The Canadian Press reported on 18 June that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has emailed “a few dozen” recent citizenship-by-descent recipients instructing them to return their certificates, pending an internal review. Affected individuals—some of whom have already sold homes and booked movers—say they were given no explanation or timeline for resolution. The snafu follows last year’s Bill C-3, which extended citizenship by descent to those born abroad before 15 December 2025 who can prove lineage generation by generation.
![Citizenship-by-descent fiasco: Ottawa demands surrender of certificates, sowing uncertainty for new Canadians]()
For individuals now scrambling to verify lineage or source replacement travel documents, VisaHQ can provide a practical stop-gap. Through its Canadian services page (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), the firm offers step-by-step guidance on ordering certified civil records, tracking application status and securing interim visas or eTAs for time-sensitive travel. Having a single portal for document procurement and real-time requirement updates can help both employees and mobility managers keep relocation plans on track while IRCC completes its review.
Lawyers say IRCC abruptly tightened evidentiary rules on 12 June, insisting on original civil-status documents or certified archival copies, and then issued surrender letters when files did not meet the new bar. Stakeholders warn the episode undermines trust in Canada’s immigration system and could expose employers to compliance risks if affected workers travel on now-invalid documents. One U.S. psychologist relocating to Victoria faces a 24 June moving date but cannot confirm her ability to cross the border. IRCC says it is “reviewing how this occurred” and that affected passports will be flagged as invalid. In the interim, global-mobility managers should identify employees who obtained citizenship through descent since December 2025 and advise them to postpone non-essential travel. Companies may need to arrange alternative status documentation or adjust onboarding timelines. Industry groups are calling for a 90-day grace period while IRCC finalises guidance, and for dedicated case officers to triage urgent humanitarian situations.
For individuals now scrambling to verify lineage or source replacement travel documents, VisaHQ can provide a practical stop-gap. Through its Canadian services page (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), the firm offers step-by-step guidance on ordering certified civil records, tracking application status and securing interim visas or eTAs for time-sensitive travel. Having a single portal for document procurement and real-time requirement updates can help both employees and mobility managers keep relocation plans on track while IRCC completes its review.
Lawyers say IRCC abruptly tightened evidentiary rules on 12 June, insisting on original civil-status documents or certified archival copies, and then issued surrender letters when files did not meet the new bar. Stakeholders warn the episode undermines trust in Canada’s immigration system and could expose employers to compliance risks if affected workers travel on now-invalid documents. One U.S. psychologist relocating to Victoria faces a 24 June moving date but cannot confirm her ability to cross the border. IRCC says it is “reviewing how this occurred” and that affected passports will be flagged as invalid. In the interim, global-mobility managers should identify employees who obtained citizenship through descent since December 2025 and advise them to postpone non-essential travel. Companies may need to arrange alternative status documentation or adjust onboarding timelines. Industry groups are calling for a 90-day grace period while IRCC finalises guidance, and for dedicated case officers to triage urgent humanitarian situations.
