Seven mistakes to avoid when applying for Canadian citizenship – IRCC

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The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has advised applicants seeking citizenship certificates under Canada’s new citizenship by descent law to carefully review their application packages to avoid common mistakes that could lead to delays.

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In a post obtained from the official page of Canadavisa’s X handle on Wednesday, the warning comes as more applicants prepare submissions for proof of Canadian citizenship, with authorities noting that incomplete or incorrectly prepared applications may be returned.

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IRCC’s updated document checklist (CIT 0014) requires applicants to provide supporting documents from the original issuing authorities, such as civil registries, vital statistics offices or provincial archives.

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The agency stated that applications “cannot be supported solely by third-party records,” meaning documents obtained from genealogy platforms or similar sources are not sufficient on their own.

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Applicants who cannot obtain original records are advised to provide a written explanation and evidence of attempts made to secure the documents.

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IRCC also reminded applicants that photocopies of supporting documents must be high-resolution and in colour.

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“Don’t submit original documents unless the instructions specifically ask for them,” the guidance stated, adding that original documents submitted without a request are generally not returned.

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The agency further highlighted the importance of meeting citizenship photo requirements, including correct dimensions, a plain background, and required information on the back of the photographs.

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It warned that incorrect photos remain among the common reasons applications are returned.

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Applicants were also reminded to complete all sections of the application forms, with IRCC advising that any section that does not apply should be marked “N/A” rather than left blank.

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“An empty field or section reads as a missing answer, and may lead to your application being dismissed as incomplete and returned,” the guidance noted.

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The agency also stressed the need for applicants to sign and date their forms correctly, stating that unsigned applications would be returned.

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“Use black ink, since that’s what the form CIT 0001 specifies,” IRCC advised, adding that the date on the application must not be more than 90 days old when received and must not be a future date.

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IRCC encouraged applicants to keep copies of all submitted documents and use courier or postal services with tracking options to confirm delivery.

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The agency noted that attention to detail is important, especially as proof of citizenship applications were taking about 19 months to process as of July 2026.

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