In a move that stunned recent applicants, IRCC began emailing holders of citizenship-by-descent certificates on June 13–15 directing them to return the documents because they “may not be entitled to hold” them. The orders target proofs issued under Bill C-3, the landmark law that, since December 2025, lets Canadians born abroad pass citizenship to children and grandchildren born outside Canada. Motivus Law, which first published the notice on June 24, explains that the surrender demand does not revoke citizenship; instead, it suspends the physical certificate while officers re-verify original source documents across every generation of the applicant’s lineage. IRCC’s key concern is files that rely heavily on genealogy-site records rather than civil-registry certificates. Roughly 4,075 Bill C-3 certificates had been granted by late spring, half to U.S.-born claimants. Parliament’s Budget Officer projects up to 115,000 people may eventually qualify, but the sudden review highlights a long-standing tension: eligibility is broad, yet proving ancestry across multiple centuries can be evidentiary minefield. For cross-border families and employers sponsoring executives on the verge of naturalization, the practical fallout is immediate. Passport Canada will not issue or renew a passport once a certificate is flagged, potentially derailing travel.
![IRCC Suspends Proof-of-Citizenship Certificates Issued Under Bill C-3 Pending Review]()
For travelers caught in this limbo, VisaHQ can help bridge the gap by expediting alternative travel documents, securing urgent visas, and coordinating apostille and translation services for the missing civil-registry records. Their dedicated Canada team (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) works with both individuals and corporate mobility departments to keep essential trips on schedule while IRCC completes its revalidation checks.
Applicants must now assemble certified records—from provincial archives or parish baptismal books—for each generational link, and be ready to explain any gaps. Although IRCC issued revalidation letters to some recipients days later, the episode underscores the department’s willingness to invoke section 26(3) of the Citizenship Regulations to protect program integrity. Counsel advise current and future Bill C-3 applicants to audit their document chain proactively, replacing third-party scans with original registry certificates wherever possible.
For travelers caught in this limbo, VisaHQ can help bridge the gap by expediting alternative travel documents, securing urgent visas, and coordinating apostille and translation services for the missing civil-registry records. Their dedicated Canada team (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) works with both individuals and corporate mobility departments to keep essential trips on schedule while IRCC completes its revalidation checks.
Applicants must now assemble certified records—from provincial archives or parish baptismal books—for each generational link, and be ready to explain any gaps. Although IRCC issued revalidation letters to some recipients days later, the episode underscores the department’s willingness to invoke section 26(3) of the Citizenship Regulations to protect program integrity. Counsel advise current and future Bill C-3 applicants to audit their document chain proactively, replacing third-party scans with original registry certificates wherever possible.
