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.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data, the processing time was 12 months in May.
It rose to 19 months in July before reaching 25 months in August.
Applications are piling up
The longer wait comes as IRCC deals with a sharp increase in citizenship certificate applications.
As of August 10, around 121,800 applications were waiting for a decision. That was about 22,300 more than in July.
Processing also slowed significantly in June.
IRCC finalized just 3,040 proof of citizenship applications during that month.
By June 30, the department had finalized 31,980 applications since the start of the year.
At the same time, the backlog jumped from 82,020 applications at the end of May to 99,520 by June 30.
Temporary review added pressure
One reason for the June slowdown was a temporary review of previously issued citizenship certificates.
IRCC paused final decisions on new citizenship-by-descent applications while examining documents connected to around 6,500 certificates.
The review ended on June 30.
Of the certificates examined, 100 were flagged over potentially insufficient documentation. Another 33 were later reinstated after their supporting documents were verified.
Why are applications increasing?
Demand has grown since Canada changed its citizenship-by-descent rules on December 15, 2025.
Under the previous system, people born outside Canada generally could not claim citizenship through a Canadian parent if that parent had also been born abroad.
The rule change opened a path for some people with an unbroken family connection to a Canadian parent, grandparent, great-grandparent or earlier ancestor.
The change has created particularly strong demand from the United States, where many people with Canadian ancestry may now qualify.
Proof of citizenship is not citizenship by grant
There is an important difference between the two applications.
A proof of citizenship application is for someone who is already a Canadian citizen and needs a certificate confirming their status.
A citizenship grant application, on the other hand, is generally used by eligible permanent residents seeking to become Canadian citizens for the first time.
For applicants waiting for a citizenship certificate, the latest 25-month estimate means patience may be needed as IRCC works through the growing backlog.
