Canada Extends Citizenship Processing Time to 19 Months

The Canadian government has announced an increase in the processing time for proof of citizenship applications to 19 months, as reported by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This change takes effect immediately and affects both new and existing applications.

The current backlog of nearly 100,000 applications is a significant factor contributing to the prolonged processing time. The surge in applications is attributed to the growing demand for Canadian citizenship, particularly following changes to citizenship descent laws that took effect in December 2025.

These amendments broaden eligibility for individuals born abroad to Canadian ancestry. The IRCC statistics indicate that the United States has recorded the highest number of proof of citizenship applications, with nearly 2,500 submitted since the new rule's effect in January 2026, significantly more than the United Kingdom, the second-largest source country.

However, there are no official figures regarding the number of Nigerian applicants for proof of Canadian citizenship for 2025 and 2026.