IRCC’s Proof of Citizenship Processing Times Have Increased 6x in Less Than a Year

In only nine months, the processing time has increased more than sixfold. The number of people waiting for a decision has also surged, from about 22,900 last December to around 136,000, as of September 3, 2026.

It would be easy to brush this aside as a processing delay, but in reality, it is an administrative failure by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). IRCC knew that changes to Canada’s citizenship laws would lead to an increase in proof of citizenship applications, even if they couldn’t predict the scale. And yet, whatever planning and resourcing the department put into place was grossly inadequate.

The people caught in this ever-increasing backlog are not applying to become citizens. They are only asking for a certificate proving that they are already Canadian citizens. For some, that document could be critical to their plans to work, study or live in Canada. IRCC must take action to get these processing times under control.

Key Takeaways

• IRCC’s proof of citizenship processing time has increased from five months in December 2025 to 33 months in September 2026.
• Around 136,000 people are now waiting for a decision, compared with about 22,900 in December 2025.
• People waiting for proof of citizenship can face problems with work, education, passports and other services.
• IRCC needs to reduce the backlog and reconsider how proof of citizenship applications are funded and processed.

Proof of Citizenship Processing Times Have Spiralled

In September 2025, IRCC estimated that a new proof of citizenship application would take around three months, with about 14,800 people waiting for a decision. By December, the processing time had reached five months, and the queue had grown to 22,900.

In December 2025, Canada passed Bill C-3, changing the Citizenship Act. Prior to this, citizenship was limited to the first generation born to Canadian citizens abroad. Bill C-3 removed this first-generation limit, which meant that many people born abroad became Canadian citizens overnight, because they could trace a direct line of descent to a Canadian-born grandparent or older ancestor.

This led to an increase in proof of citizenship applications (as was expected).

By April 2026, processing times had ballooned to 21 months. Although it is hard to pinpoint exactly what caused the 3x jump in March-April, media attention likely played a contributing role. CBC, CNN, and the Associated Press all ran stories stating millions of Americans could have a claim to citizenship under the new law.

Since then, the numbers have snowballed out of control. As of September 2026, the wait time has grown to 33 months — that’s 11 times longer than processing took one year ago!

Processing backlogs are not unusual at IRCC. But when you keep in mind that a proof of citizenship application is merely an application for a certificate that proves your status, a 33-month wait becomes unreasonable. In contrast, citizenship grant applications (when someone applies to become a citizen) are still taking 12 months.

So, it takes 12 months to become a Canadian citizen but three times longer to get proof that you are already one.

Could IRCC Have Been Better Prepared?

Absolutely. The increase in applications following the passing of Bill C-3 was not unpredictable and this should have been factored into resourcing and planning decisions.

Before the law took effect, the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated that around 115,000 people could be affected by the legislative changes beginning in 2025-2026.

IRCC disagreed even with the PBO’s relatively low estimates.

In briefing materials prepared for a standing committee in November 2025, IRCC said it expected “tens of thousands (and not hundreds of thousands)” to be affected by Bill C-3, and that it did not expect the surge forecasted by the PBO.

Moreover, IRCC said it was prepared to process proof of citizenship applications “within the current capacity of a dedicated citizenship team.”

Less than a year later, around 136,000 people are waiting, and the processing time has reached 33 months.

IRCC underestimated demand, creating a planning problem. It made the unfortunate mistake of basing its estimate of “tens of thousands” on past interest, rather than how many people might qualify. And instead of revising their estimate based on concrete evidence and media interest, they stuck with their incorrect assumption. Moreover, IRCC did not assign enough people for processing of proof of citizenship applications, creating a resourcing problem.

Both of these are IRCC’s problems to fix.

Canada’s $75 Proof of Citizenship Application Fee is Too Low

IRCC should also review what it charges to process these applications.

A citizenship certificate currently costs just $75. The fee is non-refundable once processing has started, even if IRCC ultimately determines that the applicant is not a Canadian citizen.

