Canadian Citizenship-by-Descent Wait Time Jumps to 25 Months

This is according to the latest processing times data published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

That’s a significant increase in a relatively short period of time. The estimated wait was around 12 months in May, before climbing to 19 months in July and now more than two years in August.

IRCC’s processing times are estimates rather than guarantees. They’re intended to give someone applying today an idea of how long they can expect to wait based on factors including the number of applications in the inventory and how many applications IRCC expects to receive and process.

But – if you’re working on a citizenship-by-descent application, you should be prepared for a long wait.

Why Are Proof of Citizenship Applications Taking So Long?

The increase in processing times is likely driven almost entirely by to the recent changes to Canada’s citizenship-by-descent rules.

On December 15, 2025, Canada made major changes to its citizenship laws through Bill C-3, expanding citizenship to many people who had previously been excluded by Canada’s first-generation limit on citizenship by descent.

Before Bill C-3, if you were born outside Canada, your parent needed to be a Canadian citizen in order for you to claim citizenship (i.e. the first-generation). Bill C-3 expanded that to include other ancestors in your direct family line, including grandparents, great-grandparents, and beyond.

For people born outside Canada before December 15, 2025, the changes mean that hundreds of thousands (perhaps even millions) of people who were previously prevented from inheriting citizenship from a Canadian ancestor are now automatically Canadian citizens.

However, there’s an important caveat here: if you believe you became a Canadian citizen because of the changes introduced under Bill C-3, IRCC says you need to apply for a citizenship certificate to confirm it. IRCC will review your family history and supporting documents and, if you are a citizen, issue you a certificate as proof of your Canadian citizenship.

In other words, none of these applicants are applying to become Canadian citizens. They may already be Canadian under the Citizenship Act. They’re applying for IRCC to confirm that status and give them the document to prove it.

Unsurprisingly, the expansion has created a much larger pool of people applying for citizenship certificates.

IRCC’s published inventory data from May 31 showed about 82,000 proof-of-citizenship applications awaiting a final decision, in July that number rose to around 99,000, and now in August that number has increased to nearly 122,000.

What Should You Do If You Think You’re Canadian by Descent?

First, don’t let the 25-month processing times estimate scare you away from applying. Processing times can change, and waiting six months to submit your application in the hope that the backlog improves simply means starting your own wait six months later.

Instead, take the time to make sure your application is as complete as possible before submitting it.

Citizenship-by-descent applications require you to document the connection between yourself and a Canadian parent, grandparent or earlier ancestor. Depending on your family history, that can mean tracking down birth certificates, marriage records, name-change documents and evidence of your ancestor’s Canadian citizenship.

This is particularly important for more complicated citizenship-by-descent cases where several generations are involved.

If your application is particularly complex, you may want to hire an immigration consultant or lawyer to review your documents before you submit them, because getting a refusal for a foolish mistake after 25 months… it wouldn’t feel great. Do your due diligence and get it right the first time.

Who Is Not Impacted by these Processing Times?

As stated, the increased processing times only apply to proof of citizenship applications. Other applications relating to Canadian citizenship have their own distinct processing times. For example:

• Grant of Citizenship (applying to become a citizen): 12-month processing time
• Canadian Passport: 10-20 business days

Be sure to verify the processing times for your application type in order to factor this into your long-term plans.

The Good News: You Might Already Be Canadian

A 25-month processing estimate is certainly frustrating, particularly for people who have already spent months figuring out whether Canada’s new citizenship laws apply to them.

But – it doesn’t change whether you are legally entitled to citizenship.

If you became a citizen automatically because of the changes introduced under Bill C-3, the citizenship certificate application is how IRCC confirms that status and provides you with proof of it.

So, if you think you may qualify for Canadian citizenship by descent, the latest processing times are probably another reason to start gathering those family documents sooner rather than later.