Intake of Canadian Citizenship Certificate Applications (Proof of Citizenship)
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Purpose
These instructions provide operational guidance to citizenship staff on the assessment and rejection of incomplete applications for a Canadian citizenship certificate (Proof of Citizenship). The goal is to ensure consistent, efficient processing and adherence to legislative and regulatory requirements.
Overview
Effective March 1, 2026, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) will reduce its role in the intake of proof of citizenship applications from individuals outside of Canada and the United States and will cease conducting completeness checks for citizenship applications submitted abroad. To help address the operational impacts, citizenship staff at the Digitization and Identity Operations Division (DIOD) will perform a minimal completeness check of all paper proof of citizenship applications, including those from abroad. Applications missing elements required for legal validity will be rejected to maintain operational efficiency.
A completeness check must be performed upon receipt of all proof of citizenship applications. At the minimum, applications must contain the required form (CIT 0001), photographs, signatures, and fee payment before they can be accepted into processing.
Applications that do not meet these completeness requirements must be rejected with a notification of the missing information or documentation. No further processing is to be undertaken.
Note: The procedures outlined in these Program Delivery Instructions do not supersede existing intake procedures for paper applications received from Canada or the United States.
Completeness Check Requirements
Incomplete Applications – Grounds for Rejection
Applications missing one or more of the essential elements listed below will be rejected as incomplete:
- Application form (CIT 0001) not provided or is missing information required to be able to assess the application.
- Mandatory signature is missing.
- Photographs missing or not compliant with specifications.
- Proof of payment missing (i.e., IPRMS payment receipt).
Complete Applications
An application for a citizenship certificate is considered complete when it includes all the following:
- Required Form
- Recent version of CIT 0001 – Application for a Citizenship Certificate (paper or online submission).
- All sections completed as instructed.
Note: Applications submitted internationally will not be returned for being incomplete, outside of the initially outlined core areas of form, fees, signature, and photo.
- Signatures
- Required signatures provided by the applicant (14 years or older), parent/guardian (for minors or dependants), or authorized representative.
- Signed and dated (in ink for paper applications).
- Required Supporting Documents
- The following must be included, as applicable:
- Identity document (government-issued photo ID acceptable under program rules).
- Photographs
- The following must be included, as applicable:
- Fees
- Payment receipt number for application fee ($75) paid in full.
With the exception of the minimum legal requirements outlined above, DIOD has the discretion to accept applications missing other elements into processing and request the missing information or documents from the applicant.
In the case of applications originating from outside Canada and the United States, this may be more efficient as it would avoid delays and costs associated with international postage as well as the risk of lost or undelivered mail.
