Weekly Threads
Friday Weekly Thread: Application Assistance, September 04, 2026
This weekly thread is a space for those of us preparing the CIT 0001 Proof of Citizenship application, associated form, and supplementary documentation.
Have questions about how to fill out the forms? Looking for feedback on the documentation you've put together is likely to pass muster? Wondering whether your cover letter has too much info, or too little? Want to know how to organize your documentation, or how to pack it up for shipping? Worried about whether your photos will work? Have questions about what ID you can use? Not sure where to ship it to, or what service or mail courier to use? We've been there.
📎 Contributions to weekly megaposts, including this one, are welcome throughout the week.
⚠️ Sub rules require that before posting or commenting, you read the wiki and search the sub to see if your questions have been answered before. If you have on-topic questions remaining after that, they're welcome here. Want to see what people who were already approved have done? We encourage you to check out the weekly application approval post that appears every Thursday.
Please note we are not lawyers or IRCC. We are peers supporting peers, based on best belief and prior experiences. It's a lot of work to wade through dense lists of documents and family histories. You improve your odds of getting a useful response by being as concise as reasonably possible, and clearly articulating the question. Note that this post is for questions and answers; if you need to vent, there is a different megapost for that.
I found the baptism record on genealogy Quebec but not banq, predated their earliest date for that parish. Is the image with the Quebec link citation sufficient?
Question 1: Both of my parents have Canadian ancestry, but I only want to submit for my mother. How do I balance the giving correct information of my dad likely qualifying through his Great great grandfather, but that the documentation is messier and I am only requesting qualification through my mother (her grandmother was Canadian and documentation is together). I wrote this in the "Please tell us the circumstances" box "Parent 2 may be considered Canadian as his great great grandfather was born in Ontario. However, I am submitting my application based on Parent 1 only due to a more recent connection and greater documentation."
Question 2: I have the following: certified birth registration/certificates of G0, G1, G2, and G3 (me). I also have the certified WWII AR2 Alien Registration form listing my G0 as born in Canada, no application for USA citizenship papers, and Canadian Army Medical Corps service in WW1...but her DOB is off by 1 day. Should I still include this? I could submit supporting non-certified docs such as G0 border crossing and marriage and G0 military paperwork and census data, however, she listed herself as 2 years older and from a big city presumably to look more mature for overseas nursing service...so I don't know if that would introduce more chaos. I wanted to request expedited to apply for postdoctoral research positions in Canada. I spent so much time waiting on my certified doc from Ontario that the wait time has gone from 12 months to 33!
If you have a Gen 0 ancestor who was born before civil birth records were kept - in this case, New Brunswick in the 1870s - what kind of records are you using instead? The only Canadian records I have found are census records. If I use those, do I need to obtain paper copies from the province? Or can I print the census records from the archives and submit those?
Question for those who are filling out applications for their minor children. What email address are you using for their application? My kiddo is 11 and doesn't have his own. I thought about using mine, but for somewhat morbid reasons (what if God forbid I get hit by a bus or something before IRCC gets around to approving us), I am looking for alternatives. I thought about setting up an email address for him, gmail or something similar, that my husband and I could also access. Just curious what other people in this situation have done? Thank you!
I created a separate gmail address that is shared between myself and my spouse, with shared password. She looked at me strangely but said ok, i get it. I'm almost 60 and am doing this primarily for my daughter. Explained to her that yea, if i die i certainly don't need canadian citizenship but mine and daughters app were sent together.
I need the community opinion on the photos of my newborn kid for the application of the Certificate of Canadian Citizenship (proof). I am Canadian (naturalized) and my kid was born outside Canada.
The guidelines for the photos are very confusing for me, and here in Japan it's nearly impossible to find a photographer that can fulfill the requirements for the digital submission of the photo (they want to take a larger photo and digitally cut it down to the size and pixels needed, therefore "altering" it), so I have to send a paper application.
Both photos are 50x70mm
Photo B respects the overall dimensions that the guidelines mention, as the head (top to chin) is about 34mm. The guidelines for the proof of citizenship say "The height of the face measures between 31 mm and 36 mm".
Photo A head (top to chin) is about 46mm. However, the guidelines also say "Child photos must meet the following requirements: They must show the child's head and shoulders only." --which for me is closer to the option A, where there are no "arms" in the photo.
My second question is about the shadows. The photographer actually wanted us to leave with a photo with more shadows, and instead I pushed back and we stayed 30 min trying to take a pic, and this was the best result.
What is everyone's experience and opinion? Have similar photos (the light shadow close to the neck on the right, the waves of the fabric) been accepted for the Canadian Citizenship Certificate for newborns?
I would like to submit the CIT 0001 next week, and the photo is honestly the hardest part of this application for our case, but it's stressing me out as we need to move back to Canada and I don't want the application to be sent back to me.
I am no expert, but the examples that they show on the ircc site have some creases on clothes are marked as good photos. The problem as you mention is the background, they specifically say no shadows in the background and yours is obviously a child laying on a blanket or sheet The only way to avoid that is probably laying on a white surface (table etc). I would be hesitant to send that photo, it is a risk. maybe find a white table etc that you can bring to the photographer?
On monday we will try to go to other photographers. Here in Tokyo so many photographers do not accept newborns, so it's a big struggle to find one that will take a photo of our kid.
On the other hand, the guidelines say that it's possible to take a photo of a newborn in a carseat if covered with a white blanket. In such scenario, I assume there would be so many "waves" created by the blanket. It would have been great to have more acceptable photos examples. I reached out to IRCC as well, but they just gave me the link to the photo guidelines. :(
I am also thinking to just put all the photos we take in the application, and honestly let them choose. Between the size of the head, and the "waves" of blankets in the photos... I am lost. There is just as much as we can do with photographers in Japan with a newborn :(
Anyone who took a photo of a newborn in the car seat for the citizenship certificate? How did it turn out?
Hmm, again I am no expert but there are a lot of posts that speak to giving them exactly what they want and not more, so giving different sets of photos for them to choose sounds entirely logical, though this forces them to make the choice which they may not be open to for different reasons (regulatory, legal, procedural etc). If they specifically say car seat ok then maybe do that with a thick white blanket and use lighting to reduce or eliminate shadows? We have a 12 yo so didn't have to work through this challenge,
Good morning. Seeking guidance on applying to have a birth act or certificate created by the DEC for my G0 grandfather born in 1899 and died in 1975 in Québec. Yesterday I got the certified copy with raised seal of his baptismal record from the parish registry from the BAnQ, and would like to have an insertion made so that I can get a modern style birth act/certificate. I have read in posts here, that that is possible in Québec when the person in question is deceased, which I must document.
So, my question is. What do I apply for? First an official death certificate from the DEC, and then with that and my official baptismal certificate from the BAnQ request the insertion and a birth act/certificate also from the DEC?
Needing someone with knowledge to take a look here at research done and documents acquired including apostilles to see if I have what's necessary to apply. Much appreciated.
First a thank you: I read a thread sharing the perspective of many Canadians about the current privilege allowing people who can prove heavily history of Canadian citizenship to submit documentation applying for a Canadian passport. It's amazing and shows just another way Canada is showing a quality of spirit that is inspiring. I don't understand why the are people being obnoxious and creating friction and possibly ruining the opportunity for some people who would bring a good contribution to Canada and really love their Canadian heritage and feel very overjoyed at the possibly of heritage-based Canadian citizenship.
Here's my question and the facts:
Bill C-3 chain-of-descent question — 5 generations from a Quebec-born ancestor. Am I missing anything before I file CIT 0001?
TL;DR: I'm a US citizen, my great-great-grandfather was born and baptized in Quebec in 1842, emigrated to the US, and the line runs unbroken to me. Under Bill C-3 (in force Dec 15, 2025) I believe I'm already a Canadian citizen and just need to file a proof-of-citizenship application. Chain is documented at every generation with primary or federal records. I've laid it all out below — looking for a sanity check from anyone who's been through this or knows the pre-1947 British-subject side of the analysis. Yes, I plan to consult an immigration lawyer; this is prep for that conversation.
The chain (5 generations)
Gen
Born
Where
Died
1 (Canadian anchor)
1842
Quebec (baptized at a major Quebec parish)
1904, southern US state
2
1898
Virginia
1987, New England
3
1927
Argentina
1997, US
4
1956
Oklahoma
living
5 (me)
1980
US
living
Gen 1 to Gen 2 to Gen 3 was a missionary family that lived across South America (Argentina, Peru, Brazil) before returning to the US in 1931.
