Glossary

A letter sent by IRCC to confirm your application package arrived. As of 2026, most applicants receive their AOR within roughly 40 days of delivery. The letter also contains your UCI (Unique Client Identifier).

A formal request that allows you to obtain records the Canadian government holds about you, including internal IRCC case notes. Particularly helpful when an application appears stuck in the PSU queue with no status updates.

Quebec's provincial archive, housing pre-1900 religious and civil records. An essential resource for tracing Quebec ancestry before the DEC took over standardized civil registration in 1994.

The federal law that came into force on December 15, 2025, removing the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent. Under Bill C-3, any person with a qualifying Canadian ancestor is considered a citizen from birth — the certificate simply serves as official proof of that status.

A court ruling in December 2023 that declared the first-generation limit unconstitutional. The decision led directly to the Bjorkquist Interim Measure, opening the door for applications while Parliament drafted Bill C-3.

A temporary measure in force from December 2023 until Bill C-3 took effect on December 15, 2025. It permitted people who would have been blocked by the old first-generation limit to submit applications during the legislative transition.

The primary paper form for applying for a Canadian citizenship certificate. The form includes fields for parents and grandparents only; applicants whose qualifying ancestor is further back must attach supplementary sheets tracing their complete line of descent.

A supporting form submitted alongside CIT0001 that itemizes all required documents and confirms they are included in your application package.

Quebec's civil registration authority, responsible for vital records from 1994 onward. Records predating 1994 are generally held by BAnQ, though the DEC may retain originals for events between 1900 and 1994.

A former restriction, repealed by Bill C-3 in December 2025, that capped citizenship by descent at the first generation born outside Canada. Under that rule, grandchildren and more distant descendants of Canadian-born citizens were ineligible to claim citizenship through ancestry.

A term for people who have successfully established and obtained Canadian citizenship through descent, especially those who applied under the Bjorkquist Interim Measure or after Bill C-3 came into effect.

The earliest Canadian-born or naturalized ancestor in your family line — the starting point of your citizenship claim. Every person between Gen 0 and yourself must be documented for IRCC. Gen 0 did not need to have ever applied for a certificate for the chain to remain valid.

The federal department responsible for processing Canadian citizenship applications. Distinct from CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency), which handles border enforcement.

A term for people who are likely already Canadian citizens by ancestry but have not yet realized it. The phrase gained wide use during public discussions around the Bjorkquist decision and the passage of Bill C-3.

A secondary review queue within IRCC to which complex citizenship applications may be routed. Cases in the PSU can go months without a visible status change. Submitting an ATIP request is one way to access case notes and understand where things stand.

A personal reference number assigned to your file and included in your AOR letter. You will need it when contacting IRCC through the webform or checking the status of your application.