A citizenship certificate is the official documentary proof that a person is a Canadian citizen. It is distinct from the process of applying for citizenship — a citizenship certificate is for persons who are already citizens but need a document to prove that status. The certificate is issued under section 3 of the Citizenship Act, which sets out who is a Canadian citizen (by birth in Canada, by descent, or by grant/conferral). Applications for adults and minors use Form CIT 0001 and can be submitted online or on paper. The certificate is used to apply for a Canadian passport, access government services, and prove citizenship for employment or legal purposes. Following the enactment of Bill C-3 on 19 December 2025, which removed the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent, some persons who were previously not Canadian citizens are now citizens and are eligible to apply for a citizenship certificate for the first time. This page explains who can apply, how the application works, and when a citizenship certificate is needed.

For current citizenship certificate application information, refer to the IRCC apply for a citizenship certificate page.

• Citizenship Act, s 3 — defines who is a Canadian citizen: persons born in Canada after 1947; persons born abroad to a Canadian citizen parent (by descent); persons granted citizenship (by conferral); and other categories
• Citizenship Act, s 12 — the Minister may issue a citizenship certificate as proof of citizenship
• Citizenship Act, ss 3(1)(h)–(j) as amended by Bill C-3 (SC 2024, c 11), in force 19 December 2025 — removes the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent; extends citizenship to persons born abroad to a Canadian citizen grandparent or earlier ancestor who was born or naturalised in Canada
• IRCC: Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate — canada.ca/citizenship-certificate-apply
• IRCC: Form CIT 0001 — Application for a Citizenship Certificate — canada.ca/CIT0001

What a citizenship certificate is — and is not

A citizenship certificate is not the same as:

• A citizenship grant (the process of becoming a citizen through conferral, assessed by IRCC against the citizenship requirements including residency, language, and the test)
• A Canadian passport (a separate travel document issued by Passport Canada/Global Affairs Canada; the citizenship certificate is one of the documents used to apply for a passport)
• A permanent resident card (proof of PR status, not citizenship)
• A certificate of naturalization (a historical document issued before modern citizenship certificates; some older Canadians hold these as their only citizenship proof)

A citizenship certificate is a proof document — it proves the citizenship that the person already holds. Applying for a citizenship certificate does not create citizenship; it documents and evidences citizenship that exists by operation of law.

Who can apply

Any Canadian citizen who needs documentary proof of their citizenship can apply for a citizenship certificate. Common reasons to apply include:

• Applying for a Canadian passport — a citizenship certificate is one of the accepted identity documents for passport applications
• Proving citizenship for employment — federal government positions and certain licences require proof of citizenship
• Proving citizenship for education, services, or benefits that are restricted to citizens
• As documentary proof for persons who were born abroad to a Canadian parent (by descent) and have never held a citizenship certificate
• Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged previous citizenship certificate or citizenship card
• Persons who became citizens under the Bill C-3 amendments (December 2025) who now need proof of newly confirmed citizenship

Adults and minors

Both adults and minors (under 18) can have citizenship certificates:

• Adults: apply using Form CIT 0001 (online or paper); provide identity documents and evidence of citizenship (birth certificate showing birth in Canada, or birth abroad with proof of Canadian parent's citizenship at time of birth)
• Minors (under 18): a parent or guardian applies on behalf of the minor using Form CIT 0001; the form is completed as if the minor is answering the questions; the parent/guardian must be a Canadian citizen or must have custody of the child

Bill C-3 (December 2025) — newly eligible citizens by descent

Bill C-3, which came into force on 19 December 2025, amended the Citizenship Act to remove the first-generation limit on Canadian citizenship by descent. Under the previous law, citizenship by descent extended only to the first generation born outside Canada to a Canadian parent — second and subsequent generations born outside Canada were not citizens by descent. Under the amended law:

• Persons born outside Canada to a Canadian citizen grandparent (or earlier ancestor) who was born in Canada or naturalised as a Canadian citizen may now be Canadian citizens by descent
• Persons who were previously not citizens because they were in the second or later generation born outside Canada should apply for a citizenship certificate to confirm and document their newly confirmed citizenship status
• Additional eligibility requirements apply — including that the person must have a genuine connection to Canada (the connection requirement varies depending on the specific pathway under the amended Act)

For details on citizenship by descent and the Bill C-3 changes, see the citizenship by descent page.

How to apply — Form CIT 0001

Applications for a citizenship certificate under s3 of the Citizenship Act use Form CIT 0001. The process:

1. Complete Form CIT 0001 online (through the IRCC secure portal) or download the paper form
2. Gather required documents: proof of identity (valid passport or other government-issued ID), supporting documents demonstrating the basis for citizenship (birth certificate, parent's citizenship documents if applying by descent)
3. Pay the applicable fee — for current fees, refer to the IRCC citizenship certificate page
4. Submit the application online or by mail

Important: a Social Insurance Number (SIN) card, bank card, credit card, and birth certificates or marriage certificates issued in Quebec before January 1, 1994 are not accepted as identity documents for this application.

Certificate formats — physical card and electronic PDF

A citizenship certificate can be issued in two formats:

• Physical citizenship certificate card: a wallet-sized card with security features, mailed to the applicant
• Electronic (printable PDF) citizenship certificate: a digital certificate that can be downloaded and printed; accepted as proof of citizenship for most purposes

Both formats are official proof of citizenship and are accepted for passport applications and other purposes. Applicants can choose the format at the time of application.

Many Canadians do not hold a citizenship certificate — particularly those born in Canada who have always used their birth certificate as proof of Canadian birth, and those who received citizenship decades ago under a system that did not automatically issue certificates. The citizenship certificate has become more important as passport applications increasingly require it as the primary citizenship document, and as second-generation Canadians (born abroad to Canadian parents) seek proof of their citizenship status. The Bill C-3 changes (19 December 2025) created a new group of eligible citizens — persons born abroad to Canadian grandparents — who may never have had any Canadian documentation; the citizenship certificate application process is how these individuals obtain their first proof of Canadian citizenship. A common confusion is between a citizenship certificate and a Canadian passport — the passport is a travel document that happens to prove citizenship, while the certificate is the underlying citizenship proof. The certificate is used as the primary supporting document when applying for a first passport. For current fees, processing times, and Form CIT 0001 (updated January 2026), refer to the IRCC citizenship certificate page.