Getting or replacing a citizenship certificate
How can I apply for a citizenship certificate or search of citizenship records?
There are 2 ways to apply: online or on paper. You can only apply online to get your own citizenship records. To apply for someone else’s citizenship records, you need to apply on paper.
We process online and paper applications the same way and at the same speed.
There are some differences between applying online and on paper. This includes how
- you’ll prepare and submit your application
- long you have to complete your application
- you’ll pay your fees
- we’ll communicate with you
- you’ll be able to check your application status
Find out how to apply for
When and how do I apply urgently for a citizenship certificate?
In some cases, we may be able to process applications faster than our normal processing times.
You can apply urgently for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship) for reasons such as:
- to help avoid situations of potential harm or hardship due to factors such as
- race
- religion
- nationality
- sexual orientation
- gender identity or expression, or
- membership in particular groups
- to move your minor child (under 18) to Canada and they
- were born outside Canada, and
- have a Canadian parent
- to help with a case of statelessness
- to travel because of death or serious illness in the family, and you’re unable to get a passport in your other nationality
- to give up (renounce) foreign citizenship by a certain date
- for employment or education, specifically to:
- apply for a job
- avoid losing a current job
- attend a school, college or university
- you need to access social benefits like
- a pension
- health care
- a social insurance number
Your request for urgent processing must include
- an explanation letter
- supporting documents, for example
- your plane ticket or itinerary, with proof of payment
- a letter from your employer
- a letter from your school
- a doctor’s note
- a death certificate
We’ll review your request to see if it qualifies. Even if you qualify for urgent processing, we can’t guarantee that you’ll get your citizenship certificate on time.
Urgent processing for dual Canadian citizens
Dual Canadian citizens can apply for a citizenship certificate urgently. To qualify, you must
- also be a citizen of a visa-exempt country
- have proof of air travel to Canada within 6 months following the date of application
- have applied at the same time for a citizenship certificate and a Canadian passport
You can apply for urgent processing
- online, if you qualify, or
- on paper
Urgent processing: Submitted paper application (from outside Canada and the United States)
Contact the Canadian embassy, consulate or high commission (opens in a new tab) where you submitted your application.
You need to prepare
- a letter explaining why you need urgent processing
- documents to support your explanation
Urgent processing: Submitted paper application (from Canada or the United States)
Fill out the web form (opens in a new tab) to explain why you need urgent processing.
Include
- your full name, date of birth, email address and telephone numbers
- a message that starts with “Request for urgent processing”
- any documents that will support your explanation
- Make sure your documents are in the correct format.
Urgent processing: Submitted online application
Fill out the web form (opens in a new tab) to explain why you need urgent processing.
Include
- your full name, date of birth, email address and telephone numbers
- a message that starts with “Request for urgent processing”
- any documents that will support your explanation
- Make sure your documents are in the correct format.
Urgent processing: New online application
We’ll ask you if you need urgent processing in the application.
Answer yes, and
- give an explanation of why you need urgent processing
- upload documents to support your explanation
Urgent processing: New paper application
-
Complete the application package(opens in a new tab) .
Include with your application
- a letter explaining why you need urgent processing
- documents to support your explanation
- Pay your application fee (opens in a new tab) .
- Submit your application.
- Write “Urgent – Citizenship Certificate (Proof)” in large, dark letters on the envelope.
- Find out where to submit your application (opens in a new tab) .
Can I update my application for a citizenship certificate?
Yes, you can update your application after you submit it. How you do that depends on how you applied.
| How you applied | How to contact us and update your application |
|---|---|
| Online application from inside Canada or the United States | Use the web form |
| Online application from outside Canada and the United States | Contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate you selected in the online application |
| Paper application from inside Canada or the United States | Use the web form |
| Paper application from outside Canada and the United States | Contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate you sent your application to |
If you change your contact information (such as your address or email)
- it takes time for us to update your information
- check in case we sent the update to your old contact information
Find out more on how to
I live abroad and applied online. How will I get my citizenship certificate?
If you asked for an electronic certificate (e-certificate) in your application
A link with instructions to access to your e-certificate will be available in your IRCC secure account(opens in a new tab) .
If you asked for a paper certificate in your application
If your mailing address is in the United States, we’ll mail your citizenship certificate to the address in your application.
