Canada citizenship certificate processing time hits 33 months as backlog reaches 136,000 applications

Canada’s processing time for new proof of citizenship certificate applications has risen to 33 months, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), with the federal department’s processing-time tool showing an eight-month increase from August.

The latest estimate means applicants filing now could wait until around mid-2029 for a decision. Processing times have risen sharply this year, from 10 months in January to 12 months in May, 15 months in June, 19 months in July and 25 months in August.

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IRCC, which issues citizenship certificates, now has 136,000 applications awaiting decisions, with about 14,200 applications added in less than a month.

The surge in applications follows Canada's December 15, 2025 removal of the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent. The change expanded eligibility for people born outside Canada who can establish an unbroken line to a Canadian ancestor.

Urgent processing available in limited cases

Applicants who meet IRCC's criteria can request urgent processing. This includes cases where proof of citizenship is needed for education, employment, certain travel emergencies, statelessness, moving a minor child to Canada, access to social benefits or other specific circumstances.

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For students, IRCC allows urgent processing when admission to a school, college or university depends on obtaining proof of Canadian citizenship.

However, urgent processing is subject to IRCC's criteria and does not guarantee approval of the citizenship claim.

The processing time has increased every month since May, with the latest eight-month jump being the largest so far. IRCC's estimate is based on factors including the number of applications in the queue, staffing levels and expected application volumes.

Applicants can also face longer waits if their files require additional documents or clarification, particularly where records or names differ across generations.