- IRCC has extended processing times for Canadian citizenship certificates to twenty-five months due to a significant application surge.
- The current backlog has reached one hundred twenty-one thousand pending files following the implementation of Bill C-three.
- Nearly half of all applicants are residents of the United States claiming citizenship through newly restored lineage rights.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has extended the estimated wait for a Canadian citizenship certificate to 25 months, as a surge in applications from Americans pushes the department’s pending queue to 121,800 files.
The estimate stood at 10 months in January 2026 and 19 months in July. U.S.-based applicants now represent approximately 48% to 50% of new claims based on descent.
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The backlog followed the December 15, 2025, implementation of Bill C-3, which removed the first-generation limit for people born before that date. Applicants who can establish an unbroken lineage to a Canadian ancestor may already hold Canadian citizenship by law, even while waiting for documentary proof.
The certificate remains essential. Applicants cannot seek a Canadian passport until the document arrives.
The department’s figures show how quickly the queue has grown.
