Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) finalized just 2,420 proof of citizenship applications in July, continuing a downward trend in month-to-month processing.
Finalizing in this context means the certificates were approved, since the department labels this figure as “proofs issued since January 1, 2026”.
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.
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This is the second month in row that the number of finalized proof of citizenship applications has dropped below the previous monthly average.
In June, the department finalized 3,040 applications, also below the average pace of about 5,800 applications a month between January and May.
Proof of citizenship applications are for Canadian citizens who need to obtain their first citizenship certificate or replace a previously issued citizenship certificate.
What the new numbers show
IRCC’s “Inside IRCC’s application processing system” page now shows 34,400 proof of citizenship certificates finalized between January 1 and July 31, 2026.
The department’s previous update put that figure at 31,980 as of June 30, yielding a processing figure of just 2,420 citizenship certificates by the end of July. Simultaneously, 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.
The numbers line up with what IRCC’s separate processing times tool has been showing.
IRCC now reports roughly 136,000 people in that queue, as of early September, while the quoted wait for a new proof of citizenship application has reached 33 months.
That means anyone applying today should expect a wait closer to three years.
What can I do to get my application processed faster?
Not everyone has to wait the full 33 months. IRCC speeds up a proof of citizenship application when the applicant shows a urgent need.
Common grounds 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 qualify too.
To request it, you apply the normal way and add a letter that sets out the reason, the date you need the certificate by, and documents that back it up, such as a job offer, a school letter, or a travel booking.
IRCC weighs each request on its own, and an approved one moves your file ahead of the queue.
Why demand keeps climbing
The surge 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. That rule used to block 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, regardless of where they or their parents were born.
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.
Applications for a proof of Canadian citizenship arrived faster than IRCC could clear them. In June, the department paused finalizing new citizenship by descent applications for part of the month while it reviewed the paperwork behind roughly 6,500 certificates it had already issued. The review wrapped up on June 30, but that pause, on top of climbing demand, likely pushed processing times even higher in the months that followed.
The rise in demand makes sense given what a proof of citizenship application unlocks. Successful applicants for proof of citizenship will be issued 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.
Proof of citizenship vs. citizenship grants
Two distinct types of applications fall under Canadian citizenship.
Proof of citizenship is for people who are already citizens and need a certificate confirming it. This is the category absorbing most of the new demand created by the expanded citizenship by descent rules. However, it also includes other cases, such as for Canadian citizens previously issued a Canadian citizenship certificate, who lost and needed it replace, and those born abroad to a Canadian parent, a group that qualified for citizenship before Bill C-3 came into effect.
Citizenship grants are for permanent residents applying to become citizens for the very first time. IRCC finalized 193,320 of these applications between January 1 and July 31, with 328,200 still awaiting a decision. That’s a far faster pace than proof of citizenship, and the queue for grants has stayed roughly flat while the proof of citizenship queue has more than tripled since May.
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