Your grandparent’s birth certificate is still missing. The Canadian citizenship by descent processing time has now climbed to 25 months. So, do you wait — or submit your application now?
That is the frustrating decision facing many people trying to prove Canadian citizenship through a parent, grandparent, or earlier Canadian ancestor.
As of August 2026, processing times for Canadian proof of citizenship certificates have reached approximately 25 months, compared with around 12 months in May. Meanwhile, provincial archives and vital statistics offices are struggling with their own backlogs.
So applicants can find themselves trapped between two queues:
Wait for the historical record → then apply → wait years for IRCC.
Or:
Apply now with alternative evidence → explain the missing record → provide the original document later.
The right approach depends heavily on your evidence, your family history, and how clearly you can prove your Canadian lineage.
Why Are Canadian Citizenship by Descent Applications Taking So Long?
The biggest factor is a dramatic increase in applications following changes introduced through Bill C-3.
The legislation came into effect on December 15, 2025, changing Canada’s citizenship-by-descent rules and removing the previous first-generation limit for certain people born outside Canada.
That opened the door for many more people with Canadian ancestry to seek formal recognition of their citizenship.
The result?
A much larger Canadian citizenship certificate application backlog.
Thousands of people are now trying to establish Canadian citizenship through Canadian parents, grandparents and earlier generations. With demand increasing, IRCC proof of citizenship processing times have risen sharply.
And unfortunately, applicants cannot simply assume that having a Canadian grandparent automatically proves citizenship.
You still need evidence.
A lot of it.
The Real Problem: Your Grandparent’s Birth Certificate Hasn’t Arrived
This is where things get complicated.
Suppose your Canadian connection depends on your grandfather, but you cannot obtain his original Canadian birth certificate yet.
The archive tells you it may take weeks or months.
Meanwhile, Canadian citizenship certificate processing time keeps increasing.
Do you wait?
Not necessarily.
Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to submit an application with secondary evidence of Canadian citizenship and ancestry while demonstrating that you have already ordered the missing primary record.
Potential supporting evidence can include historical documents such as:
- Canadian census records
- Church baptism records
- Passenger or immigration records
- Historical family records
- Other government or archival documents establishing the family relationship
But there is an important catch.
Secondary evidence does not automatically replace the required primary document.
Your application needs to clearly explain why the document is unavailable and what steps you have taken to obtain it.
Can You Apply for Proof of Canadian Citizenship Without All Documents?
This is the question many applicants are asking in 2026.
The answer is: sometimes, but don’t treat missing documents casually.
If you submit an incomplete Canadian citizenship certificate application, you could create additional delays or risk a refusal if IRCC determines that the evidence does not establish your citizenship claim.
If a key archival document is delayed, your file should clearly demonstrate:
- You have formally requested the document.
- You have proof that the archive received your request.
- You have included credible alternative evidence.
- You have explained why the primary document is currently unavailable.
- You will provide the official document when it becomes available.
This is particularly important when your citizenship claim depends on proving a chain such as:
You → Parent → Grandparent → Canadian ancestor.
Every link matters.
Bill C-3 Changed the Citizenship by Descent Landscape
Before Bill C-3, Canada’s first-generation limit created significant barriers for many people born outside Canada.
The changes that took effect in December 2025 expanded the potential reach of Canadian citizenship by descent.
That means someone born outside Canada may now have a pathway to recognition based on Canadian ancestry that previously would not have been available under the old rules.
But expanded eligibility does not mean automatic approval.
Applicants still need to prove their relationship to the Canadian ancestor and satisfy the applicable citizenship requirements.
This is why Canadian citizenship by descent eligibility should be assessed carefully before an application is submitted.
Don’t Ignore the Verification Issue
There is another reason applicants should avoid rushing into a poorly documented application.
Canadian authorities continue to scrutinize citizenship claims for accuracy.
In June 2026, approximately 100 citizenship certificates were reportedly identified for review because of concerns about insufficient supporting evidence, including cases involving open-source information.
That matters.
It shows that Canada’s expanded citizenship-by-descent pathway is not simply a paperwork formality.
IRCC still has to determine whether the evidence genuinely establishes the claimed Canadian lineage.
For applicants, that means one thing:
Don’t build your citizenship claim around assumptions. Build it around evidence.
What Should You Do If Your Archive Request Is Delayed?
If your grandparent’s Canadian birth certificate or another historical record is stuck in an archive backlog, don’t simply sit and wait for months without doing anything.
Start by creating a complete documentary trail.
Keep:
- Your official archive request
- Order confirmation or receipt
- Emails with the archive
- Any reference number provided
- Secondary historical evidence
- Documents connecting each generation
- A clear written explanation of the delay
Once the official record arrives, provide it through the appropriate IRCC process if your application allows additional documentation.
This creates a much stronger paper trail than simply saying:
“My grandparent’s birth certificate hasn’t arrived yet.”
You want to show IRCC:
“Here is the document I need, here is proof I ordered it, here is why it is delayed, and here is the evidence currently available to establish the relationship.”
Should You Wait Two Years to Apply?
For many applicants, waiting indefinitely may not be the best strategy.
But neither is submitting an application with weak evidence just to get into the queue.
The smarter question is:
Can your citizenship claim already be supported by a credible evidence package while the missing record is being obtained?
If yes, applying sooner may be worth considering.
If the missing document is the only evidence connecting you to your Canadian ancestor, however, the situation becomes much more complicated.
That is where professional assessment can make a major difference.
What This Means for Canadian Citizenship Applicants in 2026
The combination of Bill C-3, increased citizenship-by-descent applications, provincial archive delays and longer IRCC processing times has created a perfect storm for applicants.
The biggest mistake is assuming that waiting for every document is always safer.
The second biggest mistake is assuming that you can submit anything and fix it later.
Neither approach is automatically correct.
Your application needs a strategy.
At VisaNexa, we help applicants assess their Canadian citizenship by descent eligibility, organize ancestry documentation, identify evidence gaps and build a clearer application strategy before submission.
Because when proof of Canadian citizenship processing times are approaching two years, the goal shouldn’t simply be getting your application into the queue.
It should be getting it right the first time.
