Following recent changes to Canada’s citizenship law, the processing time for proof of Canadian citizenship certificates has now extended to 12 months, up from five months in July 2025.

Reasons Behind the Surge

The surge in demand can be attributed to the amendment in Canada’s Citizenship Act, which eliminated the first-generation limit to Canadian citizenship by descent. This change allows individuals born before December 15, 2025, with a continuous line of descent from a Canadian ancestor, to apply for proof of Canadian citizenship.

Many Americans are seizing this opportunity, not necessarily to relocate to Canada but to secure a second passport for uncertain times. The influx of applications has been significant, with over 12,000 citizenship by descent applications received by Canada between December and January, predominantly from Americans.

Recent data indicates that U.S. citizens constitute the largest share of citizenship by descent applications, surpassing all other top nine source countries combined. This trend has led to a surge in demand for vital records required for citizenship applications, with archives in Canada experiencing a substantial increase in requests from Americans.