Canada: proof-of-citizenship wait passes two years, hitting 25 months

What changed

IRCC is now quoting 25 months to process an application for a proof of Canadian citizenship certificate, as of 10 August 2026 (CIC News). The wait has more than doubled in three months.

The trajectory

• May 2026: 12 months

• July 2026: 19 months

• August 2026: 25 months

Why it matters for descent claims

Proof of citizenship is the application a citizenship-by-descent claimant files in Canada - it is how a claim under Bill C-3 is actually recognised. Demand rose sharply after the first-generation limit was removed on 15 December 2025, and a mid-2026 certificate review added further load.

Eligibility is unchanged. This is a queue-length and planning issue: on the current estimate, a file submitted now would be decided around late 2028. Anyone with a dependent deadline - a passport, a move, a school enrolment - should plan against the quoted figure rather than the older 9-to-12-month guidance.