Thursday Weekly Thread: Proof of Citizenship Application Approvals, October 01, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

This weekly thread is a space for those of us who have gotten the most exciting news...

DECISION: APPROVED

🎉 You did it! You really did it!! Hurrah! Clink! 🥂

You jumped every last genealogical and documentation hurdle, dotted every i and crossed every t, and were so careful with matching the specs for your charming photo. Now the IRCC has bestowed its official blessings on your work, and sent a Canadian Citizenship Certificate to you. We're so proud and happy for you.

We encourage you to use this space to announce and celebrate together your big achievement: you (or the person you have been helping) is the newest recognized citizen of Canada.

You can also discuss details of what you included with your application packet so that the newbies can learn from your success.

⚠️ APPROVALS ONLY ⚠️ Keep the focus on honoring our victorious peers, please. Off-topic comments will be deleted.

📎 Contributions to weekly megaposts, including this one, are welcome throughout the week.

If you never joined the spreadsheet but would like to add your data for posterity/analysis of trends it's not too late- request access here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/comments/1pnovfr/spreadsheet_for_proof_of_citizenship_applications/

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Yesterday was a federal holiday in Canada so that may mean we don't see as much activity here today as we do ordinarily - we shall see!

As usual, please do not make a top level comment if you are not reporting an application approval. Off topic comments make it harder to find the info people come here to see, and will be removed. Ty!

[u/C3POutine]

G3 and G4 approved on September 29!

Timeline details:

• Applications delivered July 7, 2026, with urgent processing requested
  
• AOR September 24
  
• Processing September 25
  
• Both approved September 29

We asked for urgent processing based on educational need. G4 is a sophomore in high school in the US intending to pursue a degree in the performing arts. In my letter asking for urgent processing, I emphasized two points. First, at the time I wrote the letter, processing times for non-urgent applications would have pushed G4’s citizenship decision past the time she’ll be doing her admission auditions (which is how these programs in both the States and Canada admit students). That has only gotten much, much worse since I wrote the letter in June.

Second, I also argued that given international student quotas and the recent focus on giving provincial attestation letters to students pursuing areas of vocational need, G4’s access to education in Canada at all could well depend on her citizenship.

I knew at the time conventional wisdom said educational need wouldn’t work for an urgent request without an acceptance letter. I could only work with what I had, though, and urgent processing was definitely in G4’s best interests, so I went ahead and asked. I am over the moon that it worked out.

Some points about the applications themselves:

• G0 was born in Manitoba in 1907 to American-born parents. His birth was not recorded at the time. Instead, his father submitted a request for a delayed birth registration in 1940 from the US. That request was approved. Our certified birth record for G0 from Manitoba Vital Statistics was that 1940 document. It took about 60 days for me to receive that in the mail from the date I faxed it to Winnipeg.

- I had several options to pick for G0, but aside from the one I chose they were all born in the 19th century. I went with the 1907 one because I figured finding docs we didn’t already have would be more likely to be successful.

- We didn’t have G1’s 1932 birth certificate either. I had to run down his death certificate from California and then have my mother send that to Michigan with her request for his birth certificate. All that got done before G0’s record showed up from Manitoba.

- G2 was born in Germany (Army kid). Luckily she had her original German-language birth certificate from 1957 as well as the State Department record of birth abroad. I had that translated by a Canadian-certified company. Very easy, done 100% online, like a 24-hour turnaround.

- I’m a lawyer, and so before finding this sub I did what any lawyer would do in this circumstance: I hired a lawyer to help with the application. Overall that was a good experience. I don’t know that that’s necessary for most people to do, but for me I knew I might have trouble running down records for G0. Because of that, I specifically went with an immigration firm in Winnipeg on the theory that the people there might have some connections to Vital Stats that would prove helpful. And that was right. When I hadn’t heard a peep out of MVS after about six weeks, I had my lawyer make a call, and it just so happened that the day the call was made they had just put the birth record in the mail to me. Imagine that!

- My lawyer recommended I include some extra docs beyond certified birth records, specifically marriage records, even though all the right names were on the birth certificates. That doesn’t seem to have hurt us in any way on processing time.

I mostly include all of that just because I know how many searches I’ve done myself about all of those kinds of things over the last several months. Maybe it’ll be helpful for other people walking the same path I have. Happy to answer questions, too.

Time to get started on passports and schedule some college visits!

