‘Help! I’m terrified’: Some people asked to surrender their Canadian citizenship certificates
The Canadian government is responding to reports that some people are being asked to surrender their citizenship certificates.
Several people who applied for Canadian citizenship under Bill C-3, or the “Lost Canadians” legislation that came into effect last year, and received citizenship certificates, recently reported getting messages from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) asking them to return their certificates.
Bill C-3 extends Canadian citizenship by descent beyond the first generation. It automatically gives citizenship to anyone who would be a citizen today if not for the first-generation limit.
Mehaniq/Shutterstock
The first-generation limit prevented people who were born outside of Canada to a parent who was also born or adopted outside Canada to a Canadian parent from automatically becoming a Canadian citizen.
Under Bill C-3, people who were born or adopted outside Canada in the second generation or later to a Canadian parent before Dec. 15, 2025, can automatically become Canadian citizens in most cases.
This means that Americans living in the U.S. who were born before Dec. 15, 2025, and can trace their roots back to a Canadian ancestor, are eligible to apply for proof of Canadian citizenship under the new legislation. However, they have to prove it with documents that show parentage, place of birth and any name changes.
“I don’t understand what happened”
While the number of impacted people is not clear, several have posted about the issue on Reddit in the past few days.
“Sad news, I found out my citizenship certificate (previously granted) is now under review,” reads one post. “Pretty sad, I planned on moving to Canada as soon as I got a job. I was already granted a passport and SIN.”
“Help! I’m terrified,” reads another post about being asked to surrender their citizenship certificate. “I don’t understand what happened. Everything I sent to them was true and accurate. And suddenly this. I’ve never heard of this.”
The Redditors shared screenshots of the notice, which told them that the IRCC has information that indicates that they may not be entitled to hold a Canadian certificate of citizenship.
The letter alleges that the documentation submitted for proof of citizenship “is not from the original source authorities responsible for creating or maintaining historical records, such as civil registries, vital statistics agencies, or other authorized government bodies.”
The notice states that without these source documents, the applicant must provide a written explanation outlining why the source documents couldn’t be obtained and submit evidence that they made an effort to obtain the documents. This includes correspondence with authorities or confirmation from source authorities that the records are unavailable.
“As this documentation was not submitted with your proof of citizenship application, I am requiring the surrender of your certificate of citizenship,” reads the notice.
IRCC’s statement on Canadian citizenship certificates
In an email statement to Daily Hive, the IRCC addressed the notices that were being sent out. The agency said that it is aware that a limited number of people who received a Canadian citizenship certificate under Bill C-3 have been notified that their file is under review.
“The purpose of the review is to determine, through an individualized process, whether the certificate was properly issued based on the evidence required by law,” stated the IRCC.
“This is a necessary and important safeguard, and all affected individuals will have an opportunity to provide additional documentary evidence in support of their case. If the review confirms that the individual is entitled to the certificate, it will be returned.”
It also stressed that people seeking proof of citizenship through a Canadian ancestor “must establish the chain of parent-child relationships through each generation and provide solid evidence to support their claim.”
“From the beginning, we have been clear: having Canadian ancestry does not automatically mean entitlement to citizenship,” reads the statement. “With each application, trained officers review all the evidence before them before approving a citizenship certificate.”
The citizenship applicants who shared their stories on Reddit insisted that they shared as many legitimate documents dating as far back as they could.
The agency said it’s actively reviewing affected files and assessing them “fairly, consistently, and in accordance with the law.”
Was your citizenship certificate revoked by the IRCC for similar reasons? Share your story with us at trending@dailyhive.com.