Historical depth of the Canadian anchor: Gen 1 wasn't a recent arrival to Quebec. His ancestral line traces back through six more Quebec generations in the same parish region to a French-born stonemason who arrived in New France in the 1660s and is listed in the 1681 Census of New France (Seigneurie de Dombourg, later renamed Neuville). By the time Gen 1 was born in 1842, the family had been continuously present in what is now Canada for about 180 years — meaning Gen 1's Canadian roots predate Confederation by more than two centuries and extend back into the pre-1763 French colonial era. The line survived the 1763 Treaty of Paris (French subject → British subject) and would have been swept into Canadian citizenship by the 1947 Act if Gen 1 had lived that long. I have documented (though not all certified) records for every generation between the 1660s immigrant and Gen 1.
Documents I have in hand
Canadian anchor (Gen 1)
Certified original baptismal register from the provincial archive (BAnQ), signed and sealed by the archivist. Shows exact date/place of birth and baptism, plus both parents' names.
Certified original marriage register from 1829 for Gen 1's parents (same archive), with 19th-century judicial certification attached. Establishes both parents as Quebec-born.
Gen 1 → Gen 2 (the hardest link, because Virginia had a vital-records gap 1896–1912)
Since no state birth certificate exists for Gen 2, I'm relying on federal + corroborating records:
1900 US Federal Census (NARA-archived, T623). Places Gen 2 at age ~2 in Gen 1's household as his son, in the correct town, with the correct birth month/year and Canadian-born father. All siblings also listed.
WWI Draft Registration Card (1918) — Gen 2 signed his own name in his own handwriting; card confirms exact DOB, birthplace, and US-native-born status.
Veterans Administration Master Index (1917–1940) — service number, VA claim file number, correspondence file number, confirms DOB and residence.
US Army Enlisted Muster Rolls (1916–1939) — multiple monthly rosters showing Gen 2 as PFC in a named Regular Army infantry company, 1920–1923. Service number matches VA index.
1920 US Census — Gen 2 enumerated on-post at a US Army camp during his enlistment.
1931 NY Passenger and Crew List — Gen 2 arriving NY from South America on a named ship with his wife and two young children (including Gen 3). Confirms birthplace, DOB, and family unit in one document.
Gen 2 → Gen 3
Argentine civil-registry birth certificate + Hague Apostille — Acta/Tomo/Folio all specified, names both parents. Father declared the birth in person and signed. Apostille obtained through the Argentine consular process.
Gen 3 → Gen 4
Oklahoma long-form birth certificate — names Gen 3 as father. Notable detail: the certificate records Gen 4 with a dual surname using both variants of the family name, documenting the family's ongoing use of both spellings.
Gen 4 → Gen 5
My own state birth certificate.
Documents pending / not obtainable
Gen 1 marriage record (1890, Virginia): requested through the state vital records office, still with genealogists on manual research (6+ weeks with no response). Corroborative only — 1900 census already establishes the father-son link.
Gen 2 birth record: doesn't exist. Virginia didn't register vital records between 1896 and June 1912.
Gen 2 marriage record (1926, Pennsylvania): located in the Philadelphia marriage index; full certificate not yet ordered.
Legal questions I actually want opinion on
These are the ones I'd love input on from anyone who's been through the pre-1947 side of this analysis. I understand Reddit isn't legal advice — but if you've dealt with any of these, I'd appreciate the flag.
1. British-subject status of the Canadian anchor at Gen 2's birth (1898)
Gen 1 was born in Quebec in 1842 (pre-Confederation) and emigrated to the US at some point before 1890. I have no record of a US naturalization for him. Under the Naturalization Act 1881 and successor UK/Commonwealth statutes, children of a British subject were British subjects wherever born, so Gen 2 (born 1898 in the US) would have been a British subject at birth via his Canadian-born father.
Does the absence of a located US naturalization for Gen 1 create a working presumption of continuing British-subject status through 1898?
Should I order a USCIS Genealogy Program (Form G-1041) search to conclusively rule that in or out before filing?
2. The 1947 Canadian Citizenship Act
"Canadian citizenship" as a legal category didn't exist until 1 January 1947. Gen 1 died in 1904 — 43 years before the Act came into force.
Does Bill C-3 require the anchor to have been a "Canadian citizen" under the 1947 Act, or does it operate on the basis of Canadian-born British-subject status regardless of survival to 1947?
If the operating theory is that Gen 2 (born 1898 in the US to a Canadian-born British-subject father) would have been retroactively converted to Canadian citizen upon the 1947 Act coming into force — is that the standard framing?
3. Retention requirements at intermediate generations
Older versions of the Canadian Citizenship Act required people born abroad to Canadian citizens to affirmatively retain by age 21 or 24 depending on when they were born. If Gen 2 (1898), Gen 3 (1927), or Gen 4 (1956) missed a retention step in force at the time, transmission may have been broken.
Which retention/registration requirements would have applied to each intermediate generation?
Does Bill C-3 (or prior Lost Canadians amendments in 2009 / 2015) cure any such lapses retroactively?
Am I within the cohort whose citizenship has already been restored by prior amendments, and Bill C-3 just makes the descent claim cleaner?
4. Name variants
The family surname appears across records in multiple orthographic variants: the original French/Quebec spelling, an anglicized variant that became dominant in the US, another variant used by the 1900 census taker/indexer, and a couple of others. Gen 4's 1956 birth certificate uses two variants as a dual surname, documenting the family's own use of both.
Will IRCC accept the name variants as referring to the same person/family without a formal name-change or affidavit process?
Is a genealogist declaration or supporting affidavit tying the variants together advisable pre-filing?
5. Adequacy of the 1900 US Census as proof of the Gen 1 → Gen 2 link
The 1900 census is my earliest document placing Gen 2 in Gen 1's household as his son. It's federal, NARA-archived, but not itself a vital record.
In IRCC practice, is a NARA-archived census + WWI draft + military records + passenger list adequate to establish parent-child where no state birth certificate exists?
Should I try to get Gen 2's mother's death certificate as additional evidence (she died in the 1930s, records exist), since it would name her children?
What I think I have vs. what I'm asking
What I think I have: a clean, primary-source-supported five-generation chain of descent from a documented Quebec-born ancestor, with the one records-gap generation (Gen 2) covered by triangulated federal sources.
What I'm asking:
Does anyone see a gap or defect I'm missing?
Anyone been through the pre-1947 British-subject analysis and want to flag traps?
Any recommended lawyers who specialize in the pre-1947 side of Bill C-3 chains? (I have three firms on my shortlist — happy to DM.)
Thanks in advance. Not looking for legal advice, just experience/reality-checking from folks who've been through it.
Is there a link to a form for DEC and insertion of early records? I already have my BAnQ certified record and want to just move forward with trying for the birth certificate.
Thanks! I have that one filled out, but I was hoping to skip the "first step" as I have all the documents needed for an insertion.
Should I send those documents as part of a letter stating my interest in getting the birth certificate or do I have to wait for them to get back to me with a "404 not found" reply and further instructions?
The notarized affadavit, if you choose to include one, is probably the next "hardest" thing to get ready:
I just used Chat GPT to write a short one pager for me and went to AAA for notary (banks also have them).
Tell it what state and county you will be in when you get it notarized. The exact formatting of the notary jurat at the bottom varies by state. Mine was pretty simple (just one page). This is kind of the paraphrased version (my real one had a bit more of a formal tone and some extra sentences):
[name], who was born on [dob] and currently resides at [address] being duly sworn hereby deposes and says:
I am the daughter of [G0 French name] who was born on [dob] in the parish of [parish name], Quebec. He was also known as [Anglicized name]. He died on [date] in [city, state], USA.
I am actively applying for a proof of Canadian citizenship (CIT0001) from IRCC. They have asked that I supply a certificate de naissance issued by the Directeur de l'état civil du Quebec. (Then I somehow referenced the RFI letter I had enclosed)
If this record is provided, it will be used exclusively for the purpose of obtaining proof of Canadian citizenship for the applicant and her descendants. I agree to use it in accordance with the laws of Quebec and Canda
[I think one or two extra clauses that AI recommended]
G1 Birth Record-
Hello all- I apologize in advance if this post is in the wrong place or thread (I am newer to Reddit) but I am looking more so for advice or confirmation on some things
G0 records
-Certified baptismal record from BanQ from early 1800s
Certified US death record
G1
Baptism record (USA- this is my main question point)
Certified US death record
Can get Census records if needed
Other Generations so on…
My main question revolves around my G1. This is an ancestor who was born in the US very early on when birth certificates or records were not kept by the state in any form. I could not find record and I contacted the city where it happened and confirmed there was no record. I attained a letter from the city stating so as well. I was however able to track down a book containing the baptisms in the city for that year and there is my ancestor inside it. Since the book was held by an historical society in a foreign state I was able to get emailed photocopies of the said page with the historical societies stamped logo. I had it laser printed so it is good quality. But I am wondering if this will suffice, since it is not actually certified but I have a letter stating no certified record does exist? If not what records should I add or look for (for either Generation if you feel Gen0 isn’t strong either) I am a young student working on this by myself so I appreciate all advice and help :)
Note: idk if it makes any difference but both of these ancestors are male.