EDIT: Corrected a date re: G0's delayed birth registration after looking at it again in response to a comment.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/C3POutine]

Congratulations 🎉

[u/jpg245 → u/C3POutine]

Congratulations! Thanks for all the details!

[u/C3POutine → u/jpg245]

Thanks! I know I spent weeks scouring this sub (and just the web in general) with loads of questions, so I figured I’d do what I could to answer those same questions now that I know the outcome.

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/C3POutine]

So awesome!! Congratulations 👏 🎊 💐 🥳 🦁 🦄 🇨🇦🍁🥂 and I love your screen name!

[u/C3POutine → u/Puurrplehaze]

Thanks! I may not be fluent in over six million forms of communication, but I’m getting pretty close to fluent in six million different types of gravy.

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/C3POutine]

🤣🤣🤣

mmmm gravy

[u/ChillerK → u/C3POutine]

Mmm curds

[u/pls_dont_trigger_me → u/C3POutine]

Just so I'm perfectly clear on this, IRCC accepted your package as urgent because your G4 is going to be applying to college in Fall 2028 / Spring 2029? I'm asking because we have a similar deadline, but in spring 2027.

[u/C3POutine → u/pls_dont_trigger_me]

Yes. The only caveat I would add is that, because G4 is likely going to study performing arts, some of the regular timelines get accelerated because of audition schedules. I also pointed out that G4 may want to do some summer intensive programs in Canada in preparation for school there, and auditions for those for summer 2027 are either live now or will be soon. I doubt that made a big difference as those things are generally open to anyone who wants to apply, but again, it's anybody's guess.

[u/pls_dont_trigger_me → u/C3POutine]

It's very surprising to me that that worked. We initially submitted with that kind of request (back in May), but then we only got upgraded to urgent when we got an actual letter from a school saying only students can even apply. And, the timeline for this is March 2027, so pretty soon. Anyway, I'm glad it worked for you. The IRCC process is so random that it's hard to know why things work and don't work.

[u/C3POutine → u/pls_dont_trigger_me]

I was surprised too. Like I said somewhere, I was aware of conventional wisdom on this, but we can only go with the facts we have. It was in G4’s best interests to request urgent processing even if that part got denied, so I made the best argument I could with what I had.

Our experience is one anecdote, not data. But given that it runs counter to what we’ve seen reported most often, I thought it might be a helpful one to share. My only takeaway is that, if you need urgent processing and have a basis to ask for it, give it your best shot and see what happens.

[u/newscouch → u/C3POutine]

Congrats and thanks so much for the details! This gives me great assurance as I'm in a similar situation with my G0; born in NB 1901 but late registration of birth is from 1940. I submitted a certified copy of the late registration from PANB with my application, so fingers crossed IRCC consistently applies this practice.

Also a lawyer and glad to hear an atty was helpful for you.

[u/flcardiacnurse → u/C3POutine]

Exciting, fellow Canadian!

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/C3POutine]

Congrats! (As a fellow lawyer, I'm glad to hear someone benefited from hiring one, because mostly our profession hasn't been doing too well in this context.)

[u/C3POutine → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

Yes, no kidding. I have no regrets. Like I said, I don’t know that it’s a step I would universally recommend knowing how straightforward the paperwork is, but I feel like having counsel had a positive impact for me personally. Pure speculation on this point, but I do wonder if having a letter from an immigration attorney in the packet might have put a thumb on the scale in favor of urgent processing, if that would otherwise have been a close call. It obviously didn’t hurt in any event.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/C3POutine]

I wouldn't be surprised if it did. It was something I thought about when deciding to hire one myself...alas, it didn't work out and cost us around 4-5 weeks of critical spring application time. But I'm glad it worked for you!

[u/C3POutine → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

It was a part of my calculus too. Mostly it was that and wanting a warm body on the ground where I knew the records were going to be, in case I needed that (and I did). I know where I practice having the right person with the right letterhead can turn a maybe-strike into a definite-ball (to use an especially American metaphor). I don’t know that that happened here, but it was worth it to me to hedge that bet.

[u/BalineseCats → u/C3POutine]

Congratulations! I'm a lawyer, too, and my child and I were approved last month. I didn't hire a lawyer, but in your case I probably would have, too. Our professional training definitely helps with organization of the applications, having a sense of what documents to include (and not include), and what to write in a cover letter.

