On May 15, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated its operational instructions for officers processing proof of citizenship applications from individuals outside of Canada and the United States.
According to the new instructions, effective March 1, 2026, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has reduced its role in these applications and has ceased conducting completeness checks for citizenship applications submitted abroad.
To help address the operational impacts, citizenship staff at the Digitization and Identity Operations Division (DIOD) now perform a minimal completeness check of all paper proof of citizenship applications, including those from abroad. Applications missing elements required for legal validity are 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.
The procedures outlined in these Instructions do not supersede existing intake procedures for paper applications received from within Canada or the United States.
Minimum completeness requirements
An application for a citizenship certificate is considered complete when it includes all the following:
Form
- Recent version of CIT 0001 – Application for a Citizenship Certificate (paper or online submission); all sections completed as instructed.
Signatures
- Required signatures provided by the applicant (14 years or older), parent/guardian (for minors or dependents), or authorized representative; signed and dated in ink (for paper applications).
Supporting Documents
- Identity document (government-issued photo ID acceptable under program rules); photographs
Fees
- Payment receipt number for application fee (CAD 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.
Erickson Insights and Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.