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Citizenship Certificate
(Proof of Canadian Citizenship) and
Searching Citizenship Records

Proof of Canadian Citizenship

A citizenship certificate is your proof of citizenship. It is a wallet-sized card with your photograph. It is not a travel document.

You need to prove your citizenship when you:

• vote;
• apply for a passport;
• apply for certain jobs; or
• apply to obtain certain government entitlements.

Any Canadian citizen can apply for a citizenship certificate. New Canadians get a certificate when they become citizens. If you automatically acquired citizenship because you were born outside Canada to a Canadian parent, you can apply for a citizenship certificate. If you automatically acquired citizenship in another way (e.g., born in Canada or you are a woman who was landed in Canada before 1947 as a war bride) you can apply for a citizenship certificate.

To apply from within Canada for your citizenship certificate (or replacement card), view and print an application form or contact the Call Centre.

To apply from outside of Canada for your citizenship certificate (or replacement card), view and print an application form or contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate responsible for the area where you live.

Canadians applying for a citizenship certificate for the first time need to provide certain documents to prove they are citizens. Refer to the Application Guide to determine what documents you require. If you require proof of admission to Canada as a landed immigrant, view and print an Application for a Certified True Copy, Correction, or Replacement of an Immigration Document or contact the Call Centre.

Search of Citizenship Records

A search of records can confirm if you were or were not issued a citizenship certificate. You can also search for someone else’s records, but you need to get that person’s permission first.

View and print an Application for Search of Citizenship Records or contact the Call Centre.