If your mailing address is outside Canada and the United States
- we will not send the certificate directly to you
- when you apply online, you can choose the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate office near you
- Some of these offices do not have citizenship services. If the office that you want is not on the list in your online application, you have 2 options:
- choose a different office, for example, the next closest office to your region, or
- contact the office in your area to help you choose
- Some of these offices do not have citizenship services. If the office that you want is not on the list in your online application, you have 2 options:
- we’ll send the certificate to the office you choose
- the office will contact you and tell you how to get your certificate
How do I get a citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) for someone under 18 years old?
You
- need to apply for their citizenship certificate
- must be their parent or legal guardian
How do I fill out my application for a citizenship certificate if I don’t know everything about my parents or grandparents?
If you don’t know the information we ask for on the form, enter ‘unknown’ in the spaces provided. If it doesn’t apply to your parents or grandparents, enter ‘not applicable’ or ‘NA’.
We collect information about your parents and your grandparents, because it helps us:
- determine what section of the Citizenship Act describes your claim to citizenship
- search for citizenship records
If we don’t have enough information about your parents or grandparents, your application may be delayed and/or we may not be able to assess your claim.
For my citizenship certificate application, can I provide documents that aren’t in English or French?
Yes. If you provide a document that isn’t in English or French, you must send it with
- the English or French translation and
- an affidavit from the translator
Check the translation requirements if you applied
What documents should I send with my application for a citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship)?
The Document checklist [CIT 0014] (PDF, 0.99 MB) explains
- which documents you need to send, based on your situation
- the required document formats (original or colour copy)
- Colour or scanned colour copies of your documents must be clear and easy to read.
Do not send birth or marriage certificates issued in Quebec before January 1, 1994. For more information, contact the Directeur de l’état civil du Québec.
If your documents aren’t in English or French, send us a
- translation of the documents
- sworn statement (affidavit) from the person who did the translation, if they’re not a Canadian certified translator
- We don’t accept translations from the applicant or their family members.
My citizenship certificate was mailed to me, but I never received it. What do I do?
It depends on when and where we sent your certificate.
We sent your certificate to an address in Canada or the United States
If it’s been less than 6 weeks since we sent your certificate
- Wait until 6 weeks have passed to contact us.
- To find out when your certificate was sent, check your application status.
If 6 weeks to 6 months have passed since we sent your certificate
Contact us and we’ll replace it:
- in Canada, contact the Client Support Centre or use the web form
- in the United States, use the web form
When you contact us, provide your
- current address
- phone number
If more than 6 months have passed since we sent your certificate
You need to
- apply to replace the certificate
- pay the fee
We sent your certificate to a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate
If it’s been less than 8 weeks since we sent your certificate
- Wait until 8 weeks have passed to contact the office we’re sending it to.
- To find out when your certificate was sent, check your application status.
If 8 weeks to 6 months have passed since we sent your certificate from Canada
You can contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate
- you chose when you submitted your online application or
- where you submitted your paper application
If more than 6 months have passed since we sent your certificate
You need to
- apply to replace the certificate
- pay the fee
I legally changed my name. How do I change the name on my citizenship certificate or card?
To change the name on an application in progress
To change the name on your citizenship certificate
- apply to replace a citizenship certificate on paper
- send us documents showing you legally changed your name
To change the name on your citizenship card, you
- must apply for a citizenship certificate
- will receive an updated citizenship certificate if we approve your application because we’ve stopped issuing citizenship cards
How do I update my citizenship certificate or card with my reclaimed Indigenous name?
If you’ve reclaimed your Indigenous name, you can change the name on your citizenship certificate or card. To do that, apply for a new citizenship certificate. There will be no cost for this change until May 30, 2026.
We no longer give out citizenship cards or the commemorative certificates that came with them. If you apply to update or replace your citizenship card, we will send you a citizenship certificate.
When you apply, include either an eligibility form or a statutory declaration, depending on your situation.
Include an eligibility form [IRM 0004] (PDF, 1.8 MB) if you either
- amended your birth certificate or
- obtained a legal change of name document
Include a Statutory Declaration [IRM 0005] (PDF, 1.8 MB) if you
- are applying for a free replacement certificate and
- can’t amend your birth certificate or obtain a legal change of name document
- You’ll also need to include proof that you can’t obtain these documents (for example, a rejection letter from your province or territory).
