The Canadian government is sending letters to individuals worldwide who recently gained citizenship. These letters request the return of their certificates, causing widespread confusion. Discussions on Reddit and local reports indicate that recipients obtained their certificates recently, following the enactment of Bill C-3 in December 2025. This bill abolished the first-generation limit, enabling more people to apply for citizenship.

Implications of Losing Citizenship

Loss of citizenship would mean the individual becomes a foreign national. This may lead to their removal from Canada and a 10-year ban on reapplying for any status in the country, according to legal resources like lawyerinfo.ca.

IRCC Reviewing Citizenship Files

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) informed Newsweek that a small group of recipients under Bill C-3 has been notified about a review of their files. The review aims to verify if their certificates were issued correctly according to legal requirements. It assures that this process is essential for safeguarding citizenry and allows affected individuals to submit further evidence supporting their case.

The IRCC added that confirmed entitlement will lead to the return of the certificates. They are reviewing files to ensure fair, consistent, and lawful assessments, indicating that the issue arises from processing individual cases rather than recent legislative changes.

Understanding Bill C-3

Bill C-3, passed in 2025, amended the Citizenship Act, particularly changing how citizenship is inherited by people born abroad. It came into effect on December 15, 2025, following a court ruling against parts of the old law. A key change was ending the first-generation limit, which had restricted Canadians born outside the country from passing citizenship to their children born abroad.

The new system demands a substantial connection to Canada, requiring parents to have spent at least three years in Canada before their child’s birth or adoption. This revision aimed to provide citizenship opportunities to those previously denied despite having ties to Canada.

The IRCC emphasized that Bill C-3 introduces fair rules for citizenship by descent, requiring clear proof of a direct connection to Canada. Claims of citizenship through Canadian ancestry must be backed by solid evidence through generations.

Who Is Affected?

Between April 2025 and March 2026, Canada granted 285,500 new citizenships. This indicates that many could be impacted, especially those who received citizenship after Bill C-3’s implementation.

Details of the Letter

A sample of the letter shared on Reddit, signed by Peggy Sun, Registrar of Canadian Citizenship, begins by stating a legislative provision allows request for certificate surrender if entitlement doubts arise. The letter outlines reasons for this assessment:

• Submitted documentation is not from original record authorities like civil registries or government agencies.
• If source documents are unavailable, an explanation and evidence of efforts to obtain them must be provided.

As these were not included in the proof of citizenship application, the letter requests the surrender of the citizenship certificate. It informs recipients that their citizenship status is under review, and they can provide further evidence.

Once reviewed, if entitlement is confirmed, the certificate will be returned.

Reddit Users’ Reaction

On Reddit, users express concern and confusion after receiving these letters. A “megathread” was started for individuals to share experiences and identify patterns among those receiving the letters. Information such as citizenship application approval dates, whether urgent processing was requested, document details, and letter specifics are being shared to understand the situation better.

Users are encouraged to stay calm and support one another, with some offering to conduct cybersecurity checks to verify the authenticity of the letters from IRCC. Many users mention receiving their certificates in 2026, request urgent processing, and note the letters are dated June 13.