Canadian Citizenship Certificate Applications Now Take Almost 3 Years

In practice, a new application for proof of Canadian citizenship now takes around 34 months to process, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Key points

• The queue fell to 130, 700 applicants in October, down from 136, 000 in September.
• That is a decline of 5, 300 applicants and marks the first month-to-month decline since changes to Canada's Citizenship Act took effect in December 2025.
• The queue had previously been growing rapidly, including an rise of 22, 300 applications in August and another 14, 200 in September.
• The wait time had previously fallen from 11 months to 10 months in March 2026 before rising sharply through the summer.
• British Politician Threatens Pakistan With Visa Ban for Not Taking Back 'Daddy'.

IRCC updated its processing times tool on October 9, adding one month to September's 33-month estimate.

Notably, the growth is much smaller than those recorded over the previous a number of months.

British Politician Threatens Pakistan With Visa Ban for Not Taking Back 'Daddy'. Wait Time Expansion Slows Sharply.

From May through September, the processing time rose every month at a faster pace. Reading Quoted Wait Growth Month-over-Month Rise. May 2026 12 months +2 months 20.0%. June 2026 15 months +3 months 25.0%. July 2026 19 months +4 months 26.7%. August 2026 25 months +6 months 31.6%. September 2026 33 months +8 months 32.0%. October 2026 34 months +1 month 3.0%.

October's growth to 34 months represents a rise of concerning 3%, compared with roughly 32% in September.

Meanwhile, the wait time had previously fallen from 11 months to 10 months in March 2026 before rising sharply through the summer. Queue Falls for the First Time Since Citizenship Law Change.

IRCC additionally noted a decline in the number of individuals waiting for a decision.

For context, the queue fell to 130, 700 applicants in October, down from 136, 000 in September. Reading Applicants Waiting Monthly Change. August 2026 121, 800 +22, 300. September 2026 136, 000 +14, 200. October 2026 130, 700 -5, 300.

Notably, the queue had previously been growing rapidly, including an rise of 22, 300 applications in August and another 14, 200 in September.

In practice, a smaller queue suggests IRCC finalized more applications during the period than it received.

Nevertheless, one month of improvement is not enough to establish a broader trend. Canada Reveals How to Spot Visa Application Fraud. Urgent Processing Is Available in Some Cases.

IRCC can process some proof-of-citizenship applications faster through its urgent processing system.

Requests are considered individually, and applicants must meet specific circumstances recognized by the department.

IRCC at present lists eight situations in which it may consider expediting a citizenship certificate application. Stay Connected with ProPakistani. Obtain the latest international news and global stories wherever you prefer. Follow on Google Discover. Follow on Google News Join WhatsApp. See more ProPakistani stories in Google Search and Top Stories.

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For now, canadian Citizenship Certificate Applications Now Take Almost 3 Years remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.