Canada has increased the estimated processing time for proof of citizenship applications to 25 months, more than double the wait recorded just three months ago.
The processing time stood at 12 months in May and increased to 19 months in July before reaching 25 months in August, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The longer wait comes as Canada faces a sharp increase in applications for citizenship certificates. As of August 10, around 121,800 applications were awaiting a decision, up by roughly 22,300 compared to July.
New IRCC data also shows that the pace of processing slowed considerably in June. The department finalized 3,040 proof of citizenship applications during the month.
A total of 31,980 applications were finalized between January 1 and June 30. By comparison, 28,940 had already been finalized by the end of May, suggesting an average of around 5,800 applications per month during the first five months of the year.
At the same time, the backlog continued to grow. Applications awaiting a decision increased from 82,020 at the end of May to 99,520 by June 30, an increase of 17,500 in four weeks.
One factor behind the June slowdown was a temporary review of previously issued citizenship certificates. IRCC paused the finalization of new citizenship-by-descent applications while reviewing documents linked to around 6,500 certificates.
The review was completed on June 30. Of the certificates examined, 100 were flagged for potentially insufficient documentation, while 33 were later reinstated after their supporting documents were confirmed.
Demand for citizenship certificates has increased since Canada removed the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent on December 15, 2025, for people born before that date.
Under the previous rules, a person born outside Canada generally could not claim citizenship through a Canadian parent if that parent had also been born abroad. The change means people with an unbroken family connection to a Canadian grandparent, great-grandparent, or earlier ancestor may now qualify for Canadian citizenship by descent.
The increase has created significant new demand, particularly from the United States, where many people with Canadian ancestry may now be eligible.
Proof of citizenship applications are different from citizenship grant applications. Proof applications are for people who are already Canadian citizens and need a certificate confirming their status, while citizenship grants are for permanent residents applying to become Canadian citizens for the first time.
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