The Bill C-3 Citizenship Review, Explained: What Happened, What Changed, and What to Do

Key Takeaways

• IRCC says its review of Bill C-3 citizenship certificates is largely resolved, with pending applications set to resume finalization within days.
• A routine early-June check flagged 100 of roughly 6,500 certificates; 33 were reinstated automatically and 67 (about one per cent) are still being settled.
• Eligibility has not changed — but the documentary standard has, now requiring records from the original source authority.

Since Bill C-3 came into force in December 2025, citizenship by descent has been among the most fast-moving files in Canadian immigration. In June 2026 it turned turbulent, when the country's citizenship department began re-examining certificates it had already issued. This piece pulls the key developments together and sets out what applicants can do if they have been caught up in the review.

Where things stand now

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says the review is largely behind it, and that finalization of pending applications is expected to resume "within the next few days." A routine check in early June flagged 100 certificates for potentially insufficient documentation out of roughly 6,500 applications. Of those, 33 were reinstated automatically. The remaining 67 cases — about one per cent of all certificates issued under C-3 to date — are still being resolved, with applicants to be reinstated or contacted within days.

The review began on June 13, when IRCC reached out to some certificate holders. In the weeks that followed, the department paused finalizing new citizenship-by-descent applications and updated its guidance on supporting documentation. The bottom line: this was scrutiny of a small subset of files, not a wholesale rejection of proof-of-citizenship applications. Cases that hold up are moving ahead normally, and those that do not have, in most reported instances, been given a chance to confirm eligibility.

What to do if you have been affected

If you have already applied and are waiting

Your eligibility is unaffected. The most useful step is to make sure your file meets IRCC's updated source-document standard, with any gaps explained in writing. A well-documented file is the one least likely to be flagged.

If you are considering applying

You can still submit an application for a Canadian citizenship certificate. Review the eligibility criteria and confirm that your supporting documents meet IRCC's updated standard before you file.

If you received a surrender letter

There are two likely outcomes: IRCC reinstates your certificate based on your existing file, as happened with many of the 100 cases; or it contacts you directly for specific additional information. If contacted, respond with exactly what is requested; if you are unsure how to proceed, an immigration lawyer can help you assess what the file needs. If you have not been contacted, no action is required while your case is under review.

Crucially, a surrender letter is not a rejection. If you received one, you can keep working in Canada and retain your status while your case is reviewed. You may be asked not to use a Canadian passport issued on the basis of the certificate under review until IRCC resolves your file. If you have travelled on that passport or have travel booked, it is worth speaking with an immigration lawyer about your specific circumstances before relying on it again.

What to keep in mind going forward

Bill C-3 remains in force, and the rules for who qualifies are the same as the day the law took effect — your eligibility for citizenship by descent has not changed. What has moved is the documentary bar: IRCC's supporting-documentation requirement now specifies records from the "original" source authority, such as the civil registry, a vital-statistics office, or an equivalent body. If your documents meet that standard, the immigration minister has signalled you have nothing to worry about. In Immigration Minister Lena Diab's own words, those deemed acceptable "are being told you're fine."

Building a case can be more complex where records are old, in a foreign language, or span several generations. Applicants who are not confident in their documentation may want to consult an immigration lawyer before submitting.

How the review unfolded

December 15, 2025 — Bill C-3 takes effect

The first-generation limit on citizenship by descent is removed. Anyone with a documented, continuous line from a Canadian ancestor may now qualify — regardless of the number of generations and with no residency requirement — answering a 2023 court ruling that found the old limit unconstitutional.

February–March 2026 — A surge in applications

Lawyers and consultants report a sharp rise in demand for proof-of-citizenship certificates, especially from Americans: 4,075 certificates were issued under the new rules in the first three months, roughly half of them to Americans.

June 2026 — The queue passes 82,000

Rising volume pushes the backlog and published wait times sharply higher — more than 82,000 applications in the queue, and a wait time of 15 months, up from about nine.

June 13, 2026 — Surrender letters sent

The department writes to some certificate holders asking them to surrender their certificates while their files are reviewed, in some cases citing concerns over documents drawn from open or secondary sources.

Mid-June 2026 — Processing paused, proof standard raised

IRCC temporarily stops finalizing some new citizenship-by-descent applications, and new guidance raises the documentary bar, specifying that proof of lineage must come from the original source authority.

Mid-June 2026 — Legal pushback

Immigration lawyers argue the department shifted the documentary standard after approving applications, and say forcing people to surrender issued certificates could be unconstitutional.

June 19, 2026 — Revalidation letters begin

The department starts reversing surrender requests, confirming that recipients may keep their certificates. Many report submitting no new evidence — the files were simply re-reviewed.

June 23, 2026 — Minister confirms finalizations halted

Immigration Minister Lena Diab confirms no new applications are being finalized and all files are under review; those "deemed to be okay are being told you're fine." People already in Canada keep their status and can continue working.

June 30, 2026 — IRCC completes the review

The department explains that a routine review flagged 100 certificates for potentially insufficient documentation. It has reinstated 33, while 67 cases (about one per cent of all cases processed) remain outstanding. Its expanded review of roughly 6,500 applications is now complete.

July 8, 2026 — Wait time hits 19 months as the queue nears 100,000

Canada's tracker updates the proof-of-citizenship wait to 19 months, up from June's 15-month estimate. The queue has grown by roughly 17,500 applicants in a month — 99,500 people were waiting as of July 7 — a rise driven both by demand and by the certificate review that slowed processing.

What This Means for Applicants: The headline for anyone eligible under Bill C-3 is reassurance: the law, and who qualifies under it, has not changed, and the review touched only about one per cent of certificates. The real shift is procedural — original-source documentation now carries decisive weight. Applicants with straightforward records can proceed with confidence; those with old, foreign-language, or multi-generational paper trails are the ones most likely to benefit from legal advice before filing.