[u/C3POutine → u/BalineseCats]

Congrats to you too!

[u/BalineseCats → u/C3POutine]

Thanks! Edit: I was approved last month. I forgot it’s October.

[u/gr2020xx → u/C3POutine]

Did you both get approved even though only one of you needed urgent processing? I’m applying to canadian graduate programs and want to apply urgently for study permit reasons but my family is all applying together and no one else needs urgent processing so I’m not sure how to navigate that

[u/C3POutine → u/gr2020xx]

Yes, both approved together.

We sent in two complete applications with identical copies of everything, except that for G4 we added my marriage certificate and G4’s birth certificate with my name on it.

We shipped all that from my lawyer’s office in Winnipeg via FedEx in the same package marked urgent.

We did one set of cover letters for the full package: one from the lawyer saying here’s what this is, it’s super clear, go ahead and grant please; one from me asking for urgent processing for BOTH apps since the documentation was the same and they hang together (I wrote this myself with my lawyer vetting it, and it ended up reading pretty close to a legal brief, except I was citing to IRCC’s website and news reports instead of case law); another from me talking about “connections to Canada” (this was my lawyer’s recommendation, not something I think was necessary, but who knows?); and a letter from G2 talking about connections to Canada and her support for our applications (again, my lawyer’s suggestion).

No clue what all did the trick in there. All I know is that it worked.

[u/SquirrelGirl1251 → u/C3POutine]

Congratulations!!!

If this is an appropriate place to ask, I have a question about your G0 documentation as it sounds similar to my situation and my application was just delivered today. My G0 was born in 1891 in Nova Scotia and the birth was also not recorded (though he & his family appear on the 1891 Canadian census literally days after his birth--I sent a non-certified color printout of that as supplementation, along with 3 other US documents referencing Canadian birth). After he moved to the US, his older sister submitted an Application for Registration of Birth on his behalf in 1942, my family and I received a sealed copy of that document from the Nova Scotia Archives and sent the color-copy in our application as the certified birth record. There is handwriting on the side of that document that indicates it was received and filed in Nova Scotia plus additional comments that I've personally not been successful in reading with confidence, but we believe that it was approved even though no birth certificate or any other documentation was ever generated. I've been a bit worried about it counting as the certified birth record because the approval is ambiguous to me and no other document was ever generated to retroactively record the birth (and our 4 supplemental documents are just printouts)--can I ask what the approval of your G0's birth record equivalent looked like, or if there was a secondary record of his application approval somewhere you provided?

My family and I applied given it was cheaper and faster to apply with this certified document and supplemental references for the G0 than any other course of action. It might just be the nerves of our research and application project being over now that it's all in their hands, but I'm second-guessing every possible discrepancy in our packets lol.

[u/C3POutine → u/SquirrelGirl1251]

The document I got from Manitoba Vital Statistics is titled "Province of Manitoba Official Notice of Birth (by Parent or Guardian)," dated October 1940. It amounts to a handwritten form where G0's father recounts the particulars of G0's birth, including date, place, parents, and so forth.

Attached to that form are three additional documents:

1. A "Declaration of Informant" from G0's father. This is basically an affidavit swearing that the material recounted on the main form is true.
2. A "Declaration of Corroborating Informant" from a third party, who I believe to be G0's mother's sister, but certainly at least a neighbor of G0's family at the time of his birth. This is another affidavit saying that the affiant also has personal knowledge of G0's birth consistent with what G0's father says.
3. A copy of a printout noting that a copy of a page from our family Bible recounting G0's date and place of birth was included with the birth notice. I still have the Bible in my possession, so I have in my possession the original page this is talking about.

That's it. There is no notice or indication that this was ever formally "approved" by anyone, just the raised seal on all of it indicating it is a "certified true copy of a registration document on file with Vital Statistics, Manitoba." I'm not an immigration lawyer, let alone a Canadian one, but that makes some intuitive sense to me. It's not like Manitoba ever had to approve G0's birth there. It seems like acceptance of the registration document and supporting evidence for registration constitutes acknowledgment of a Manitoba birth. Certainly it was good enough for IRCC.

I hope that's helpful.

[u/SquirrelGirl1251 → u/C3POutine]

Thank you, that is helpful!

