Concerns Grow Over Canadian Citizenship by Descent Files Amid Reviews and Delayed Decisions

Concerns are growing among applicants for Canadian citizenship by descent after CIC News reported that Immigration Minister Lena Diab confirmed Canada is “not finalizing any new” citizenship-by-descent decisions while some files are being reviewed. The report said the minister made the comments on Tuesday, June 23, amid questions about people who had already received proof of citizenship certificates.

According to the same report, Diab said files that are deemed to be in order are being confirmed as fine, and that the citizenship status of people under review is not affected while their files are examined. The report also said people in Canada whose files are under review can continue to work during the process.

CIC News reported that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada sent letters on June 13 to several dozen people who had already received proof of Canadian citizenship certificates under the updated rules, informing them that their citizenship claims were under review.

The minister did not provide a clear public explanation in that report for why some previously approved files were reopened. CIC News said Diab was asked whether the issue was linked to an error involving artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, or human processing, but she did not give a direct answer and said she had asked the department to investigate after learning of the issue.

The developments follow major changes to Canada’s citizenship rules under Bill C-3, which came into effect on December 15, 2025. IRCC says the law extended access to citizenship to remaining “Lost Canadians,” their descendants, and some people born or adopted abroad by a Canadian parent in the second or later generation before the new law took effect.

IRCC’s official guidance says citizenship may have been restored or granted to people born outside Canada in the second generation or later before December 15, 2025. In most cases, someone born before that date outside Canada to a Canadian parent may now be considered a Canadian citizen under the updated rules.

The government also says people who believe they are Canadian citizens because of the Bill C-3 changes should apply for a citizenship certificate to confirm their status. A proof of citizenship certificate is the official document used to prove Canadian citizenship and can later support an application for a Canadian passport.

For people born outside Canada on or after December 15, 2025, to a Canadian parent who was also born outside Canada, IRCC says the Canadian parent must generally have spent at least 1,095 days in Canada before the child’s birth or adoption in order to pass on citizenship.

The changes have created a sharp rise in demand for proof of citizenship certificates. CIC News reported earlier this month that the wait time for proof of Canadian citizenship had reached 15 months, with roughly 82,000 applications in the queue, citing IRCC data.

IRCC’s processing-time page says application timelines can vary depending on the number of applications received and whether a case is complex. The department also says an application may be delayed or returned if it is incomplete.

The latest review process adds uncertainty for applicants who need proof of citizenship to obtain a Canadian passport, confirm their legal status, or complete family and travel arrangements. As of now, the clearest public information on the reported pause and file reviews comes from CIC News, while IRCC’s official pages continue to explain the Bill C-3 rules and the process for applying for proof of citizenship.