Newborn Citizenship
Outside Canada
- Citizenship Certificate of newborn births abroad via Canadian ancestry can take around SIX months.
- If baby is "second generation born abroad", then baby is NOT Canadian. You will have to sponsor him/her.
- Applicants residing outside Canada may not be able to provide Canadian identity documents. Applicants can provide foreign identity documents that are equivalent to Canadian identity documents, such as a passport or government-issued identification documents.
- Current Processing Time (as of 30th Nov 2019) is 5 months
- When urgent travel requirements exist, or when a newborn must have a passport in order to obtain a legal residency status abroad, parents can apply concurrently (at the same time) for the child’s Certificate of Canadian Citizenship and Limited Validity Passport (LVP). The passport that may be issued would be limited to two (2) years validity. This option is only available for children under two (2) years of age.
Applying under Subsection 5(1):
"This application under subsection 5(1) is intended for minors (under 18) who are permanent residents and:
- do not have a parent applying for citizenship at the same time as them, or
- do not already have a Canadian parent."
Applying under Subsection 5(2):
"This form for an application under subsection 5(2) is intended for minors (persons under the age of 18) who are permanent residents of Canada who are applying at the same time as their parent or who already have a Canadian parent."
- Consent of both parents are required for child's passport application.
- If your child was born abroad and one of your child's parents is a Canadian citizen, child may be eligible for Canadian Citizenship by descent.
- If your child was born outside Canada and is a Canadian citizen, apply for proof of citizenship (adults and minors).
- If your child is a minor (under 18) & permanent resident of Canada who do not have a parent applying for citizenship at the same time as them OR do not already have a Canadian parent, they must apply under Applying under 5(1)
- If your child is a minor (under 18) & permanent resident of Canada who have a parent applying for citizenship at the same time as them OR already have a Canadian parent, they must apply under Applying under 5(2)
- If child is under 14, you will need to provide parental consent
- For a child under school age, identification such as: a passport page containing their photo and personal details, or a hospital or immunization record, may be provided. (1)
- If you’re applying for a child who lives outside Canada and the United States, you should submit the application and documents to the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate responsible for the area where the child lives. Mailing your child’s application directly to the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia will cause delays. In Pakistan, they have High Commission in Islamabad and consulates in Lahore and Karachi.
- Children of preschool age may not be able to provide two identity documents or an identity document that includes their photo. In such cases, an explanation letter must accompany their application. Officers may use discretion for preschool age children.(1)
If one of newborn's parent is Canadian citizen and child is born abroad, child may be qualified for Canadian Citizenship by ancestry.
PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP : Checklist
1. Document Checklist (CIT 0014) - 06-2020
- As this will be child's first citizenship certificate, you should provide clear and legible certified copies of your documents.
- Any document not in English/French must be accompanied by certified translation along with translator's affidavit.
Forms:
2. Application for a Citizenship Certificate (CIT 0001), completed, signed & dated. [ORIGINAL]
3. Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) form, completed, signed & dated. [ORIGINAL]
- If you are appointing any representative, only then fill this form.
Optional:
4. Request form for a Change of Sex Designation (CIT 0404), completed, signed & dated. [ORIGINAL]
Photos:
5. Two citizenship photos as per specifications. [ORIGINAL]
Applicable fees:
6. Consult the “pay the fees” for Proof of Citizenship payment (1)(2) [ORIGINAL]
Identity Documents:
- If born in Canada and never had citizenship certificate : Provide Canadian Birth Certificate (Long Form)
- If previously issued citizenship certificate : Provide color copies of all previous certificates.
- If born outside Canada : Provide color copies of Birth Certificate, One Parent's Canadian Passport Biopage,
7. Two (2) pieces of personal identification, such as a passport, a driver's license or a health insurance card, one of which must have your photo on it. [COPY]
Examples
- Family Registration Certificate - NADRA's FRC showing baby's credentials.
- Birth Certificate bearing names of both parents.
- Parents must also provide at least ONE
8. Marriage certificate/divorce certificate and/or a legal name change certificate (if applicable) [COPY]
Parental Consent for Newborn Passport
If one parent resides outside your country, he/she must report to the nearest Passport Office or a Canadian mission abroad to complete the “Acknowledgement/Consent to Provision of Passport Facilities for a Minor Child” form (PPTC 028) and present valid government-issued photo identification. There is no charge for processing this form.
The details of both parents should be written in Section 2 (Information on Applicant) of the Child Passport Application, but the declaration/signature block for the parent residing outside your country must be left empty.
Prior to submitting the passport application, it is recommend that the parent submitting the application contact the Consular Section to obtain a file number which must be provided to the other parent who will present this to the nearest Passport Office or Canadian mission abroad to complete “Acknowledgement/Consent to Provision of Passport Facilities for a Minor Child” form. Otherwise, there may be a delay in processing the passport application.