We’ll use these forms to determine if you’re eligible for a free replacement certificate.
You’ll have to pay the usual fees if
- you’re applying for your first citizenship certificate
- you’ve declared your citizenship certificate lost, stolen or damaged
Apply for a citizenship certificate.
This is a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action (PDF, 298.56 KB). Learn more about our response to Call to Action 17.
I want to replace or update my citizenship certificate. What do I do with my current certificate?
You can only have 1 valid citizenship certificate. Your next steps depend on the type of certificate you have.
If you have an electronic certificate (e-certificate)
When you submit your application to replace or update your certificate
- delete or destroy all printed and digital copies of your e-certificate
- do not download another copy of your e-certificate until we make a decision on your application
If you have a paper citizenship certificate or citizenship card
When you apply for a certificate, you must return
- all original
- paper citizenship certificates
- citizenship cards
- naturalization certificates
- any pink transmission copies you have
If you find an old certificate after you get a new one, send it to the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
If you don’t return them, it will delay the processing of your application.
Check your instruction guides
To learn more, check your instruction guide:
I’ve lost my citizenship card/certificate. How do I replace it?
If your card or certificate was stolen, report the theft to your local police department.
If you don’t plan to apply for a replacement for at least 6 weeks after the loss or theft
- complete and send us the solemn declaration form
- you should still apply for a replacement
Replacing your citizenship card
We stopped giving citizenship cards and the commemorative certificates in February 2012. We won’t send you a new card or replace a commemorative certificate.
To replace a lost or stolen card, you need to apply for a citizenship certificate (8½ x 11 paper certificate).
Replacing your citizenship certificate
You need to apply for a citizenship certificate if yours was stolen or lost.
Other documents we accept as proof of citizenship
Find out which other documents you can use to prove your Canadian citizenship.
Can I replace my citizenship certificate or card if there’s a mistake on it?
If you received an electronic citizenship certificate (e-certificate), find out how to access it.
It depends on:
- who made the mistake
- how long it’s been since you received your certificate
We made the mistake on the certificate if:
- you gave us the correct information in your application, but
- the certificate has mistakes such as a misspelled name or wrong date of birth
If we made the mistake and it’s been 90 days or less
We’ll replace your certificate for free. Your next steps depend on the certificate type that you have.
Electronic certificate (e-certificate)
If you have an e-certificate, how you contact us depends on what you applied for:
For most applications to become a Canadian citizen (citizenship grant)
This includes applications for
- adults
- minors 14 and older
- Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members
How to send the request
Email the office that sent you your ceremony invitation. If possible, reply directly to the invitation email, so we can answer you faster.
In the email
- type this in the subject line: “E-certificate error – application number (provide your application number(opens in a new tab) )”
- For example: E-certificate error – application number C123456789
- provide the applicant’s name and date of birth
- tell us what needs to be fixed
If your request is urgent
To send an urgent request, follow the instructions above and
- add “Urgent” at the beginning of the email’s subject line
- For example: Urgent - E-certificate error – application number C123456789
- tell us why it’s urgent
- For example, you have an emergency.
- include a document that shows why your request is urgent
After you send the email
We’ll review your request to confirm if we can replace your certificate for free.
If we determine that we did not make the mistake
- we’ll explain why we’re refusing the request
- if you want, you can apply on paper to replace the certificate and pay the fee (opens in a new tab)
For other citizenship applications
This includes applications
- for a minor aged 13 and under to become a Canadian citizen
- for proof of citizenship (citizenship certificate)
- to resume Canadian citizenship after giving it up
How to send your request
Submit a request using our web form (opens in a new tab) .
Complete all the required fields and tell us what needs to be fixed.
If your request is urgent
To send an urgent request, follow the instructions above and
- write “URGENT” in the web form
- tell us why it’s urgent
- For example, you have an emergency.
After you send your request
We’ll review your request to confirm if we can replace your certificate for free.
If we determine we did not make the mistake
- we’ll explain why we’re refusing the request
- if you want, you can apply on paper to replace the certificate and pay the fee (opens in a new tab)
Paper certificate
If you have a paper certificate, find out how to send request and what to expect after you send it:
How to send the request
- Prepare these documents:
- the citizenship certificate with the mistake
- a note explaining what needs to be fixed
If your request is urgent, you also need to
- explain why it’s urgent (for example, if you have an emergency)
- include a document to support your explanation
- write “Urgent” in large, dark letters on the envelope.
