As of August 10, applicants waiting for a proof of Canadian citizenship certificate are facing an estimated wait of 25 months.
The federal government’s online tool shows a sharp rise from July, when the estimated wait was 19 months.
The wait has also increased quickly in recent months. In May, the same application had an estimated wait of 12 months. This means the wait has more than doubled in just three months.
At the same time, the number of applications waiting for a decision from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has also grown. As of August 10, the number had reached 121,800, passing the 100,000 mark for the first time.
This represents an increase of around 22,300 applications since July, or about 22%.
Why Has The Wait Increased?
A major reason behind the rise is the change to Canada’s citizenship by descent rules.
On December 15, 2025, Canada removed the first-generation limit for citizenship by descent for people born before that date.
Under the new rules, people with an unbroken family connection to a Canadian ancestor may be Canadian citizens, even when several generations separate them from that ancestor.
The change opened a possible path to Canadian citizenship for millions of people with Canadian family roots. This includes many Americans, especially those living in New England, where large numbers of French Canadians settled between 1840 and 1930.
The number of applications increased after the rule change. In January 2026, the estimated wait for proof of Canadian citizenship was only 10 months. The growing number of applications has since placed more pressure on IRCC.
Citizenship Certificate Review May Have Added Delays
Another issue may have added to the growing wait.
In June 2026, IRCC contacted some recent citizenship certificate holders in the United States. The department informed them that their approved citizenship claims were being reviewed.
IRCC then paused the final approval of some new citizenship-by-descent applications while it checked documents linked to certificates that had already been issued.
The review was completed on June 30, and work on proof of Canadian citizenship applications resumed.
However, the review took place while the number of applications was already increasing. This may have added further pressure to an already large caseload and contributed to the sharp rise in the estimated wait.
Should Eligible Applicants Apply Now?
Eligible applicants who submit an application now will enter a queue of more than 121,000 applications.
The current estimate suggests that many applicants may have to wait more than two years for a decision.
Delaying an application may not result in a shorter wait. IRCC’s estimate depends on the number of applications already in the queue, available staff, and the number of new applications expected.
As more people apply, the queue could continue to grow.
Who May Already Be A Canadian Citizen?
People born before December 15, 2025, who can trace their family line to a Canadian grandparent, great-grandparent, or more distant Canadian ancestor may already be Canadian citizens.
The person’s country of birth does not by itself prevent citizenship by descent. Their parents or grandparents also do not necessarily need to have lived in Canada or held Canadian passports.
Since the citizenship law changed, thousands of Americans have applied for proof of Canadian citizenship through a Canadian citizenship certificate.
The certificate confirms Canadian citizenship and can provide access to the rights and benefits available to Canadian citizens, including the ability to apply for a Canadian passport.
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