Canadian citizenship certificate wait jumps to about 19 months after Bill C-3 (July 2026)

Anyone applying today for a Canadian citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) should expect to wait about 19 months, according to IRCC’s official processing-times tool as reported by specialized media in mid-July 2026 — with nearly 100,000 applications in the queue.

What’s happening?

The main driver is Bill C-3, in force since December 15, 2025, which abolished the “first-generation limit” on citizenship by descent. Overnight, millions of people around the world — Americans above all — became eligible to claim Canadian citizenship through a parent or grandparent, and applications have been pouring in at an unprecedented pace.

How the numbers have moved in 2026 (IRCC tool, as tracked by specialized outlets):

• April: about a 10-month wait, 56,300 files.
• Mid-May: about 12 months, 70,400 files.
• June: about 15 months, more than 82,000 files.
• Mid-July: about 19 months, nearly 99,500 files.

Who qualifies for citizenship by descent after C-3?

In a nutshell (full details on canada.ca):

• Born outside Canada before December 15, 2025: you may already be a Canadian citizen if you can trace a continuous line of descent from a Canadian citizen (parent, grandparent, or further back), no matter how many generations.
• Born after that date: your Canadian parent born abroad must have spent at least 1,095 days (3 years) in Canada before your birth (the “substantial connection” test).

The largest group of claimants right now: Americans with Canadian ancestry. But many readers born to a Canadian parent, wherever they live, may qualify without knowing it.

Why this certificate matters

The citizenship certificate is the only official document proving you are a Canadian citizen if you were born abroad. You cannot apply for a Canadian passport without it. And if you can prove citizenship, you don’t need to immigrate at all: no Express Entry, no visas — proof of citizenship is enough. Compare that with the regular pathways in our guide to immigrating from the United States.

What to do now

1. Check your eligibility right away on the dedicated canada.ca page about the 2025 rule changes (source below). Every month you wait, thousands more files land in the queue ahead of you.
2. Gather your descent documents: the Canadian ancestor’s birth certificate, birth certificates for the whole line of descent, and marriage certificates where needed.
3. Apply even if the wait is long — what counts is your filing date, and the queue keeps growing month after month.
4. Urgent processing exists for limited cases (imminent travel, employment, benefits) — document your situation.
5. Certificate in hand and planning the move? See our US-to-Canada moving checklist.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Figures are dated July 18, 2026 and change constantly: always verify on canada.ca, the only official source.