Search of citizenship records: After you apply

After you applied on paper from Canada or the United States

If you have a tracking number with a postal or courier service, you can check when your application gets delivered to us.

Once we get your application for a search of citizenship records, we’ll check if it’s complete. If it is, we’ll start processing it. We won’t automatically send you a confirmation.

Track and update your application

During processing, track and update your application by

• checking the status of your application(opens in a new tab) 
• telling us if you change your address(opens in a new tab) 
• contacting us via the web form(opens in a new tab)  to update other information in your application

If you need urgent processing

We can process applications faster than our normal processing times in special cases, such as

• confirming to a foreign government that you’re not a citizen
  • For example, to get a passport from that country.
• showing you are (or are not) a citizen to get a certain job
• administering the estate of a deceased person or executing a will

To ask for urgent processing of your submitted application

• fill out our web form(opens in a new tab) .
• include
  • your full name, date of birth, email address and telephone numbers
  • a letter explaining why you need urgent processing
  • any documents that support your request for urgent processing
    • Make sure your document is in the correct format.

We’ll review your request to see if it qualifies. Even if you qualify, we can’t guarantee that you’ll get your search of citizenship record on time.

File format requirements

When you upload files, they must be

• in PDF, JPEG, TIFF, DOC, or DOCX format
• 2 MB or smaller

If you include multiple files, the total size must be 3.5 MB or smaller.

How to reduce file size(opens in a new tab) 

Examples of supporting documents

Some examples:

• A letter from a foreign government stating that they need the information.
• Documents that show you’re administering an estate or the executor of a will.
• A letter from an employer.

Get your search result

We’ll email you a printable PDF letter with the search result.

If you asked for a paper copy, we’ll mail it to your mailing address in Canada or the United States.

• It’s valid for 1 year.
  • If the person whose record you searched for is deceased, the letter doesn’t expire.

After you apply online

After you submit your online application, you’ll see a confirmation page. This page

• confirms you successfully submitted your application
• has a confirmation number
  • keep it for your records

You’ll also automatically get

• an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) email, and
• an application number(opens in a new tab) 

Track and update your application

During processing, track and update your application by

• checking the status of your application(opens in a new tab) 
• telling us if you change your address(opens in a new tab) 
• contacting us via the web form(opens in a new tab)  to update other information in your application

If you need urgent processing

We can process applications faster than our normal processing times in special cases, such as

• confirming to a foreign government that you’re not a citizen
  • For example, to get a passport from that country.
• showing you are (or are not) a citizen to get a certain job

If you need to ask for urgent processing of an online application you’ve already submitted

• fill out our web form(opens in a new tab) 
• include
  • your full name, date of birth, email address and telephone numbers
  • a letter explaining why you need urgent processing
  • any documents that support your request for urgent processing
    • Make sure your documents are in the correct format.

We’ll review your request to see if it qualifies. Even if you qualify, we can’t guarantee that you’ll get your search of citizenship record on time.

Examples of supporting documents

Some examples:

• A letter from a foreign government stating that they need the information.
• Documents that show you’re administering an estate or the executor of a will.
• A letter from an employer.

File format requirements

When you upload files, they must be

• in PDF, JPEG, TIFF, DOC, or DOCX format
• 2 MB or smaller

If you include multiple files, the total size must be 3.5 MB or smaller.

How to reduce file size(opens in a new tab) 

Get your search result

We’ll send a letter with the search result to your online account(opens in a new tab) .

• It will be a PDF you can download and print.
• It’s valid for 1 year.
  • If the person whose record you searched for is deceased, the letter doesn’t expire.

If you applied from outside Canada and the United States and provided an email

Once we receive your application for a search of citizenship records, we’ll check if it’s complete. If it is, we’ll start processing it. We won’t automatically send you a confirmation.

Track and update your application

During processing, track and update your application by:

• checking the status of your application (opens in a new tab) 
• telling us if you change your address (opens in a new tab) 
• contacting the embassy, high commission or consulate (opens in a new tab)  where you submitted your application (to update other information)

If you need urgent processing

We can process applications faster than our normal processing times in special cases, such as

• confirming to a foreign government that you’re not a citizen (for example, to get a passport from that country)
• administering the estate of a deceased person or executing a will
• showing you are (or are not) a citizen to get a certain job

To ask for urgent processing of your submitted application, contact the Canadian embassy, consulate or high commission (opens in a new tab)  where you submitted your application.

We’ll review your request to see if it qualifies. Even if you qualify, we can’t guarantee that you’ll get your search of citizenship record on time.

Get your search result

We’ll email you a printable PDF.

If you asked for a paper copy, we’ll mail your letter to the embassy, high commission or consulate where you submitted your application.

• It’s valid for 1 year.
  • If the person whose record you searched for is deceased, the letter doesn’t expire.

If you applied from outside Canada and the United States but didn’t provide an email

Once we receive your application for a search of citizenship records, we’ll check if it’s complete. If it is, we’ll start processing it. We won’t automatically send you a confirmation.

Contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate (opens in a new tab)  where you submitted your application to confirm that we received it.

Track and update your application

During processing, track and update your application by

• checking the status of your application(opens in a new tab) 
• telling us if you change your address(opens in a new tab) 
• contacting the embassy, high commission or consulate(opens in a new tab)  where you submitted your application (to update other information)

If you need urgent processing

We can process applications faster than our normal processing times in special cases.

You can ask for urgent processing if you need to 

• confirm to a foreign government that you’re not a citizen (for example, to get a passport from that country)
• administer the estate of a deceased person or execute a will
• show you are (or are not) a citizen to get a certain job

To ask for urgent processing of your submitted application, contact the Canadian embassy, consulate or high commission(opens in a new tab)  where you submitted your application.

We’ll review your request to see if it qualifies. Even if you qualify, we can’t guarantee that you’ll get your search of citizenship record on time.

Get your search result

We’ll mail your letter to the embassy, high commission or consulate where you submitted your application.

• It’s valid for 1 year.
  • If the person whose record you searched for is deceased, the letter doesn’t expire.