وقت معالجة Citizenship

IRCC publishes a processing time of about 12 months for a Canadian citizenship grant, measured from the day it receives your application to the oath ceremony. That figure was last updated by IRCC on 3 September 2026, and about 327,100 people are in the grant queue. Proof of citizenship, which is a citizenship certificate rather than a grant, is a separate and much slower line at about 33 months, with about 136,000 people waiting on the same table. Two things drove the proof backlog: Bill C-3 removed the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent for anyone born before December 15, 2025, and IRCC then paused finalizing new descent applications for about a month while it reviewed certificates it had already issued. If you are waiting on a certificate rather than a grant, our proof of citizenship guide, linked below, walks through that application. Both figures come from IRCC's own processing-times tool and are reproduced here without adjustment. Complex files involving residency reviews, tax verification, or security checks run longer than the published standard.

The timeline runs in stages. After you submit, IRCC checks that the application is complete and then emails your acknowledgement of receipt (AOR); IRCC says only that this can take some time. Applicants aged 18 to 54 then wait for a test invitation, which IRCC says most people get 1 to 3 months after AOR. For most people the test is online: 20 questions in 45 minutes, and 15 correct answers pass. An officer reviews the online result, which IRCC says can take a few days or a few weeks, and some applicants are invited to an interview. After approval, IRCC sends the ceremony invitation at least 1 week before the ceremony date, and the oath is the final step.

To be eligible for citizenship, you must have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days (3 years) within the 5 years immediately before your application, filed income taxes for at least 3 years within the 5-year period (if required to do so), demonstrate adequate knowledge of English or French, and pass a citizenship test on Canadian history, values, institutions, and symbols. Applicants aged 18-54 must take the test; those under 18 or over 54 are exempt.

Processing times vary based on individual circumstances, including complexity of travel history, language evidence clarity, tax filing verification, background checks, and whether an interview is required. Applications with gaps in documentation, unclear physical presence, or security concerns will take significantly longer. IRCC says most applicants aged 18 to 54 get their test invitation 1 to 3 months after AOR, and non-routine files can wait longer.