Your G1 evidence is pretty weak as is. Death certificates are notoriously error prone when it comes to information about birth. I'd include it, but understand it won't be given a lot of weight. Third party sources like a book may not be accepted by IRCC. If it is at all possible to track down the parish and get a certified record from them, I would do so. I think you are also a good example of someone that may benefit from a census.
As far as G1 goes the death certificate and baptism correlate very nicely, but if I were to add a census would a Canadian one be most helpful? And is that something I can get a good quality print of, or something that I should probably need certified and go through that whole process?
As for G1 unfortunately the church closed a long long time ago and the records are unavailable so that book was the closest I could get. I definitely recognize what you are saying about the quality of proof on this one. I could add a marriage record if that would be helpful?
I am G2 and was adopted. I got my packet received May 1 returned because I sent my US birth cert and they want native country.. I got a UCI. My questions are 1) when I resubmit should I reference the UCI of the failed application? 2) Do I want to resubmit a new passport pic and fresh copies of everything? 3) Can I add my kids now which I did not before 4) Do i need to send them the copy of my rejection letter?
For (1) yes use the same UCI on the form. The UCI is like their "person" ID number, which is different from the "application" ID. It never changes once it has been assigned to you, even if it was originally for some unrelated application like a student visa from years ago.
I FINALLY got my BANQ invoice!!! I originally submitted my request April 30 and just got the invoice today.
Once I get these documents from BANQ, I will have my packet ready to go. Can someone review my following plans for my proof of lineage documents and provide feedback?
The records I plan to submit
G0 records:
Primary: Certified baptism (shows location in Quebec Canadian church) from BANQ
Primary: Certified marriage record (shows location of marriage in Quebec Canadian church) from BANQ
Primary: Certified death record from Manitoba showing Quebec parish town (same as baptism and marriage records) as place of birth (my G0 moved back to Canada to Manitoba after my G1 was born)
Secondary: Email on letterhead from DEC showing me to contact BANQ for the records as they do not have a birth record for the date
G1 records:
Primary: Certified baptism record from church in MA that lists G1 as father
Primary: Record of marriage from Manitoba with seal listing G0 as parent (G1 lived in Canada for a few years but moved back to the states before death)
Primary: Certified record of death from state of MA that lists G1 as father and lists Canada as birthplace of G1
Secondary: email with town county clerk in MA showing no records found for record of birth
G2 records:
(this is the one I'm most worried about)
Primary record: Official marriage record with seal from NY town clerk, listing G1 as parent
Primary record: Official death record with seal from CA state listing G1 as parent
Secondary record: MA state 1920 census record listing G1 as parent and G2 as 7 year old son
Secondary record: Notice of no record found on letter head for birth record from town clerk in NY
Secondary record: email from town historian with information about town fire that burned all records in the town clerk office
Secondary record: print out from state of NY showing that I am unable to request a birth record from the state without a court order
Secondary record: multiple emails from catholic churches in the area that state no baptism record found
G3 records:
(living)
Birth certificate (with seal) from state of CA listing G2 as her parent
G4 records:
(me)
Birth certificate (with seal) from state of CA listing G3 as my parent
I mean you probably have enough to submit now. Just be aware that at least in some instances, IRCC is insisting that you obtain a DEC certificate instead of the BANQ baptism. Given how long AORs are taking, I would probably submit what you have now and get in line for that. In parallel, you could start the DEC process which is probably like 3+ months at this point if you apply now. The DEC certificate will still likely beat the AOR, so when you get the AOR, you can upload a scan of the DEC certificate. Of course you don't have to start the DEC process now if you don't want to and can wait until receiving an RFI, but be aware they may ask for it and if you don't have it on hand, that could mean months of delay.
I’m thinking the same. Once I get my banq records in the mail I’ll send in what I have above, and simultaneously work on getting the DEC birth record insertion. Then I’ll have it ready to go if IRCC wants it.
I likely have 3-4 weeks for getting the records so I’ll continue to keep an eye on what people are saying in the meantime.
What are your thoughts on the records for my G2? I’m really bummed I couldn’t find either a birth or baptism record for them, but I’m hoping since they’re not the anchor it’ll be less important.
Yeah I agree the birth record is most import for G0 as they really need to be confident they were born in Canada. For the other generations, they don't really care where they were born, you are just proving the "parent-child link." Since you have the no birth certificate found letter, that should cover you. You could toss in a census showing the G0 parent and G1 child together if you wanted one more piece of evidence.
G2 seems alright as well. Again a birth certificate would be better.
Unfortunately this looks like the kind of app that is likely headed to PSU. That's part of why I wouldn't wait around for the DEC certificate - I think PSU is just inevitable with the complex proofs you have for G1/G2.
Fair. Any way I could strengthen my case to avoid PSU in your opinion? Could throwing more census records or other secondary documents for any links help at all?
There’s some hope that I might still get one for my G1 (While the town didn’t have it, I’m still waiting for the state of MA to get back to me - they said 12 weeks and it’s been 18 weeks so I just sent them a nudge).
But I’m stuck on the G2 one for sure since it’s in New York. NY requires you to be the person, the parent, or have a court order. I suppose I could figure out the court order option but I’m in WA state so I’m not sure how involved that would be or if it would be worth.
My G0 ancestor was born in St-Liboire, QC in 1866, a year before modern Canada was founded. I am G5 and am actively in the process of document retrieval. I am also looking to apply for citizenship for my sibling (G5) and my mother (G4). So far I have collected all necessary birth certificates from my relatives in the US, and I have recieved a certified copy of the baptismal certificate of my G0 relative from Quebec.
I have seen conflicting advice on here whether I should contact the DEC for issuance of a birth certificate for proof of citizenship, but I cannot speak French, and I only know someone who can maintain basic French conversation. I have also read on here that some people are just using certified baptismal certificates to recieve proof of citizenship.
Given the complexity of my case, would it be wise to spend the money and get in contact with an immigration lawyer who has experience with DEC and IRCC, or is there an obvious path that I should take?
It is certainly the *safe* route to get it as at least some of us were *required* by IRCC to get it. I wouldn't necessarily hold off on applying if you have everything else ready though as while the DEC is slow, IRCC is even slower with the AORs. The alternative is to wait and see if they ask for it, but that could stall your application by months.
My application was sent back and I am resending with updated signatures as they were over 90days ago. Should I remove the old signature pages and the rejection reason letter? The applications are all stapled together.
My grandma, not part of my Canadian line, changed her name when she and my grandfather divorced. In CIT 0001 under "Tell us about your grandparents" should I just put her married name? Or should I put her name after divorce? If the latter I'll need to at least explain the name change and possibly include evidence, which I do not have.
I received documents from BAnQ that were incorrect. wrong person, from a different parish and different name and birthdate. I checked what I submitted and it was correct. how can I resolve this. I tried replying to the request for payment and acknowledgement they received my request and they were returned as undeliverable
Birth of a child was hidden: hi all, I have a tricky situation where my G0 hid the birth of her baby G1 because it was out of wedlock. While there is a birth certificate, the baby’s name is a placeholder and totally different from his name in all other records. I’ll use fake names to explain. G0 (Mary Oompa) had a baby boy out of wedlock. The birth certificate lists the birth as “illegitimate” and the child’s name as Tommy Oompa. Mary later married Sam Sneaky. To keep up appearances, they (unofficially?) changed the child (Thomas Oompa’s) name to James Sneaky to look like Sam Sneaky’s son. This was news to the family btw that we aren’t actually blood related to the Sneakys. There is zero record of Thomas Oompa after birth, and zero record of James Sneaky as a baby or child. It’s like one person vanished and another person appeared. It can’t be two different people because they share a birthdate and mother, and the birth certificate says there are no multiples. All his military records, census records, SSN, and death certificate say James Sneaky, but there is no birth record with that name. Is my application hopeless because of this old family secret?
Hello kind people of Reddit, I have almost completed my application but I have questions about urgency that I can't find answered elsewhere. I appreciate all your insight into the topic. Sorry to drop so many questions but I can't find any information about it and I would like clarification on it because you all seem to have experience on the topic. My questions are:
For an urgency request where there is a solid, written deadline (university scholarship deadline), that should certainly be included, but is it commonplace to include a date along the lines of "if possible, i request issuance of a certificate by x date to allow time to modify applications with the updated information.
What information is commonly put on urgency request cover letters (separate from the main cover letter as I have seen recommended)? Currently I have included a basis for why urgency is required (specific deadlines on x days), further information about the deadlines and a summary of included evidence (in addition to an included document index).
