Canadian Immigration News

Canada Issues New Citizenship Certificate

The plastic wallet-sized Canadian citizenship certificate has been changed to a new format from February 1, 2012.

Instead of issuing the wallet-sized card, from February 1, 2012 the Canadian Department of Citizenship and Immigration will provide a letter-sized paper citizenship certificate for new citizens and those applying for proof of Canadian citizenship. The new format displays information that can be validated through a new electronic validation system.

The new certificate provides a unique number and basic information about its holder including names, date of birth and gender. It helps reduce the possibility of citizenship fraud because other government departments can validate citizenship information via the electronic validation system.

The current commemorative certificate presented to new Canadians at citizenship ceremonies will also be replaced by this one.

The new certificate is a legal status document, not an identity document or a travel document and does not contain a photo. It's only used for proving Canadian citizenship.

Any Canadian holding a citizenship certificate issued before February 1, 2012 does not need to apply for a replacement.

If you are interested in Immigration to Canada, contact Migration Expert for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our visa eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Canada.