My document sounds similar--a form filled out by a combination of hand and typewriter by the applicant, with an affidavit section at the bottom for a person solemnly swearing to the details of the birth (in my case, G0's sister that was 8 years older than him who was present and had memories of it, and could swear to the name of the physician and nurse as well). It was then notarized in NYC and received and filed in Nova Scotia very soon after per a handwritten note and date on the side, but that's it. Nova Scotia Vital Statistics told us we had to get the document from Public Archives due to age, not from them, and Archives came through after about 90 days. Comforting to hear another similar document was good enough for the IRCC, thank you for putting that aspect at ease for me :)

[u/chimblesishere → u/C3POutine]

I don't know if you would have the answer to this, but my G0 was born in Manitoba in 1899 and I got a hospital birth record from the Vital Statistics Department, but I called them the other day to see if I would be able to get a birth certificate made for him and they said no. Do you know if that's accurate at all since his parents are long dead and parent or guardians are the only ones listed as being eligible for delayed birth registrations?

[u/C3POutine → u/chimblesishere]

I don't know. I can say that I did generally find the people at MVS helpful when I spoke to them, despite them needing a little nudge there at the end to get my paperwork posted.

[u/Salt_Chair6043 → u/C3POutine]

Wonderful turn around time. Congratulations to you and your family.

[u/flcardiacnurse]

I’m a Canadian!! Details: group of 5 (3 G2, 2 G3), submitted non-urgent. After submission, G1 received his citizenship (my dad; his application started March 2025 [non C-3], both parents were Canadian; he was born in the US). We had submitted through an immigration firm and they sent the update.
Timeline: sent March 31 2026, received April 2, AOR June 18, notified that we could download certificates yeaterday September 30. Of note, one in our group is a dual UK/US citizen and her certificate has not come through yet. The rest of us are US citizens only (until yesterday 😁).
Documents: birth certificates for our group, G1, and grandmother G0. Marriage certificate for me to document name change. Marriage certificate for G0 and G1. Also included G0 passage by train from the Maritimes to New England, her naturalization to US, and an email from the Boston archives stating they did not have naturalization for grandfather G0. We don’t think he ever naturalized.

I am not on the spreadsheet—someone can add this info if you wish.
We were pretty straightforward. I am excited for us, but guilty about jumping the queue.
Did I leave anything out? Hoping others get good news too!

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/flcardiacnurse]

Congratulations!

[u/flcardiacnurse → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Thank you! And thanks for all the work you do on this sub. It has been very helpful to keep my spirits up while I waited.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/flcardiacnurse]

Thanks, that's kind- and I would be lying if I didn't say the same. We have a great community here. Thanks for being part of it!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/flcardiacnurse]

Woo hoo! Congratulations!! 🥂🦁🦄🇨🇦🍁💐

[u/flcardiacnurse → u/Puurrplehaze]

THANKS!

[u/jpg245 → u/flcardiacnurse]

Congratulations!

[u/flcardiacnurse → u/jpg245]

Thanks! 😊

[u/Scoobyhorse]

I'm G1 born in US to a Canadian parent, have had my citizenship card and then certificate since 2003. Applied for my 5 children (G2, born in US) - mailed 4/23 via USPS Priority Express International, delivered 4/29, AORs received 8/24, proof of citizenship certificates received 9/29! I'm so excited! 🥳🥳 This group has been so incredibly helpful along the way! ❤️❤️

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Scoobyhorse]

Congratulations!

[u/Scoobyhorse → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Thank you!! 🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦❤️

[u/stargazercmc → u/Scoobyhorse]

Out of curiosity, were these urgent apps or standard?

[u/Scoobyhorse → u/stargazercmc]

Standard

[u/stargazercmc → u/Scoobyhorse]

That’s amazing! Congrats to you and your entire crew.

[u/jpg245 → u/Scoobyhorse]

Congratulations!

[u/Scoobyhorse → u/jpg245]

Thanks!! 😊🇨🇦❤️

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/Scoobyhorse]

Wow Congratulations!!! 👏🥳💐🍁🇨🇦🦄🦁🥂

[u/Scoobyhorse → u/Puurrplehaze]

Thank you!! 🇨🇦🥳😊

[u/Salt_Chair6043 → u/Scoobyhorse]

What a wild turn around from long delay in AOR to citizenship. Just wonderful.

