Canadian Citizenship-by-Descent Processing Times Increase Again, Topping 34 Months

As of October 2026, the estimated processing time for a citizenship certificate has increased to 34 months. This is up from 33 months last month, 25 months in August, and only 19 months in July.

The October increase is quite small compared with the big jumps recorded over the summer. But, it continues a troubling trend for people trying to get that coveted proof of Canadian citizenship.

There is, notably, one encouraging development in the latest figures: the number of people waiting for a decision has actually decreased.

Key Takeaways

• IRCC’s estimated processing time for proof of citizenship applications has increased to 34 months, up from 33 months in September.
• Approximately 130,700 people are waiting for a decision, down from 136,000 in September.
• Processing times have increased by 15 months since July 2026, following major changes to Canada’s citizenship-by-descent laws.
• People who believe they may be Canadian citizens by descent can use Moving2Canada’s free online tool to assess their eligibility.

Fewer People Waiting… But Processing Times Continue to Increase

According to IRCC’s latest figures, about 130,700 people are currently waiting for a decision on their proof of citizenship applications. That’s a decrease of about 5,300 people compared with September, when approximately 136,000 applications were awaiting a decision.

It’s the first monthly reduction in application inventory in several months, although the number of people waiting is still significantly higher than it was earlier this year.

Here’s how the figures have changed since July:

Although the smaller inventory could be an early sign that processing times might speed up again, it’s too early to tell if that 34-month figure will get smaller.

IRCC’s processing time estimates reflect how long the department expects to take to process an application submitted today. Individual applications could be processed faster or slower depending on their circumstances.

Why Are So Many People Applying for Proof of Citizenship?

The massive increase in applications is related to a major change to Canada’s citizenship laws that took effect last year on December 15, 2025, called Bill C-3. Under Bill C-3, Canada removed the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent for most people born abroad before the changes took effect.

Previously, Canadian citizens born outside Canada didn’t automatically pass Canadian citizenship to their own children born abroad. Now, Canadian citizenship by descent has been extended to include any relative in the direct family line, meaning that many people with Canadian grandparents, great-grandparents, or even more distant ancestors are now Canadian citizens.

For those impacted, applying for a citizenship certificate (aka “proof of citizenship”) is the best way to be sure they’re Canadian and to obtain the documents needed to eventually get a Canadian passport.

Importantly, these people aren’t applying to become Canadian citizens. They are applying for documentation confirming citizenship they already hold.

The big surge in demand has placed huge pressure on IRCC’s processing capacity. As recently as December 2025, proof of citizenship applications had an estimated processing time of just five months. Now, they’ve jumped by more than six times up to 34 months.

Could You Already Be a Canadian Citizen?

If you were born outside Canada but have Canadian parents, grandparents, or other ancestors, you may already qualify for Canadian citizenship under the new rules.

Moving2Canada has launched a free Canadian Citizenship-by-Descent Checker to help you understand whether you may already be a Canadian citizen.

The tool asks a few questions about your family history and provides an assessment based on Canada’s current citizenship rules.

With proof of citizenship applications now taking an estimated 34 months, understanding your eligibility before applying can help you save time and ensure that the application is worth it.