IRCC reviews citizenship by descent certificates, i.e., Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has shared its first detailed update on the review of citizenship certificates issued under the expanded citizenship by descent rules introduced through Bill C-3.

According to the department, an internal review initially identified over 100 citizenship certificates that may have been issued without enough supporting documents. After reviewing those files, IRCC automatically restored 33 certificates after confirming the applicants met all legal requirements.

Applicants can check their eligibility for proof of Canadian citizenship before preparing an application.

The remaining 67 cases are still under review. IRCC said these applicants will either have their citizenship certificates restored or will be contacted within a few days if additional documents or information are required.

The department also confirmed that it has completed a wider review of around 6,500 citizenship by descent applications received under the expanded eligibility rules.

Why Did IRCC Start The Review?

According to IRCC, a routine review carried out in early June found that 100 citizenship certificates issued under Bill C-3 may have been approved with incomplete supporting documents.

In some cases, the department said officers relied on information collected from open sources as part of the evidence.

After identifying these files, IRCC temporarily suspended the affected citizenship certificates while officers carried out a detailed review to confirm whether the available documents were enough to establish eligibility for Canadian citizenship by descent.

Following that review, IRCC restored 33 certificates automatically because the documents already submitted clearly confirmed the applicants’ entitlement to citizenship.

The remaining 67 files continue to be reviewed individually.

IRCC Acknowledges Problems With Its Own Guidance

IRCC also admitted that unclear internal instructions played a role in the issue.

The department said both officers and applicants were working with guidance that did not clearly explain what supporting documents were required for citizenship by descent applications.

Because of this, some citizenship certificates may have been approved even though the required evidence had not been fully provided.

Since then, IRCC has updated its internal guidance for officers and has also published clearer instructions for applicants explaining which documents must be submitted to support a citizenship by descent application.

How Was The Review Developed?

The latest statement comes after several weeks of uncertainty for many applicants.

The situation began when IRCC asked some recent citizenship certificate recipients to return their certificates so the department could review their files.

The department later paused the processing of certain applications and eventually stopped issuing new citizenship certificates while it completed the review.

As the review continued, IRCC started returning some of the certificates that had been surrendered.

The review also attracted criticism from immigration lawyers. Some legal experts even argued that IRCC had changed its documentary requirements after approving applications. Others questioned whether asking applicants to surrender citizenship certificates could raise constitutional concerns.

What The Review Means For Future Applicants?

IRCC has confirmed that its updated document requirements will now apply to future citizenship by descent applications.

Applicants must now provide certified supporting documents that clearly establish their Canadian family line. These records must come from official government authorities or other verified sources.

If an applicant cannot obtain a required document, IRCC now expects a detailed explanation describing the efforts made to locate or replace that record.

Immigration Minister Lena Diab also stated on June 23 that the department had paused final decisions while reviewing citizenship by descent applications. Although IRCC has not officially announced that regular approvals have restarted, the completion of the review may allow final decisions on applications to move forward in the coming weeks.

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