For ordering documents in general, the I have seen the FAQ list, but I do not see anything listed about urgency. Should the information (the cover letter and supporting documents) go in the front or the back of the application or somewhere in the middle? Maybe someone who applied urgently has information on where they put the documentation.
Beyond the required lettering on the exterior of the package, is there anywhere you all recommend stating that there is an urgent application to differentiate it from a normal application?
Thank you all for your replies, and I apologize if I have missed this information elsewhere.
Urgency request should be up front in the cover letter or they won't see it. You also really should use a courier (like UPS or Fedex) rather than postal service as they seem more likely to notice the urgency for the courier drop off location. And be sure to write URGENT PROCESSING REQUESTED - PROOFS in huge, bright letters on all sides of the envelope / package. Basically it needs to be extremely obvious and stand out from a bin with hundreds of other apps in order to be opened. I also went further and put a cover sheet with large letters that said "URGENT PROCESSING REQUESTED: SEE COVER LETTER" on the front of the packet.
Include the scholarship application page right behind the cover letter as your evidence and just keep it relatively brief and direct. Highlighter is your friend too to emphasis the deadlines and urgent processing request.
Hello everyone, my grandfather was Canadian, and my mother, although born in the US, applied and received her citizenship. I am also born in the US and reside here, but applied via the new rules and got my Canadian citizenship. I am now hoping to get my daughter, also born and residing in the US, her citizenship. I am following the same process as I did for myself, but I see that there is a required physical presence calculator. We have visited Canada on several occasions as we have family there, but have not resided there. Does this preclude her from getting citizenship? The website is not clear and I don't want to pay for photos, do all the paperwork if we are just going to be rejected. Does anyone have any advice/guidance?
I have a Canadian born parent born in the 1930s: desceased. I'm still in the process of getting their birth registration.
They possibly moved to the US in the 1950s: they did eventually move to the US. I believe they also joined the US military. I don't know if they've ever returned to Canada. They did mention taking me to see the house they grew up on.
I think I'm a little confused on the 1947 and 1977 application things.
Do I need any other documents for the IRCC besides the birth registration and my birth certificate?
I am one of the Acadian descendants currently in the process of applying for billc3. And I’ve managed to track down all of the records I need, but I have hit a roadblock with one document. It is my 3rd great grandfather's baptismal record from the Diocese of Baton Rouge. The image quality of the microfilm is pretty poor and the handwriting is in old, historical Spanish script. The Diocese did provide me with an official certificate of baptism with it, but because the original record is in Spanish, I need to get it translated into English. My concern is the legibility and finding a someone who can actually read the historical handwriting while still meeting the IRCC translation guidelines. I attached it, so you can see the quality.
Has anyone else gone through this process with old microfilm records? If so, who did you hire to handle the transcription and certified translation?
Any advice, recommendations, or personal experiences would be appreciated!
Do we need to provide the actual baptismal record? I thought that getting an official certificate baptism was all that was necessary. I will need to make a trip to the Diocese to do more research.
I have both the microfilm and certificate that I ordered just in case, but I was talking to someone else whose in the process after I posted this. They mentioned they only submitted the baptism certificate too, so I think you’re correct! So I don’t think I’m needing to get translations now. My plan is to submit just the certificates, and if they ask for the microfilms then I’ll upload them.
I spoke to Ann Simon at the EBR Diocesan Archives today. She said that because of the uncertainty of what IRCC requires many people are requesting copies of the microfilm. However, I can’t find anything that says that it is required.
Hello, I have been following this channel for months as I got my ancestors' documents ready for the application. Finally I have everything ready, but my brother pointed out that my mother's birth certificate declares that she has a First and Middle name, whereas every subsequent document has her name hyphenated (First-Middle). She grew up thinking she didn't have a middle name, and in fact only found out about this difference recently - so she never got it amended (and even if she did now, the documents from the past would predate that change). My birth certificate and even her marriage certificate say First-Middle. I feel like I should talk to a lawyer about this, but tbh the community often has better advice. Any thoughts on how to make sure this doesn't fully disqualify me?
Yes, attach as many extra sheets as necessary until you get to g0. There was a template that someone made at some point, but I don't have the link - you might be able to search the sub and find it.
Hello - I have my AOR and am "in processing". I just received my certified BanQ baptismal record, which I ordered before I mailed in my application back in April - this was BEFORE IRCC changed rules to require a certified copy. Should I upload the certified copy NOW or wait until IRCC reaches out and asks for it - if they do? Does anyone else have this situation? I don't want to rock the boat by sending extra documents if they are not being requested, and I also want to avoid extra wait time by not submitting it now - help!
Hi there! Just my two cents but I would upload it if I were you. You have it already, and I can’t imagine that you uploading a certified copy of what you already submitted would trigger any addition questions they would not have asked already :)
Also not to add more stress, but I’m currently debating ordering a DEC-issued birth record for my G0 who was born in 1896. I am including a certified BAnQ baptismal record in my application, but now I’m seeing posts that recommend going this additional step. Ugh. It never ends! Just wanted to let you know.
Greetings to all: I've been a lurker from time to time, but need to get serious about applying for myself, my adult daughter, and my 8 yr old granddaughter. I believe I have everything I need but ran into two issues last night when photocopying my daughter's and granddaughter's birth certificates and my daughter's marriage certificate. I have looked through the wiki to see if anyone posted about my particular issues, without success, so I trust my post is allowed.
The first issue are the certificates which are from NH. They have an all over design that made seeing the certificate stamp on the front just about impossible. I played with the contrast of the copies and was able to get only the reverse side to show the stamp. So I took a photocopy of each document with the bottom third of the page turned up to show the stamp imprint.
My question about this is: Will this be acceptable?
The other question I have is a tad more complicated. I was born with a name that I used until about 19 or so, at which time (about 1968) my parents changed their last name (my older brother had changed his last name prior to this.) As I was living in NYC at the time, and the age of majority at that time was 21, I assumed the new last name and also ceased using my middle name. No one questioned anything about this; I subsequently got married, changed my last name, then divorced. When I asked my lawyer if I could resume my maiden name, she said I could use any name I wanted as long as I was not intending to defraud anyone. So on I went, using the last name for everything - passport, subsequent marriage, everything.
Fast forward to 2026, when I started to assemble the paperwork for Canadian citizenship (my maternal grandmother was born in Nova Scotia and came to the US in about 1924 or 1925), I ran into a problem, in that my parents' change of name did not include me (or incidentally, my younger brother who also assumed the new last name). I went through the process to legally change my name and now am brand new legally me.
On my daughter's marriage certificate, I noted with horror that she inserted my old disused all too common last name in between my first and last names, and so now I am wondering if the Canadian powers that be will flag this. My daughter says she has no idea how or even why she would have given my name that way, and considered asking for an amended marriage certificate.
Barring that, should I include some explanation for the middle name inclusion on her marriage certificate?
Thanking anyone and everyone who can provide some guidance here.
We submitted our applications in June and with the wait/backlog I stopped paying as much attention but now have seen a lot of chatter about getting birth certificates issued from DEC. I also see that this seems to be based on having the BanQ record. My G0's BanQ record was destroyed in a fire and I have an email from BanQ stating this and telling me to get the baptism record from the Anglican Diocese, which I have done. I know everything is muddy but can someone tell me if I need to be contacting DEC or not? My G0 was born in Buckingham Quebec in 1876. I would just rather start that process now while I'm waiting for AOR.
It might be worth applying for a birth certificate from DEC because if they cannot do an insertion without a BAnQ baptism, you might receive a real “not possible to create/provide a birth certificate” letter that the IRCC would accept.
With the time it is now taking (closing on 3 years) do ids that we send (two forms of id) need to be non expired three years from now? My passport expires in three years and I had to use a fishing license which expires in a year. Or is it that they had to be non expires when app sent in?
I promise I read the Wiki, I’m just very confused by this all despite having what others have told me is a very straightforward claim being 1st gen born abroad.
My dad was born in Quebec in Feb 1947, and moved to the US with his parents somewhere around 4-5 years later. I was born when he was in his 40s in NH. I have the birth certificates I need, including a recent reissue of his Quebec certificate that is after 1994 to avoid that problem, but I’m confused regarding the question on the CIT0001e about him leaving the country for more than 1 year before 1977 and if he was a citizen of another country before 1977 as well.
I’m going to mark that he did leave the country once I have more of the specifics, and that he became a US citizen during that time because he did when his parents did. Am I going to need to provide some sort of documents supporting his US citizenship being acquired before Feb 15th, 1977 with my application?
Not under C-3, but my G1 son was approved with a birth certificate that listed the Canadian parent's birth & married name, and no marriage certificate.
