Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate: Who can apply

Who this application is for

If you’re already a Canadian citizen, you may want to apply for a citizenship certificate if you want to

• have a document that proves your Canadian citizenship (such as to apply for a passport, job, pension or social insurance number)
• replace a lost, destroyed or stolen certificate
• update your certificate, such as when you get a legal name change

If you don’t know if you’re a Canadian citizen or not, you can apply for a citizenship certificate to find out for sure.

If you’re a parent, you may also want to apply on behalf of a minor child who was born outside Canada.

If you were born in Canada

A provincial or territorial birth certificate should be enough to prove Canadian citizenship.

You may still apply for a citizenship certificate.

If you were born outside Canada to a Canadian parent

You may be a Canadian citizen if your parent was a Canadian citizen when you were born. Some limits apply.

Check if you may be a Canadian citizen. If you want to find out for sure, apply for a citizenship certificate.

If you were born and adopted outside Canada

If you were born outside Canada and adopted by a Canadian parent, you’re not automatically a Canadian citizen.

Before submitting an application, learn about citizenship by descent for adopted people.

Minors who are permanent residents

If your minor child is a permanent resident, you will likely need to apply for your child’s Canadian citizenship (naturalization or grant of citizenship) to get a citizenship certificate.

If you apply to become a Canadian citizen

If you apply for and receive Canadian citizenship (naturalization or grant of citizenship), you

• will receive the certificate at a citizenship ceremony
• do not need to apply for a citizenship certificate