Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that newcomers ordered to surrender their proof of Canadian citizenship “deserve an explanation,” vowing to follow up personally with Immigration Minister Lena Diab. The remarks come after IRCC admitted it emailed “a few dozen” people—naturalized under last year’s Bill C-3 citizenship-by-descent reforms—telling them to mail back their citizenship certificates and cancel recently issued passports. Bill C-3, adopted in 2025 after a court ruling struck down the first-generation limit, lets anyone born before December 15, 2025 claim citizenship if they can prove a direct Canadian ancestor. More than 4,100 claims have been approved so far, many from families long settled abroad. The sudden recall e-mails, sent in mid-June, rattled recipients who had already moved to Canada, enrolled children in school and changed employers on the strength of their new status. IRCC says the surrender orders were triggered by “anomalies” detected during a post-approval audit but has not specified whether the problems involve fraudulent documentation, administrative error or a systemic flaw in the new law. Immigration lawyers warn that unless Ottawa clarifies the legal basis, revocation attempts could be challenged in Federal Court for violating due-process protections under the Citizenship Act.
![Prime Minister Demands Answers After ‘Lost Canadians’ Told to Return Citizenship Papers]()
In that context, travelers and families seeking clarity on their status can turn to VisaHQ for up-to-date guidance on Canadian entry rules, passport validity and alternative visa options; its Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) allows users to check eligibility, submit documents and track applications, helping to minimize disruption while IRCC completes its review.
For multinational employers managing intra-company transfers, the episode is an uncomfortable reminder that even finalized status can be revisited. Mobility managers are advising assignees whose citizenship is under review to retain valid work permits where possible and to keep evidence of residence and ancestry on file. Airlines have also been told that affected travellers may hold “recall” letters alongside otherwise valid passports until IRCC completes its investigation. Minister Diab has paused all further C-3 citizenship approvals pending the internal probe. Stakeholders expect a policy update before Parliament rises for the summer on 28 June. In the meantime, Carney’s public intervention signals that cabinet is keen to contain reputational fallout ahead of the July-1 citizenship ceremonies traditionally used to showcase Canada’s openness.
In that context, travelers and families seeking clarity on their status can turn to VisaHQ for up-to-date guidance on Canadian entry rules, passport validity and alternative visa options; its Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) allows users to check eligibility, submit documents and track applications, helping to minimize disruption while IRCC completes its review.
For multinational employers managing intra-company transfers, the episode is an uncomfortable reminder that even finalized status can be revisited. Mobility managers are advising assignees whose citizenship is under review to retain valid work permits where possible and to keep evidence of residence and ancestry on file. Airlines have also been told that affected travellers may hold “recall” letters alongside otherwise valid passports until IRCC completes its investigation. Minister Diab has paused all further C-3 citizenship approvals pending the internal probe. Stakeholders expect a policy update before Parliament rises for the summer on 28 June. In the meantime, Carney’s public intervention signals that cabinet is keen to contain reputational fallout ahead of the July-1 citizenship ceremonies traditionally used to showcase Canada’s openness.