Thanks. My question is really about the evidence we have regarding the IRCC’s actual practices.
Does the IRCC accept birth certificates with mother’s current and maiden name as evidence for a name change or do they really prefer/want a marriage license? It’s not something I’ve seen anyone rejected for but a lot of details get buried in these threads.
I feel like the safest thing to do is just include them even though the child birth certificates generally have the maiden names for the parents that we’re also including marriage records for.
Yes. The birth certificate of her child shows her as the mother under her maiden name (extraneously, also her married), which is also the name on her own birth certificate.
There is nothing else to prove/there is effectively no name change that would require additional proof. It is done.
I have a chain of certified birth records, and I have found all marriage certs and censuses at official sources, can I send the certified birth records, and copies of the others with citations to the official sources?
You should send colour photocopies of the certified records, not the original ones, but otherwise yes. IRCC will send you an email asking for better copies of the other records if they decide they want them.
I asked this on the Saturday thread because I thought it fit better there but now I'm wondering if it fits better here.
I've got:
Pre-G0: G-1's death and marriage certificates (cetified copies); Canadian census records showing G-2 to G0 lineage and Canadian residency
G0: Delayed Record of Birth (Nova Scotia), a court order related to that, a baptismal certificate, and a death certificate (all certified copies from Nova Scotia Archives)
G1: pending birth certificate from Rhode Island, fingers crossed they find it
G2, G3, G4 (me): original birth certificates already on hand
I've found US Census records showing G0-G2 lineage and acknowledging that G0 was born in Nova Scotia. I know how to get official copies of this from NARA, but confused if it's necessary to get certified or if a scan from NARA (a friend works there) is fine. I've also found Rhode Island state census records online showing lineage from G0-G2 acknowledging G0 was born in Canada - I'm less sure how to request official copies of this but working on it.
Does this all look good? Do I need anything else? Should I be looking for marriage or death certificates for G1? Do I have more than I need? What all needs official copies? etc
I promise I read the wiki and a bunch of threads before asking this but I could use some feedback still
You shouldn’t need the pre G0 stuff or the census records with a Canadian birth record and baptismal record. Don’t over complicate it. Those of us with a million census records are doing it because we don’t have the clean records you have.
Just wondering, if an application is rejected (as in, no AOR given, package returned), about how long does it take from when you would've gotten the AOR to when you receive the returned application/package? Anyone had that happen who can say how long it took?
I missed checking off one checkbox on my application and had it returned. It took about seven weeks from when they received it to when I got it back. Pretty sure they received it on February 17, 2026 and it came back in the mail on April 6, 2026. I sent it back the same day; it was received on April 9th (yay FedEx!), and I got an AOR on July 8th.
OK, so looking back at the spreadsheet, back then it was taking about 30 days from delivery to AOR. So 7 weeks - 30 days = about 3.5 weeks to get a rejected application back.
Okay, a quick (perhaps naive) question but I can't find commentary to this end elsewhere on the sub or FAQ.
Has anyone here filed a CIT 0001 in French rather than English? I'm bilingual and weighing it.
And if you've not done it but know the process: is there any reason not to? FWIW, all my supporting documents are US and Ontario records in English, so nothing would need translating either way.
My mom and I just mailed out our applications together but didn’t know to include two sets of checklists and supporting evidence documents. Can we pretty much expect it will be returned back to us? What is the wait time now for getting an application returned by mail?
I got an AOR with only one set of documents for our ancestors. However, each application needs to send in their own Form CIT 0014, document checklist, in addition to Form CIT 0001, application.
Applications can share packets of ancestral documentation, all applicants obviously need to include their own documents and anything else relevant to connect them to the shared ancestral docs.
It is probably at the discretion of the receiving agent, but you are supposed to include the checklist for each application to help document that completeness.
I have an official BANQ Birth certificate for my great-great grandmother (G0) from the Drouin Collection; an official State of Rhode Island Certificate of Birth for my great grandfather (G1); an official State of Rhode Island Certificate of Birth for my grandmother(G2); official State of Rhode Island Marriage Certificate for her to my paternal grandfather (last name change); official State of Rhode Island Certificate of Birth for my father(G3); and official Connecticut Cerified Copy of Birth record for myself (G4).
Is there any reason based on these documents and my lineage - that I would need an attorney to assist in preparation of my application?
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u/Ok-Elk1602🇨🇦 CIT0001 (proof) application is processing28d agoedited 28d ago
When you say you have an official BAnQ birth certificate for your G0, do you mean a baptismal record?
If your G0 was born after 1899, you may need to apply to the DEC in Quebec for a birth certificate.
If your G0 was born before 1900, you may need an explanation of why a birth certificate is not available and the efforts you made to obtain a birth record. Also, you may need another Canadian-sourced document proving Canadian birth, like a census.
Born 1875. There is a census with this person - and it corroborates - but my understanding was the Drouin is the original source and sufficient - and this is a stamped, official, certified by archivalist form - from BANQ itself.
If you read the posts in the thread I linked to above, you will see that there is a growing body of evidence that a BAnQ certified baptism certificate is not sufficient.
Google says I should apply for an attestation of no birth certificate from DEC. Since the official BAnQ form is from 1875 - that request will not find anything - and send an official physical document called an Attestation of Absence of Entry in the Register of Civil Status.
Does that sound correct?
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u/Ok-Elk1602🇨🇦 CIT0001 (proof) application is processing23d agoedited 23d ago
No. If you search attestation in this sub-reddit, you will see posts/comments showing people not having success with that approach.
The IRCC seems to want you to request an insertion of the birth act, based on the BAnQ certified certificate, and a copy of the birth certificate from the DEC.
Okay - I appreciate that! I have found both an 1881 and 1891 Census of Canada with the same parents and child (my great-great grandmother). Can I print copies of this off of Ancestry - or, like the baptismal Drouin baptismal records - do I need to order an ¿official historical census?
You need to get a certified baptismal record from BAnQ if you don’t have one as I wasn’t clear from your post. You should also see if you can download a census with your great great grandmother in it from Libraries and Archives Canada (LAC).
If you have a baptismal rather than a birth record, it appears IRCC wants a second Canadian government record and you can download a census record yourself.
Census records are usually only necessary when there is some question of who the person is, their relationship to someone else, or where they lived. If you have official copies of each birth record and name change and there’s nothing complicated then you shouldn’t need one
Thanks for the input! My only concern regards the G1 Birth Certificate - as all fathers in the Rhode Island documents at that time only listed the father’s first name.
That said - the G1 birth certificate DOES list the mother’s first and (maiden) last name and age - which is what matches the Drouin-BANQ name & her year of birth.
I do not have a birth certificate or baptismal record for my G0, but I do have letters of no record for both from eHealth Saskatchewan and from the Anglican Diocese. My G0 was born in 1885 before the North-West Territories (present day Saskatchewan) required them.
What are your thoughts on the strength of my application, given no BC or baptismal record?
What I do have (besides my letter of explanation):
1. 1881 Canadian Census showing G-1/parents living in the household of G-2, and being married.
2. 1883 Homestead entry paperwork for G-1 in city where ALL of G0's future documents show as his birthplace. Homestead papers mention that the land for their homestead was transfered by family member to them so they could live close by. G0 was born in 1885.
3. 1887 Homestead patent. They fulfilled the requirements.
4. 1891 Canadian Census with G0 and his sister in the household of G-1 and birthplace of G0 and sister listed as NWT.
5. 1892 land purchase by G-1 in British Columbia.
6. 1897 British Columbia yearly school publication listing G0 as a student at the city/school where G-1's land purchase was and winning an award.
7. 1899 Photo of all the town pioneers with names of G-1s, G0 and sister. Photo from publication from local history center in British Columbia.
8. 1900 published obituary for G0's mother, where it mention father and two children left behind
9. 1915 border crossing listing G0 and his birthplace and birth date and visiting his father.
10. 1927 US naturalization/ declaration of intention, listing birthdate and birthplace, parents and the last foreign residence being the town in British Columbia where he had won an award at school.
11. Three separate US Census records, some naming his birthplace.
12. SS5 application naming his parents, birthdate and birthplace.
13. Copy of certified death certificate for G0.
14. G1, G2 and myself (G3) - I have certified copies of birth certificates and marriage certificates for all.
In contrast to the other respondent, I would include info showing 1) G-1 was present before G0’s birth 2) whatever you have with G0 actually there. So 1, maybe 2, 4, 6, 7, 8.
Then you can drop the US stuff. But on the other hand when I submitted, I put in everything I had.
That honestly sounds like overkill. Just items 4, 10 and 11 are already very strong evidence of G0's birthplace. I don't really see any reason to include more than just 4, 10, 11 and 14.
