rejected.

Missing or invalid documents

A successful application must demonstrate an applicant's continuous line of descent from Canadian citizen whose citizenship is proven by an accepted official document.

The line of descent must also be established by specified, accepted official documents.

Your application might require compliant copies of documents such as your Canadian ancestor's birth certificate or citizenship certificate, the series of birth certificates connecting you to that ancestor, along with marriage certificates documenting the name change(s) of your ancestors whose names changed in marriage. The set of required documents showing the chain of citizenship by descent would typically end with your own long-form birth certificate showing both parents' names.

Missing even a single document, such as a marriage certificate that explains a name change, can result in the rejection of your application.

To avoid including invalid documents, it's important to familiarize yourself with documents that are not accepted: for example, birth certificates or marriage certificates issued in the Canadian province of Quebec before 1994 are not accepted.

Leaving one or more fields blank

If any given field on the application does not apply to you, write "N/A" rather than leaving the field empty. A blank field may cause the application to be flagged as incomplete, which could lead to rejection.

Failing to sign the application

The proof of citizenship application requires the applicant's signature to be processed.

The signature must be in black ink.

Get a Free Consultation on Applying for Proof of Canadian Citizenship

Failing to include proof of correct payment

While you will submit your application on paper by mail or courier, you must pay the fee online in advance, or your application will be rejected.

You must pay through IRCC's payment portal. After making the payment, you must print the receipt and include it with your application package. Without a printed receipt showing proof of payment, your application will be rejected without processing.

You can also keep a second copy of the receipt for your own records.

Not adhering to document specifications

Beyond gathering the right documents, you must also ensure they meet IRCC's formatting requirements. Copies must be in focus, with no edges cropped out. If a document has information on both sides, you must include copies of both sides.

Any documents not in English or French must be accompanied by a complete translation into one of Canada's two official languages, prepared in accordance with IRCC's translation specifications.

Not tracking the application after submitting

Proof of citizenship applications must be submitted by mail or courier.

To ensure you can confirm the citizenship department’s receipt of your application, you should use a service that includes both tracking and signature confirmation.

Knowing the date of receipt of your application also enables you to look up the expected processing time on the citizenship department's website.

Failing to respond to officer correspondence

After submitting, it’s essential to regularly monitor the contact (such as email ID) shared with IRCC for any correspondence.

The department may request additional documentation, and failure to respond by the stated deadline can result in the rejection of your application.

If you hire an authorized representative such as an immigration lawyer to handle the application on your behalf, your representative will typically be listed as the contact person and will handle any correspondence.

Not using the correct, complete application package

The application package consists of an instruction guide, the relevant forms, and a document checklist. Applicants must download and print the checklist and forms, fill out all fields, and include every document listed in the checklist.

In most cases, applicants will need to complete the Application for a Citizenship Certificate (CIT 0001). Using an outdated form or omitting any component of the package can delay or invalidate your submission.

Misinterpreting the instructions

Even applicants who carefully read the correct documentation can sometimes misunderstand what a specific instruction requires. The language used in official forms can be technical, and small misreadings can result in diverging from the requirements assessed by officers.

For this reason, many Americans are choosing to work with immigration lawyers or regulated representatives, who can review the completed application to confirm that all instructions have been followed correctly, helping to minimize the risk of delay, rejection, or refusal.

Get a Free Consultation on Applying for Proof of Canadian Citizenship

*This article is provided for general information purposes only, and does not constitute legal advice. It is not intended to be a comprehensive guide for preparing or submitting an application, nor a complete list of reasons that could result in delay, rejection, or refusal. In all cases, applications should adhere precisely to the specifications of the citizenship department's official documentation in addition to the statutory requirements of Canadian citizenship law. The outcome of any particular application is always determined at the sole discretion of the citizenship officer reviewing the file.