Canada pauses finalizing new citizenship-by-descent decisions and raises the proof-of-lineage document standard

What changed

Following its review of citizenship certificates issued under Bill C-3, Canada's IRCC has (1) paused finalizing new citizenship-by-descent decisions while it reviews files, and (2) updated its guidance on what counts as acceptable proof of Canadian lineage. On 23 June 2026 the Immigration Minister confirmed Canada is not finalizing any new descent applications and is reviewing files already decided. See the CIC News report.

The new document standard

IRCC's updated instructions raise the accepted supporting documentation and the documentary standard for descent applications. Where possible, records should come from the original source authorities responsible for maintaining historical records (for example civil registries and vital statistics offices), rather than secondary copies. A detailed breakdown of the new proof rules is also available.

Why it matters

Eligibility under Bill C-3 is unchanged - this is a procedural and evidentiary update plus a temporary processing pause, not a change to who qualifies. Applicants should expect longer waits and should gather original-source vital records for each generation in the ancestral chain.