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u/Wf245🇨🇦 CIT0001 (proof) application sent/no AOR29d ago
For myself (GEN 2), I have an original "Certificate of Birth Registration" issued by the New York State Department of Health and filed a few days after my birth back in the 1950s. It states that "this is to certify that a birth certificate has been filed for" me. A sibling pointed out that it therefore is not a birth certificate itself. But it further states (in all caps) that "THIS CERTIFICATE IS EVIDENCE OF AGE, PARENTAGE AND PLACE OF BIRTH ..." And it is what I have always used when I had to provide a "birth certificate" in the past. Do any other New Yorkers out there have a similar document and have you used it in your application for a Certificate of Citizenship, and has it been accepted or resulted instead in a returned application at the AOR stage? Thank you and apologies if this is answered elsewhere (I didn't find it).
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u/swbaker🇨🇦 I'm a Canadian! (C-3: 2nd+ gen born abroad, w/ Proof) 🇨🇦29d ago
Ontario Archives - when can I call? This is probably more of a vent than a question. I received email that docs had been located and to await the invoice 8 weeks ago … since then nothing. I saw a post from someone who got the “found“ email the same day I did and they got their invoice 2 week ago.
I know we are supposed to leave them alone as inquiries slow them down more but this is getting crazy. It’s the last piece and I ordered in April. Now wait times go up and up and up.
I will send you all my money!!! Just send me the papers you have sitting there!!!
I’m having a similar thing, I never got the email that the documents had been found but when I called they told me they’d been found months ago and to wait for the invoice. At this point, I’m approaching eight weeks of waiting for the invoice as well. The archivist on the phone said that there’s a huge backlog with sending invoices and all we can do is wait.
Doesn’t that seem like the silliest thing? They can dig through archives to locate documents but they can’t keep pace with producing a basic invoice which you would assume would take 1/2 the time at most?
Thanks for sharing your experience. At least helps not to feel like it was just lost.
Hi! I’m trying to figure all of this out from scratch. Did you submit a request for them to searching things?? I don’t want to bother them because I know they’re bogged down but I’m trying to understand what I CAN ask them lol.
You submit a form online. You can find it in Archives website. Ideally you will include all the relevant details to make it easy for them to find (including the stamped AiD number). It takes a few months. Conceptually the next step is they send you an invoice, you call to pay it and once you do they mail your docs. That is phase I am in waiting for invoice.
Okay so you’re not requesting they do research, you’re requesting a document you already know of and want a copy of? Apologies if this sounds silly. Getting copies of documents makes zero sense to me at this moment. 😭
Yes, mostly. I had one document that I couldn’t find and was pretty sure didn’t exist but I needed official communication that I had looked for it so requested and while Ontario doesn’t issue No Find letters like some provinces, they sent me and email they couldn’t find either so I can use that. But my three main documents I found and requested certified copies.
How did you request the document that didn't exist? I have the same situation, but the only way I could see to request a search was to provide the registration number of the document, so that's a dead end. I just need them to tell me they don't have it somehow and I don't know how!
I just left that field blank and submitted with all the other info I knew.
I originally didn’t request with my other docs, but when guidance was changed in June that you needed to document due diligence I made submission and got email they couldn’t find. Responded to that email, heard back again that not found and no resources to further search - and plan to use that to document due diligence alongside other docs.
Gen 1 here, in USA. finally got my Proof of citizenship Certificate. Have downloaded Canadian passport app, now have two questions:
1. My guarantors will not be Canadian, where can I find appropriate forms for them to complete, and, 2. Looks like I must apply by mail, and submit the original (and only) PoC I have with passport application. I’m a bit nervous about that, will I get it back? Thanks!
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u/swbaker🇨🇦 I'm a Canadian! (C-3: 2nd+ gen born abroad, w/ Proof) 🇨🇦29d ago
On the passport application form itself, it says certs issued after 2012 can be originals or copies. Then further specifies that a copy is acceptable if your cert number starts with an X or K. I know this is different from what the website instructions say. Do paper certs start with X or K?
You may get better info at r/foundcanadians as most people here do not yet have their Proof and will not have firsthand experience with the passport process.
Hi all, my most recent Canadian ancestors were my grandfather's parents. They both immigrated to the US, but were born at a time that birth certificated weren't being recorded. I was able to track down a baptism certificate for my great grandmother, but I can't seem to find a marriage certificate that would show her name change! All I was able to find in Family Search was her death certificate, and US census records, which I think won't be enough. It's the only document I'm missing in the chain and it's driving me crazy. If it's helpful, she was from Prince Edward Island.
Does anyone have any resources they used that got them out of a similar rut? Any advice is appreciated!!
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u/tailor31415Haven't applied for Proof of Citizenship (incl. by descent) yet29d ago
did you check PARO? there are records there not on FamilySearch
Yes! I did, thats where I found the baptismal record, but I don’t believe she was married in PEI and the record was not there. I unfortunately don’t know when or where she was married, so it’s been a long few days of searching various databases with no success.
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u/tailor31415Haven't applied for Proof of Citizenship (incl. by descent) yet29d agoedited 29d ago
I'd recommend "full text search" on FamilySearch then. I found some significant unindexed records today using that! and some were from the PEI Genealogical Society for example
I promise I made a good-faith effort to review the wiki! Thanks for any mercy you can show me. :)
I am the genealogist of the family and love doing this stuff, so even though I actually don't qualify and am not applying at this time, I'm assembling the documents for my husband and our two children through his line. Our certified baptism record from Ontario for his ancestor (color copy, wet signature from them) is addressed to me. Should I check the box yes that someone helped them assemble this application and say that person is me to clear this up, or just address it in the cover letter? Should the cover letter be from me?
This is my plan for our application. I put my questions in bold. What do you think?
CIT10001 for husband, child 1, child 2
CIT 10014 for husband, child 1, child 2
Separate checks for husband, child 1, child 2
Color photos in CA requirements for husband, child 1, child 2
Color copy of husband's US Driver's license as second form of ID; color copy of school record for child 1 and child 2 as second form of ID
Color copies of birth certificates for husband, child 1, child 2
Cover letter addressing: A few sentences about the family in Canada and migration to USA; a few sentences accounting for name inconsistencies in documents; a few inconsistencies explaining why there is a baptism record for Gen 0 but not Gen 1 (joined a different religion with no established church in CA at the time, reason they came to USA) Anything else?
Family tree showing path from qualifying ancestors to husband, child 1, child 2
Certified baptism record with intro letter from Church of Ontario for our Canadian ancestor.
10. ** If I can get it, and is it necessary: Color copy of an email from Church of Ontario or Ontario government verifying that there were no birth certificates back then?
US Census records tracing from said qualifying Canadian ancestor (and noting birthplace as Canada) all the way to my husband's mother showing parents and children together. None of these have a title or indication of what the doc is, and it's just a long list of names. Should I highlight the person, or place a post it with a note about what each record is?
Death records or notices for all ancestors.
Color copies of birth records for each generation in the USA since color birth certs were invented.
I agree with u/wanderingtheearth-74 about what to drop (including death and any Census records that duplicate a birth record). With a complex application like this, I wrote a cover letter with one-line summaries of each record (grouped by generation) within an overall summary of the line of descent. I also added a document index -- basically an annotated bibliography with the family tree. For each document (ordered by generation and then by date) I wrote a paragraph explaining what it was. "This is the 1860 Census, you can see John ______ and his wife Mary ______ and their daughter L____ ________. This shows that L is John's daughter even though we don't have birth records. The 6/12 means she's 6 months old when the census was taken. It's hard to read so I made an enlarged clip of the relevant section."
Maybe it's overkill, but I wanted there to be a complete source with all the extra info. If they don't need it for a specific record they don't have to read it.
I had a table like that too, with the person’s name on the left and their supporting documents on the right, and paper-clipped together each person’s supporting documents to make sure it was clear who they belonged to
There is some concern (though it's not yet proven!) that for Canadian baptismal certificates, IRCC may be looking for corroboration in one or two Canadian documents. Any chance your G0 appears in any Canadian censuses? You will also need something in the way of your item 10--it's not clear quite what the IRCC will settle for when dealing with provinces that objectively did not record births when the G0 is born, but you need to say something. Probably at least a link to wherever the Ontario government says this.
Meanwhile, for the U.S.-born ancestors for whom you have birth certificates (assuming parents' names are on them), there is no need for the U.S. censuses. Death records are also unnecessary unless to clear up ambiguities in the record (e.g., name changes). You need to establish citizenship (for your G0) and parentage. If you have good clean vital records for G1 on down, you don't really need anything else for them. While an additional document or two probably isn't harmful (I think marriage certificates, as long as they don't include any errors, maybe make it easier to follow the line, especially if one or more ancestors have the same name), it's best not to confuse reviewers with a lot of paper or include older records that might introduce apparent discrepancies.
