Key facts
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is reviewing citizenship-by-descent applications.
- Some individuals who were recently approved for citizenship have been asked to return their certificates.
- The reviews are due to concerns about the documentation used to establish citizenship by descent.
- Issues include reliance on non-official government sources or lack of explanation for missing documents.
- Applicants have the chance to submit additional evidence to support their claims during the reassessment.
Canadian immigration authorities are re-examining citizenship-by-descent applications, leading some recently approved citizens to return their certificates. The reviews are prompted by concerns over the documentation and proof of lineage used in these applications.
According to a report by CIC News, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has informed a group of applicants that their citizenship claims are undergoing renewed scrutiny. These individuals had already received proof of Canadian citizenship, and in some cases, had obtained Canadian passports and Social Insurance Numbers.
The concerns primarily relate to applications that may have relied on records not obtained directly from official government sources or lacked explanations for missing documentation. Canadian authorities aim to verify family lineage claims and ensure sufficient evidence linking applicants to a Canadian citizen ancestor has been provided.
This review does not automatically mean citizenship has been revoked. Affected applicants have been given an opportunity to submit further documentation to support their claims. If eligibility is confirmed after examining the additional evidence, the certificates will be returned.