If you’re applying for proof of Canadian citizenship by descent, you may be facing a much longer wait than applicants expected even a few months ago.
As of August 2026, the published processing time for a Canadian citizenship certificate has reportedly climbed to approximately 25 months — up from 19 months in July, 15 months in June and just 12 months in May.
For people who recently discovered they may already be Canadian citizens through a parent or previous generation, that means obtaining the document that actually proves their citizenship could now take more than two years.
With more people becoming eligible for citizenship by descent following recent changes to Canada’s Citizenship Act, these delays may not disappear quickly.
Why Are Citizenship by Descent Applications Taking So Long?
Canada’s citizenship-by-descent rules changed significantly in December 2025, opening the door for many people who were previously excluded by the first-generation limit.
Not surprisingly, that has created significant interest from people — particularly those living in the United States — with Canadian parents, grandparents or other Canadian ancestry.
Multi-generational applications can also require IRCC to verify historical records establishing both an ancestor’s Canadian citizenship and the family relationship through each relevant generation.
More applications combined with more complicated claims can mean longer processing times.
You May Already Be Canadian — But You Still Need Proof
There is an important distinction between applying to become a Canadian citizen and applying for proof of Canadian citizenship.
A citizenship-by-descent application is generally an application for a citizenship certificate.
You may not be asking Canada to grant you citizenship at all. You may already be Canadian by operation of law and simply need IRCC to confirm it.
Unfortunately, that distinction doesn’t make a 25-month wait much easier.
Without proof of citizenship, applicants can face practical difficulties obtaining a Canadian passport or otherwise establishing their Canadian citizenship.
What Can You Do to Avoid Additional Delays?
You can’t control IRCC’s processing times, but you can avoid creating unnecessary delays within your own application.
For citizenship-by-descent applications, this starts with making sure the application is complete and the evidence clearly establishes your claim.
Depending on your family history, you may need:
- birth certificates;
- marriage certificates;
- Canadian citizenship or naturalization records;
- name-change documents;
- historical or archival records; and
- documents connecting each generation in the family line.
For a multi-generational claim, you may need to establish a continuous chain:
Canadian ancestor → child → grandchild → applicant
Genealogy websites can be extremely helpful for locating historical information, but information from a genealogy platform generally isn’t enough on its own to establish a citizenship claim. The underlying official records matter.
When processing itself could take two years, discovering months into the process that IRCC needs additional evidence is a delay you want to avoid.
Start Collecting Historical Records Early
If your citizenship claim depends on records from a grandparent, great-grandparent or earlier generation, start looking for them early.
Some records are easy to obtain. Others may require requests to provincial archives, churches, government registries or foreign authorities.
Older birth, baptismal, marriage and naturalization records can take time to locate.
You should also confirm that your family history actually creates a claim under Canadian citizenship law before spending months collecting documents.
Having a Canadian grandparent or great-grandparent does not automatically mean you are Canadian. Dates of birth, places of birth, naturalization history and the citizenship legislation in effect at different points in time can all matter.
Don’t Wait for Processing Times to Improve
Looking at a 25-month processing time, it may be tempting to wait and hope the backlog improves.
There is no guarantee that it will.
If application volumes continue to increase, waiting could simply mean joining the queue later.
If you believe you have a valid claim to Canadian citizenship by descent, it may make more sense to determine your eligibility and prepare your application now rather than waiting for processing times to decrease.
This is particularly important if you eventually plan to move to Canada, obtain a Canadian passport, work or study in Canada, or establish citizenship for another family member.
Can You Request Urgent Processing?
In limited circumstances, yes.
IRCC allows applicants to request urgent processing of a citizenship certificate where qualifying circumstances exist.
Applicants need to provide evidence explaining the urgency, and IRCC ultimately decides whether the request qualifies.
Urgent processing is also not guaranteed, so it should not replace advance planning.
If your application is already in process and your circumstances change, you may also be able to request urgent processing later if you meet IRCC’s criteria.
Already Applied? Monitor Your Application
If your proof-of-citizenship application is already in the queue, make sure your contact information remains current and respond quickly to any requests from IRCC.
With processing times stretching well beyond a year, it is particularly important not to miss correspondence requesting additional documents or information.
If your circumstances change significantly while you’re waiting, determine whether IRCC needs to be notified or whether the change could support a request for urgent processing.
Citizenship by Descent Is Becoming More Accessible — But Not Necessarily Faster
Recent changes to Canadian citizenship law have created opportunities for families who may have previously been excluded.
But expanded eligibility also means more applications.
If you believe you may be a Canadian citizen through a parent, grandparent or previous generation, don’t wait until you need a Canadian passport or are ready to move to Canada before investigating your eligibility.
At Legacy North Immigration, we assist clients with determining whether they have a claim to Canadian citizenship by descent, identifying the documents required to establish that claim, and preparing proof-of-citizenship applications for submission to IRCC.
If you believe you may already be Canadian, book a consultation to have your citizenship history assessed before you apply.
With processing times increasing, getting the application right the first time — and getting into the queue sooner rather than later — matters more than ever.
Processing times change regularly and are not guarantees. This article provides general information only and is not legal or immigration advice.