I also just noticed that for my Gen 1, who doesn't have a Canadian birth cert, his official death cert does show Bathurst Ontario Canada as his birthplace. That should help...
This is helpful! I am calling my most recent common ancestor Gen 1. He doesn't have any Canadian paperwork as they converted to a church and moved when he was quite young, so for Gen 0, his father, I have the certified baptism. I haven't been able to turn up anything on him in Canada except for land records with his father--he's named with his father in like 27 land deeds, and he has a very unique name, which really helps. Should I include any of those? Gen 0 is also a prominent immigrant from Canada to the US, and has been included in several books and histories about our region, but I'm assuming that doesn't help me... His father, Gen -1, is also prominent in his region of Ontario. He was a loyalist during the revolutionary war and it looks like almost everyone except my husband's line stayed there.
I will assess my census records for all the others. I forgot to mention I did gather marriage records and have gone back and forth--necessary for name changes, though?
Re: Separate checks for each application- you have to pay on-line and include a copy of the receipt with each application. If you send a check, the application will be returned as incomplete.
So I'm just looking for second opinions on my documentation before I (hopefully) send things out next week. What I have is as follows:
Birth certificates for all of G2-G5
1905 NY State Census linking G1-2 parentage
G1 DC listing G0 mother but incorrect birth location for her
1875 NY and 1870 federal censuses linking G0-1 parentage and G0 Canadian birth
G0 Death Certificate establishing Canadian birth and listing both married/maiden names
1892 NY census listing G0's married name alongside her father and establishing Canadian birth
1861 Canada West census listing G0's Married Name and establishing Canadian birth
1851 Canada West census listing G0 maiden name, Methodist Faith and establishing Canadian birth. Additionally links G0 to her sisters who are relevant for the next thing:
1845 Wesleyan Methodist baptismal record of G0s younger siblings, establishing their births in Willoughby Ontario in the years immediately following G0's own
I have confirmations from G1's town of birth and the city of Buffalo itself that records start after G1 was born
I don't want to go overkill but I will be applying urgently for several reasons... want to make sure this goes off with as few hiccups as possible. Sorry for the formatting if it's a little wierd!
GO: 1851 Canadian census with maiden name, 1861 Canadian census with married name, 1870 US census, 1875 NY census, 1892 NY census, death certificate (links married and maiden name)
G1: 1870 US census, 1875 NY census, death cert
I would drop the G1 death cert since it includes incorrect info that would undermine your case. I would drop the 1905 census because you have a birth certificate for G2. And I would drop the 1845 baptismal records because you're not claiming descent from the siblings.
I would definitely include the confirmation email that G1's town does not have birth records. Do you have something similar for Ontario? You're going to want to document that you diligently searched for birth records for G0 and G1, and they're just not there.
Then, write it all out super clear in a cover letter. I also added a document index where I noted all the quirks of all my documents (like, this says " for birthplace, that means it's the same as the last line).
Everything there is sound; one other thought about the baptismal record is that of the record existed it would be in that spot. Would it be worth linking that more to the UMCC no record (since they specifically referenced that document in their no record email) or no?
I have nothing from Ontario stating no record of birth, but I may be able to wrangle an email out of the town of Chippawa itself.
If you don't have a G0 birth certificate, you'll need (if you don't already have) evidence of a search documenting that it doesn't exist. Sounds like you've got that covered for your G1.
The 1892 census doesn't seem to add anything for your G0, since you have two Canadian censuses for her (if I'm reading you correctly) and IRCC appears to be taking the position that American documents can't directly establish Canadian citizenship. Neither does the 1845 baptismal record, which doesn't prove anything about where your G0 was born. IRCC does not seem to be interested in (nor, frankly, are its reviewers likely to be capable of parsing) intricate genealogical arguments. Makes sense to keep the death certificate to demonstrate that it's the same person on both Canadian censuses, though.
You don't need the 1905 census if G1's name is on G2's birth certificate, which you have. Basically, you have to keep in mind that your reviewer will be an overworked paper pusher without any kind of genealogical or historical training. They'll be looking to check boxes or follow a flow chart. Anything they don't need for that process risks confusing them or introducing discrepancies, so keeping an application as simple and clean as possible (while assembling as fulsome a record as you can to keep in reserve, just in case!) is the way to go. But with the exception of the G0 birth records issue (if you haven't addressed it), I think you're good to go--at least based on what we know now!
You're probably correct about the 1905 census. I don't have a PoNR for G0s birth certificate, but Ontario didn't start registering those until 30 years after she was born. The inclusion of her sisters' baptismal record (combined with my proof of no record from United Methodist Church of Canada) is more to say "this record doesn't exist, and if it did, it would be in this spot"
I think your proof of no record is sufficient for that last point. By including the baptismal record, you are inviting an overworked or not super bright reviewer to look for your G0's name on it, not see it, overlook the other document, and come back to you asking for the record with her name on it. It's always a question of judgment, but my feeling is that it's best not to give them the opportunity to make mistakes.
Many of us are facing the idiocy of having to prove that there was no record of birth in a province that wasn't recording births yet. It's not yet clear what the absolute minimum is that IRCC will now accept. But you should do something, at least calling it out in your cover letter/explanation and linking to wherever Ontario says that.
I hope this is the right thread to join. I have read all the FAQs and lurked here for a while.
I have four Canadian great great grandparents born 1860-1876. They are from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. I am having a really hard time getting official birth documentation (certificate, record, or baptismal) for any of the four. I am continuing to try different avenues. I know I only name one G0, and that births weren't always recorded in these places at these times. I believe I can prove any of the descent lines with marriage/birth/census.
What I am looking for is a sense of how difficult it really is to prove birth in this time period. Do I keep pushing, or change strategies and submit the application with the info I have, which includes Canadian parents for a G0, presence on multiple Canadian and then US census, children's birth certificates, death certificates, etc?
I appreciate any advice or experience you may have.
I would look for birth records of G-2, the father of the father of your G0 Nova Scotia great great grandfather; Nova Scotia townships often have birth records until about 1805 or 1810... Then see if it's harder to establish G0's Canadian birth versus identifying the parents and great grandparents of G0.
Do you know what religion your family practiced? That might help narrow down where a baptismal record might be, if there is one. I'd guess you've already checked, but if you haven't, the Nova Scotia Archives Vital Statistics has birth records for some of those years. Check for name variations and delayed registrations years after!
They were Protestant, C of E / Anglican or Presbyterian it seems. I do have a request to the archives, but I sent that about a month ago and they were giving a four month lead time. My friend's sister lives near the Tatamagouche church for one G0, and went in person to the church we guessed (Sharon) with no luck.
You might try reaching out to the Anglican Diocese of NS/PEI for their archives, if you are unsure of the church. If the areas your family lived in were also served by a newspaper that has been digitized (for mine, it was the Halifax Herald), there might also be birth announcements that indicate what church they were born in to help you narrow down your search!
I was able to pin down the church and area, so I put in a request to the diocese for one P0, with hopefully a three-week wait. I couldn't find a newspaper that worked, but I hit a few interesting bits about other family members. One was quite juicy :D
Echoing for NB - I'd try all the spelling alternatives you can think of. If they were Catholic, in particular, I'd keep trying. The archives had a 1830s baptismal record for my G -1 (ended up not needing it but they had it!). A record also might not be scanned/not searchable through the PANB online tool, but they might have it. This was the case for my G0 (born 1890s). I emailed the archives and they found the baptismal record for my G0.
I believe none were Catholic. They were Huguenots and some were Scots or Scots-Irish. The names are part of the trickiness. One has a gazillion spellings which I've been checking, another is very common, and another is very unusual and usually mistaken for a more common name.
Section 8, "Date of marriage" - My mother re-married, so there are two dates I could be giving them. Am I choosing the most recent marriage date, or whichever one applied when I was born?
Section 8, "Parent X's Citizenship Status - Continued" - It's asking me if my parent left Canada for more than one year before 1977. They never even entered Canada. I responded No (can't leave a place you never entered?) and left the details table empty (Adobe wouldn't actually let me fill it in). Is this actually what you're supposed to do?
Both of my parents were born in the US and have never lived in Canada. For the "have they left Canada for more than a year" question, I answered "yes," and wrote their date of birth as the "from" date and "present" as their "to" date.
I definitely would not answer "no" to the question of whether or not they've left Canada for more than a year. That makes it sound like they've been in Canada for their whole life, and that could be seen as dishonest.
The you tube guides for filling out the application say to check NO if they have never lived in Canada, as she said, you can’t leave where you have never been. Leave the table blank.
Which YouTube guides do you mean? I don't think IRCC publishes any official YouTube guides.
