Dear future neighbour,
Canada’s citizenship by descent pathway has been one of the most talked-about immigration developments in recent months. But this week, things took an unexpected turn and if you have been following this route to Canadian citizenship, you will want to pay close attention to what has just been announced.
On June 24, 2026, Immigration Minister Lena Diab publicly confirmed that Canada has placed a hold on all new citizenship by descent approvals. At the same time, the government is actively going back through the files of people who have already had their citizenship granted under the updated law.
Yes, even those who already received their certificates.
The minister did try to offer some reassurance: people whose files are reviewed and found to be in order are being notified that their status is fine. Those who already hold Canadian citizenship under the new rules are also still allowed to work while their files are being looked at. But the uncertainty this has created for thousands of applicants is very real.
What’s still unclear is what exactly triggered this review in the first place. When pressed by journalists at the press conference, whether it was an AI or analytics error, or a mistake made by an individual officer; Minister Diab did not give a direct answer. She said only that she gave instructions to investigate as soon as she became aware that something had gone wrong.
What happened leading up to this?
A bit of background helps here. On December 15, 2025, major changes to Canada’s Citizenship Act came into force. The new rules allowed people born before that date to claim Canadian citizenship without needing to meet any residency requirement as long as they could prove they descended from a Canadian citizen. It opened the door for many people who had never lived in Canada, including a significant number of Americans, to pursue Canadian citizenship.
By February and March 2026, immigration lawyers and consultants were reporting a massive surge in demand. The queue has grown to 82,000 applications as of June 24, and processing times for new applications have stretched to 15 months.
Then on June 13, things took a strange turn. Canada’s citizenship department began sending what are being called “surrender letters” to people who had already been approved and issued certificates; asking them to hand back their documents because their claim was now “under review.”
Where things stand right now
As of this week, some certificates are already being returned. People receiving revalidation letters from the government are being told that a review of their original documents is complete and there is enough evidence to support their claim. Interestingly, many of those receiving these clearance letters say they did not submit any new documents after getting the surrender letter, meaning the government reviewed what was already on file.
The citizenship department has also updated its documentation requirements. Going forward, any documents used to prove a line of descent must now come directly from the original source authority, a higher standard than what was previously accepted.
Your Citizenship Questions Deserve Real Answers
This situation is still developing, and it highlights just how complicated Canadian citizenship and immigration processes can get, even when you think everything has been approved. Whether you are in the middle of a citizenship by descent application, wondering if your approved certificate is at risk, or simply trying to understand what your options are, you do not have to figure this out alone. Our team is here to help you navigate the process clearly and confidently. We assist with citizenship applications, Express Entry, provincial nomination, work permits, postgraduate work permits, spousal sponsorship, visitor visas, super visas, school admissions, and more. Book a consultation today at and let’s work through your situation together.