Citizenship certificates (formerly proof of citizenship cards) are a document to prove your Canadian citizenship. They are not to be used for travel purposes – a passport is needed for that. IRCC will not process your application for a replacement Canadian citizenship certificate until they receive what is required from you. If you are required to provide additional information or documents, contact us to discuss urgency.
When you lose your proof of citizenship, it’s important to report it right away. This can help prevent fraudulent activities such as identity theft. The process for replacing a lost citizenship card or certificate can take several months, and there’s a fee of $75 (tax included). However, you may be eligible for expedited processing. A Canadian citizenship certificate is a letter-sized piece of paper that certifies your Canadian citizenship. It contains information such as your name, date of birth, and sex. It used to be a wallet-sized card but was changed to the current certificate format in 2012.
When applying to replace your citizenship certificate, you must submit the same information as on your original application. However, if you have a passport that shows your date of birth and sex, you can use that instead of your citizenship certificate. This will save you time and money. The information you provide on your proof of citizenship application must be accurate. Inaccuracies will delay the processing of your application. It’s important to provide your application’s correct email address and phone number because this is where IRCC will contact you. If you’re not sure what to enter, a citizenship expert at Immigroup can help you fill out your application correctly. The information you provide on your application should also be as current as possible.
You must include photocopies of two ID documents, one of which must contain a photo, with your citizenship certificate replacement application. In addition, you must return any copies of your lost certificate that you have. Finally, you must complete what is known as a Statutory Declaration. This is a document that includes statements about your identity, an ID picture of yourself, and it’s sworn before a lawyer.
IRCC will review your application and decide whether to approve your request for a new citizenship certificate. If approved, you can order a copy of your new citizenship certificate from IRCC online. It’s important to remember that a Canada citizenship certificate is not a travel document, and you should still get a passport if you plan to travel abroad.
How Do I Replace My Canada Citizenship Card?
In order to replace a lost Canada citizenship card, you must complete an Application for a Citizenship Certificate (IMM-1005). If the reason for your application is due to a name change, you will also need to submit a copy of your marriage, divorce, or name change certificate. It is important to note that a citizenship certificate does not replace a passport; you will still need to carry your passport with you when travelling internationally. Also, a citizenship certificate is not valid proof of identity in the event that you are stopped by a law enforcement officer or airline security.
In addition to the form, you will need a supporting document proving your identity, such as a driver’s license or birth certificate. You will also need to provide a letter from your doctor confirming your medical status and a form of support from an individual willing to sponsor you financially. Generally, it can take up to 17 months for a replacement certificate to be processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. However, in cases where you can prove that you need your citizenship certificate urgently, you may be eligible for expedited processing.
You can request urgent processing by submitting proof that you need your proof of citizenship immediately, such as a travel ticket or employment offer. The decision to process your application with urgency will be at the discretion of the immigration officer reviewing your case. A citizen can only ask for his or her citizenship card to be replaced if he or she is accompanied by a legal representative, such as a parent or guardian, who has custody of the citizen or who has parental responsibilities over the citizen. In addition, if the applicant is a minor, the legal representative must provide a letter with proof of their guardianship or parental responsibilities.
It is also important to note that a person who loses his or her Canadian citizenship will not be permitted to return to the country until he or she has successfully regained permanent resident status and lived in the country for a period of time set by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship (IRCC). In some cases, the citizen will be banned from returning to the country for several years if they are found to have committed fraud, acted contrary to the interests of Canada, or were involved in terrorist activities.
Can I Expedite My Citizenship Application Canada?
There are a few things to keep in mind when applying for expedited citizenship. First, you will need to ensure that your application is complete and current. This includes making sure that you have all the required supporting documents. Also, your English and French language skills must be at a minimum level. If you are unable to demonstrate adequate English and French proficiency, it will take longer for your application to process. Finally, you must meet the residence requirement. This means that you must have lived as a permanent resident in Canada for at least three years out of the five-year period before your application date.
If you are able to demonstrate that your Canadian citizenship is needed urgently, you may be able to have your application processed more quickly. For example, if there has been a death or serious illness of a family member abroad, and you need to travel for the funeral or to see your family, this will be an acceptable reason to request urgent processing. Similarly, if you are about to lose your job because you are not a citizen and have been unable to get work elsewhere, this could be another good reason to request urgent processing of your citizenship application.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to grant you emergency processing will be made by a CIC officer. The officer will look at your case and all the information you have provided to determine if your situation is appropriate for urgency. It is worth noting that if you submit an application for urgent processing and it is not granted, you will not be eligible to apply again. The next time you wish to expedite your citizenship, you will need to provide new and different evidence.
One final thing to note is that if your application is returned to you or you have received a letter from CIC asking for more information, it will take significantly longer for your citizenship application to be processed as the backlog of cases has not been cleared. If you have any questions about your application or want assistance navigating the process to request urgent processing, please contact us.
How Do I Expedite Proof of Citizenship?
If you lost your proof of citizenship and need to replace it, IRCC has established an expedited service which is available in certain circumstances. However, you must meet the eligibility criteria to be able to use this service. For example, if you need your certificate urgently because you have been told by a government agency, employer, or educational institution that you must provide the document in order to continue to work for them or to be admitted to school, then you can make an application for urgent processing. Similarly, if you have been forced to leave your country because of the wildfires that swept through BC during the summer of 2018 and need to travel to another province or country in order to return to work or attend school, you can also request that the process be expedited.
In both cases, the applicant will need to submit supporting documentation to IRCC. The exact documents required will vary depending on your situation and how you became a Canadian citizen (e.g. through a parent who was a citizen or by naturalizing), but they typically include photocopies of your ID card (or a passport) and any other identification you have been using, as well as a letter explaining your situation.
The letter should be signed and dated and include an explanation of why the urgency request is being made. Generally speaking, only emergency situations will be accepted as grounds for requesting urgent processing. Generally, the most common reasons are that there has been a death or a serious (potentially life-threatening) illness of a family member and that you need to travel urgently to visit them or attend their funeral.
Other reasons could include a business matter, such as the need to replace a corporate ID card or a passport because it has been lost, or a medical emergency, such as the need to return to your home country for treatment of an underlying condition. The decision to approve an application for urgent processing is at the discretion of the officer reviewing your file.