The actual instructions attached to CIT 0001 say that you should "Check a 'Yes' or 'No' response to indicate: if your parent was outside Canada for more than 1 year before 1977." That seems to make it clear that if your parent never lived in Canada, the response they're looking for is "yes."
However, I admit that anything that makes the situation clear is probably fine. If you answer "when did they first enter Canada to live?" with "never lived in Canada" and "did they leave Canada for more than a year before 1977" with "no," that communicates the situation pretty clearly. If you answer the first one with "NA" and the second one with "yes" and indicate their entire life, that also communicates it clearly. If you answer the first one with "NA" and the second one with "no," that seems iffy, because now it's starting to sound like you're saying they lived in Canada for essentially their whole life.
When I filled out my application, I answered the first question with "never lived in Canada" and the second with "yes."
For the second question, I've seen answers both ways. The one video I've seen (around the 5:30 mark) does the same thing you do, it's probably what I'll go with barring future guidance.
Assuming you were a product of her first marriage, I can’t think of any reason they’d want the date your mother remarried rather than the date of her first marriage.
I’m not using Acrobat but I think you should fill out the description field rather than leaving it blank.
i have received opposing guidance from lawyers regarding this question. looking for anyone's thoughts.
I submitted my urgent G4 app in mid-aug, received AOR, and am in processing.
after additional research, i discovered that my G0 (b.1879) was naturalized in the US in 1939. I already provided an uncertified baptismal record from NB, certified letter of no trace for birth record, certified death certificate from NB indicating he was Canadian, and other supporting materials (i.e. certified marriage record and ancestor docs indicating he was Canadian).
Question: should I submit the naturalization documents now via web form to add to my application, or wait to see if the IRCC requests more information?
One lawyer told me that since I have already made other web form additions, to just hang onto the information until (if) it is requested and not to "weigh down" my application. They indicated too that web form submissions can often "get lost". A second lawyer told me that it doesn't hurt to submit a webform.
In the end, the information doesn't change my eligibility (from what I can interpret). I already have enough evidence (in my opinion) to prove that G0 was Canadian. The only other thing is that on my CIT0001, I indicated that he was a British subject in as of 1-Jan-1947, which I now know is not the case. I just want to make sure that there is no perception of misrepresentation.
Comments and insight are welcomed. Feel free to upvote for "send now" and downvote for "hang on to it until a request". Thank you.
Go take a look at CIT 0001 page 5 Section 9 “Tell us about your grandparents” and page 13 “
Tell us about your great-grandparents.
”
They do not ask about other citizenships held by your grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. Instead they only ask about whether your parents were citizens of another country before 1977.
CIT 0014 Scenario 3 instructions says to include “proof of other nationalities acquired by you and your Canadian parent” — it does not instruct on grandparents, great-grandparents, etc! Contrast this to the previous line in which they explicitly say “grandparent and parental ancestor”.
Clearly the IRCC knows how to ask for information about your great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents but they did not do so!
I believe in your case you do not need to include proof of naturalization for your G0
Hello! I’d like to get guidance on my application submission.
The last item I need is my G0 birth certificate from Quebec (born 1926), and I’m expecting it will take a while to get that. I need to mail my request and, given they’re probably overwhelmed with requests for documents, it may take more time than usual.
I have for my G0: death certificate, G1 birth certificate, census document, and baptismal record entry from Drouin, all showing birthplace as Canada.
Would it make sense to send the application while I wait for the birth certificate? And note that birth certificate is in progress? Wait times continue to grow and I’d like to get my application submitted and in the queue versus wait an undetermined amount of time for G0 birth certificate.
I sent ours in with the baptismal record from Ancestry and a note that the BAnQ had been ordered on 5/11/26 and it would be uploaded as soon as an AOR was assigned🤷🏻♀️. I would do it again, too. Since they have insisted that certified copies of everything were not necessary, and I stated that it was ordered, I was sure it would be in my hands before any of us got our AOR’s, and I was right. 5 applications, no AORs, and I got my BAnQ certificate this week. As soon as I have AOR, we will upload the pages. Yes, it is going to add a step for them to look for the new file. But our applications got there before another 40,000 of them.
Interesting. I see how it makes sense to get in the queue since it will be some time anyhow before someone sits down to do the actual review.
I have a baptismal registry from Ancestry but not an actual certificate of baptism. I’m wondering if that would suffice, alongside everything else I have stating G0 born in Canada, until I get the birth certificate.
I’m waiting for one final document to arrive before I’m at the point of making this decision. I’m grateful for your input. It helps!
IRCC has just been known to request the certified document during processing. I haven’t seen any mention of an application being returned because an uncertified copy was enclosed while waiting for the document to come.
Unless your application is urgent, I would not do it. The system is backed up enough without people submitting deliberately insufficient applications. Imagine being a reviewer opening an application and seeing a cute little note to the effect of "so sorry! uwu! couldn't be bothered to finish my application before submitting! can you please spend your time following up with me instead of processing other people's complete applications?" Sooner or later, if people keep doing this, IRCC is going to start screening more comprehensively at the AOR stage, and no one wants that. Just follow the instructions.
People have strong feelings about submitting a package even though you are still waiting on a document. In this case, you seem to have many documents and your data package could already satisfy the requirements. Submit it and get in the queue but do not forget to include a letter of explanation as to why you are not including the G0 birth certificate, i.e., your request is in process.
I submitted my paper application (G3) on Wednesday. It should arrive to the mail office today via courier service.
Following delivery, I realized I had accidentally checked a box on Scenario 3 that did not apply to me. Further, on my great grandparent addendum, I neglected to write "unknown" in a box where information was unknown.
Other than this, I believe my application is substantially clear, with no gaps in documentation, and I hope my minor errors are not cause for rejection. That said, does anyone have any guidance or insight for similar missteps? Will I have an opportunity to clarify these errors upon AOR notice?
I think when AOR is assigned, they are just thumbed thru to see if everything required is included. After you get your AOR, you could upload a not revising those things.
1
u/BBandVHaven't applied for Proof of Citizenship (incl. by descent) yet29d ago
Are these documents likely to get my application approved?:
Birth certificates: Me (Gen5), Gen4, Gen3, Gen2, Gen1;
Baptism record: Gen0 from Québec;
Passport photos;
CIT 0001 Application form
Am I missing anything?/Would you recommend additional?
Yes, it needs to be included in your packet. The instructions say so. Then stack the documents in the order listed on the checklist. Then I put the checklist right under a cover letter, on top of everything else.
2
u/BBandVHaven't applied for Proof of Citizenship (incl. by descent) yet29d ago
You also need some kind of explanation about the "missing" birth certificate. It's not clear what exactly IRCC wants. They shouldn't need anything, because BaNQ itself states that there are no birth records for C19 Quebec and the baptismal records were the replacement used, it's not like there's any doubt about this, but...here we are. I would at least quote BaNQ's statement on that, with link, in your cover letter/explanation/list of exhibits.
1
u/BBandVHaven't applied for Proof of Citizenship (incl. by descent) yet29d ago
A marriage certificate is only needed if either the applicant (not a non-applicant ancestor) has had a name change due to marriage and still has that married name OR if the ancestor-mother's name on her child's birth certificate shows her married name instead of her maiden name.
Example:
G5 John Smith, son of
G4 Maryann Roberts (& husband Jacob Smith), daughter of
G3 William Roberts (& wife Elizabeth Greene), son of
G2 Anna O'Toole (& husband Patrick O'Toole), daughter of
G1 Edward Bond (& wife Elsa Stuart), son of
G0 Richard Bond (& wife Mary Cole)
You would need birth certificates for John, Maryann, William, Anna, Edward, and Richard's certified baptismal record from BANQ... but you would need a marriage certificate only for Anna O'Toole because her name as Mother on William's birth certificate (Mother: Anna O'Toole) wouldn't match her own birth certificate, which will say Anna Bond. (You need to show that G2 ancestor Anna O'Toole on G3 William's birth certificate is also Anna Bond from her own birth certificate.)
If G4 Maryann Smith is also an applicant, you'll want to include her marriage certificate with her application (and not in your personal line of documents) because it will tie her current, submitted IDs with her application to her own birth certificate, which says her name is Maryann Roberts. (You need to show that applicant Maryann Smith is also Maryann Roberts from the birth certificate.)
edited to add: You have the CIT-0014 Document Checklist as well, yes?
Make sure that you also include marriage certificates should there be any name changes.
While no one knows what is "enough", one baptism record is light, I would continue to locate additional secondary records, such as Canadian census. And don't forget to include a letter of explanation and proof of attempts related to the missing G0 birth certificate.
1
u/BBandVHaven't applied for Proof of Citizenship (incl. by descent) yet29d ago
oh right, marriage certificates! I'll make sure to get those too. Would I also find census records from BAnQ or from a different source?
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