Update October 2026
Since Bill C-3 came into force on 15 December 2025, many people born abroad to a Canadian parent before that date (who were previously excluded by the first-generation limit) are recognised as citizens and can apply for a citizenship certificate. For children born abroad on or after 15 December 2025 to a Canadian parent also born abroad, the parent must have spent at least 1,095 days in Canada before the birth.
As of February 1st 2012, the plastic wallet-sized citizenship card has been replaced with a Citizenship Certificate.
A Citizenship Certificate is an official document showing you are a Canadian citizen.
If you apply for and receive your Canadian citizenship (either via naturalization or grant) you will automatically receive the Citizenship Certificate after your citizenship ceremony. You will not need to apply for one yourself.
You may only need to apply for a new one when the original has been damaged, lost, or destroyed, and you need it to:
- Apply for your child’s Canadian citizenship who was born overseas
- Apply for a Canadian passport, job, pension, or social insurance number
- Show your legal name and/or gender after you change it
Application process
Fees
Citizenship certificates are free of charge when:
- You first become a citizen, or
- You update it with your reclaimed Indigenous name (only until May 30 2026)
For all others seeking to replace a Canadian Citizenship Certificate, the fee is CAN $75.
Processing times
Replacement citizenship certificates take approximately 15 months to process. Please allow additional time for applications made outside Canada.
Note that expedited processing is possible in exceptional and/or compassionate circumstances and where documentation can support the need for urgent processing. Some situations include:
- Needing access to benefits like pension, health care, social insurance number
- You need it for a job
- To travel to/from Canada because of a death/serious illness in your family