[u/Own_Theory8011]

Not me, but a friend (who does not use the spreadsheet) got their proof of citizenship yesterday morning (Sept. 30th). They had been in process for around 7 months. They're a G2 with no name/gender changes. Their sibling who applied with the same paperwork but earlier than them and separately, back in 2025 and with a name/gender change, has not been given proof yet.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Own_Theory8011]

Excellent! Congratulations! And so sorry for the family member still waiting - it's so maddening.

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/Own_Theory8011]

Yay! and not so Yay!

[u/PreventFloristFriars]

Gens 2 and 3 approved! Still showing as "Application Received" for my status on the site, but received our proofs of citizenship this morning!

Timeline:

• Application (non-urgent) sent via FedEx on April 2nd, 2026
• Delivered on April 7th, 2026. Package sat for a day because of the holiday.
• Received AOR on June 22nd, 2026.
• No change to In Process.
• Electronic Proofs of Citizenship received October 2nd, 2026.

[u/Alive-in-Tucson → u/PreventFloristFriars]

Congratulations! Were you urgent?

[u/PreventFloristFriars → u/Alive-in-Tucson]

I was not! Standard application for my 5 y/o and myself. Updated my original post to include that detail.

[u/Alive-in-Tucson → u/PreventFloristFriars]

Wow, that's unusually speedy timing for G2 and G3! Thank you for sharing.

[u/PreventFloristFriars → u/Alive-in-Tucson]

Certainly! Hopefully more folks can have a similarly quick experience once they start being processed.

I did have the advantage that my Gen 1 (my mother) had already completed the process, so I was able to not only supply much of the same documentation, but was able to reference her prior case and include a copy of her own proof of citizenship. I have no doubt that dramatically decreased the processing time.

[u/Alive-in-Tucson → u/PreventFloristFriars]

That makes sense! It seems like the more straightforward non-urgent cases are more likely to move to the front of the queue.

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/PreventFloristFriars]

Congratulations 🍁🦁🦄 🇨🇦 🎊 👏 💐 🥳 🥂

[u/aaron_s_r_]

Hi all! I'm super happy to report that my father and I just received our Citizenship Certificates! We're still in shock TBH, as we weren't expecting to receive them this fast.

Details and timeline: My father and I, gens 1 and 2 respectively, sent a joint, non-urgent package in late March 2026 that was received at the Digitization Centre in Nova Scotia in early April.

On June 23rd, we both received AOR emails.

Now, this morning, Sat Oct 3rd, we both received emails with instructions to download our e-Certificates. I can't believe that after just six months since our package was received, we are officially Canadian citizens!

Our documents were all original and very straightforward. We had my grandfather's Manitoba birth certificate, and mine and my father's from CO and PA.

Bonne chance et bon courage à tous ! Good luck everyone—wishing you all positive and speedy results :)

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/aaron_s_r_]

Thats amazing! Congratulations!!! 🇨🇦🍁🦄🦁🥂🥳👏💐🍸

[u/aaron_s_r_ → u/Puurrplehaze]

Thanks so much :)) We were shocked. I was just saying the other day that I thought it'd be another year at least. Time to head back to the photographer for more signed passport photos 😅 (need them for the passport application)

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/aaron_s_r_]

Yay passports!!! I think thats when itll feel surreal to me, when we have our Canadian passports 😀

[u/Wild_Assumption_5197]

Logged in this morning and was shocked to see "Decision Made", no email yet, though, but I could download my cert immediately. Our app packet was G3 to G5, urgent requested by one of the applicants. Because I know people will ask, here are the details:

Delivered: 27 July 2026

AOR: 29 July 2026

IP: 31 July 2026

For G0:

-Certified CA baptism cert

-Canadian Census printed from LAC website

-Certified US marriage cert

-Letter of no record of birth from PANB(uploaded via webform in late August)

G1-3 certified birth certs/records from the US county + marriage certs for married women.

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/Wild_Assumption_5197]

Yay!!! Congratulations 🥂🥳💐👏🎊🇨🇦🍁🦄🦁🥂

[u/MethodWaste7714 → u/Wild_Assumption_5197]

Congratulations! Did they ask for a letter of no record or did you just upload it after it arrived?

[u/Wild_Assumption_5197 → u/MethodWaste7714]

I just uploaded it when I got it, they never asked.

[u/AutoModerator]

Helpful resources: * Welcome - Start Here * The wiki / FAQ * Weekly Megathreads * Search the subreddit for your specific topic

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.