- Send your documents to us.
Send them to us by mail or courier if you got the certificate after applying.
- to become a Canadian citizen (grant of citizenship)
- to resume your Canadian citizenship after giving it up
- for a citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) from Canada or the United States
- This includes online and paper applications.
If you applied for a citizenship certificate from outside Canada and the United States, send your documents to the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate(opens in a new tab)
- where you submitted your paper application or
- that you chose in the online application
After you send the request
We’ll review your request to confirm if we can replace your certificate for free.
If we determine that we did not make the mistake
- we’ll explain why we are refusing the request
- you’ll get your documents back
- if you want, you can apply on paper to replace the certificate and pay the fee (opens in a new tab)
If we didn’t make the mistake or it’s been more than 90 days
We won’t be able to replace your certificate for free.
If you still want to correct the mistake, you must apply on paper to replace the certificate and pay the fee.
We stopped issuing the citizenship cards in 2012
If you want to fix a mistake on a citizenship card, you must apply for a citizenship certificate and pay the fee.
How can I apply for a citizenship certificate or search of citizenship records?
There are 2 ways to apply: online or on paper. You can only apply online to get your own citizenship records. To apply for someone else’s citizenship records, you need to apply on paper.
We process online and paper applications the same way and at the same speed.
There are some differences between applying online and on paper. This includes how
- you’ll prepare and submit your application
- long you have to complete your application
- you’ll pay your fees
- we’ll communicate with you
- you’ll be able to check your application status
Find out how to apply for
When and how do I apply urgently for a search of citizenship records?
We can process applications faster than our normal processing times in special cases.
You can ask for urgent processing if you need to
- confirm to a foreign government that you’re not a citizen (for example, to get a passport from that country)
- administer the estate of a deceased person or execute a will
- show you are (or are not) a citizen to get a certain job
Your request for urgent processing must include
- an explanation letter
- supporting documents, for example
- a letter from a foreign government stating that they need the information
- documents that show you’re administering an estate or the executor of a will
- a letter from an employer
We review your request to see if it qualifies. Even if you qualify, we can’t guarantee that you’ll get your search of citizenship record on time.
You must choose between applying online or on paper.
- To get someone else’s record , you can only apply on paper.
- Do not submit both online and paper applications for the same request.
- If you do, we won’t process your duplicate application.
You applied on paper from Canada or the United States
Fill out the web form (opens in a new tab) to explain why you need urgent processing.
Include
- your full name, date of birth, email address and telephone number(s)
- a message that starts with “Request for urgent processing”
- Make sure your documents are in the correct format.
You applied on paper from outside Canada and the United States
Contact the Canadian embassy, consulate or high commission (opens in a new tab) where you submitted your application.
You applied online
Fill out the web form (opens in a new tab) to explain why you need urgent processing.
Include:
- your full name, date of birth, email address and telephone number(s)
- a message that starts with “Request for urgent processing”
- any documents that will support your explanation
- Make sure your documents are in the correct format.
You haven’t applied yet: Get your own records urgently
You may choose to apply online or on paper for your own records.
Apply online urgently
We’ll ask you if you need urgent processing in the online application.
Answer “Yes” and
- explain why you need urgent processing
- upload documents to support your explanation
Our online application tool works best in Google Chrome. Once you start the application, you have 60 days to submit it.
Apply on paper urgently
Complete the application package (opens in a new tab)
Include with your application
- a letter explaining why you need urgent processing
- documents to support your explanation
- Pay your application fee (opens in a new tab)
- Submit your application
- Write Urgent – search of citizenship records in large, dark letters on the envelope.
- Find out where to submit your application (opens in a new tab)
You haven’t applied yet: Get someone else’s records urgently
To get someone else’s record (opens in a new tab) , you need to apply on paper .
Do not apply online. If you do, we won’t process your online application.
- Complete the application package (opens in a new tab)
- Include with your application
- a letter explaining why you need urgent processing
- documents to support your explanation
- Include with your application
- Pay your application fee (opens in a new tab)
- Submit your application
- Write Urgent – search of citizenship records in large, dark letters on the envelope.
- Find out where to submit your application (opens in a new tab)
- Date modified: