Proof of Citizenship Can Now Be Submitted Online
Canada is now accepting all requestss for proof of citizenship via online. Using the online portal of Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship, and Canada, applicants can now submit their application, send any supporting documents as well as pay their fees. Using the said online portal, you can take three actions:
- Request for a search of citizenship record
- Request for a replacement proof-of-citizenship or citizenship certificate that does not need changes on the information declared on the certificate like name and birthdate.
- Submit claims for proof of citizenship by descent
Application for proof of citizenship can be done online if your Canadian parent was either:
- Born in Canada on February 18, 1977, onwards
- Granted citizenship on April 17, 2009, onwards
If your parent does not belong in the above-mentioned category, unfortunately, you will have to submit your request via paper application.
It is easy to know if you are eligible to apply online, as the government also has an online tool that allows you to do so. To do that, the online tool will prompt you to either create an account or log in with your existing one. In connection to this, if you are to request for your own records, you will also need an account to accomplish your request Meanwhile, if you are to request for another person’s records, you have to make your request through paper.
In a media release, the IRCC mentioned that through this, the application requests coming from outside Canada will really save time as the applicant will no longer need to physically visit the embassy or high commission just to submit their applications; however, they can still do if the chose to do so. To make it clear, the government of Canada will still be accepting and processing all paper applications. In addition to this, if an applicant has already submitted their request through a paper application, the IRCC said to not complete an online application if it is for the same request.