In contrast, the United Kingdom charges £489 for confirmation of status as a British citizen. In the United States, an online Application for Certificate of Citizenship costs US$1,335.

A $75 fee seems difficult to justify for an application that can require an IRCC officer to review birth records, family histories, previous citizenship documents and potentially decades of citizenship law before determining whether someone is Canadian.

Even assuming a very modest processing cost of $25 per hour, a $75 fee would cover only three hours of work.

If most proof of citizenship applications are relatively straightforward and require only a few hours of an officer’s time (which they likely don’t), then how can IRCC possibly justify making applicants wait 33 months for a decision?

And if these applications are more complex and require more time and resources, then the processing fee should reflect that.

A higher fee could also help address another problem that is adding to the backlog: unfounded or weak claims to citizenship.

IRCC Should Stop Encouraging People to “Try Their Luck”

IRCC currently tells people they can apply for a citizenship certificate if they are “not sure” whether they are Canadian citizens and want the department to check.

There are legitimate reasons someone may be uncertain about their citizenship. Canada’s citizenship laws have changed several times, and some citizenship-by-descent cases are genuinely complicated.

But a $75 application fee makes it easy for someone with a weak or highly uncertain claim to submit an application and leave IRCC to figure it out. Every “try your luck” application still has to be opened, reviewed and decided by an officer, using processing capacity that is already stretched.

IRCC should expect applicants to have a reasonable basis for believing they are Canadian before entering the same processing queue as people with clear claims who urgently need proof of their status.

Raising the application fee would create an incentive for prospective applicants to properly research their eligibility and gather evidence before applying. IRCC could also improve its online eligibility tools or create a separate team to give opinions on whether someone is eligible for proof of citizenship, similar to how the International Mobility Workers Unit gives employers opinions on whether a worker qualifies for an LMIA-exempt work permit.

A Three-Year Wait Has Real Consequences for Canadian Citizens

A citizenship certificate does not make you a Canadian citizen. It is only proof that you already are a citizen. So, the people in the proof of citizenship queue are (usually) asking for a document they are entitled to.

Without a citizenship certificate, they may struggle to get a Canadian passport, prove their right to work, or access domestic tuition rates.

The situation is particularly complicated for people who discover they are Canadian citizens while living in Canada on a work or study permit or those who want to work or study here.

What are these people supposed to do while IRCC takes almost three years to confirm their citizenship? Put their education on hold? Give up a Canadian job opportunity? Delay moving to Canada? Try to apply for temporary status they should not need because they are already citizens?

Canadian citizens should not have to put their lives on hold because IRCC cannot provide timely proof of their status.

Urgent Processing Is Not an Adequate Solution

IRCC allows applicants to request urgent processing when they need proof of citizenship for reasons such as work, education, healthcare or urgent travel.

IRCC says it may be able to process an application faster. A person must explain why their case is urgent and provide evidence. There is no certainty that the request will solve the problem.

That leaves applicants depending on IRCC to decide whether their need to work, study, travel or access another service is urgent enough to move them ahead of thousands of other people.

Urgent processing should exist for exceptional circumstances. It should not become the workaround people need because the normal processing takes 33 months.

IRCC Needs to Get Proof of Citizenship Processing Back Under Control

Perhaps the “taking back control” narrative IRCC has been touting should start with the basics first — processing times and resources.

Yes, some citizenship cases are complicated and will understandably take longer to assess. But a 33-month processing time for a certificate is indefensible.

IRCC needs a clear plan to reduce the backlog, including increasing processing capacity, and setting targets for reducing the inventory.

It should also address demand by reviewing the $75 application fee and reconsidering its approach of encouraging people who are unsure whether they are Canadian to join an already overwhelmed queue.

Before Bill C-3 took effect, IRCC maintained that its existing processing capacity would be sufficient. The numbers have proved otherwise.

IRCC underestimated the demand, failed to allocate sufficient resources and is now leaving Canadian citizens to deal with the consequences. It is time for IRCC to take responsibility and fix what is clearly broken.