IRCC drops grandparents' marriage details

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has removed a requirement for grandparents' marriage details from the proof of citizenship application. The change was made to the CIT-0001 form on August 25, 2026, without any public announcement.

According to a report from CICNews, IRCC added a dedicated field for these details in Section 9 of the form on that date. Within 48 hours, the department removed both the request and the form field. The matching instruction on page 13 of the form was also deleted. The requirement for grandparents' marriage details had been in place since January of this year.

Applicants will no longer find this information requested on the form, in the instructions, the document checklist, or the instruction guide. IRCC made no official comment on the change.

Check your form version

Two versions of the CIT-0001 form currently carry the same footer code: CIT 0001 (08-2026) E. IRCC updated the content but left the revision code unchanged.

If you downloaded the form on August 25 or 26, you have the earlier version that still includes the marriage fields. To check, turn to Section 9 on page 5. Look under 'Parent A and Parent B of Parent 1' for a field marked 'date and place of marriage.' If that section is present, you have the outdated version.

Submitting the earlier form will not get your application returned. It asks for one extra detail, and providing it does no harm. However, it is best to work from the current form for accuracy. Download a fresh copy before filing.

IRCC retains the right to request details

The department's ability to request these documents remains. The document checklist (CIT-0014) states that IRCC "may ask you for further information or documents when processing your application." This line is unchanged.

IRCC also instructs its officers to verify the "possibility of loss of Canadian citizenship or British subject status" before approving any application. Marriage is one route to that loss. The form still asks for "the fullest and most accurate information about your parents and grandparents." It warns that without enough information, processing may be delayed or a claim may be unassessable.

IRCC has taken the question off the form but left the ability for inquiry with the officer. You may hear about it months into processing.

Why a grandmother's marriage still matters

For many applicants, the reason to keep a grandmother's marriage record is about her name. A woman often appears under her maiden name on her own birth record and under her married name on her child's. To an officer, these can read as two different people. A break in the chain of names can stall a claim.

The marriage record proves the two names belong to one woman. This holds whether or not the form asks for it. If your citizenship line runs through a grandmother, include her marriage record. It is often the single document that keeps the chain intact.

This is especially crucial for claims tracing through a grandmother who married before January 1, 1947. Before that date, a woman could gain or lose British subject status through marriage. Subsection 11(2) of the Citizenship Act provides a route back for women in that position. Her marriage may decide whether status passed to your parent. An officer will look for this evidence.

If you have already applied

Previous applicants may not be penalized if they left their grandparents' marriage details undisclosed. IRCC can always ask for more details on a case-by-case basis. Applicants who included the information are unlikely to see any pushback. Extra information does not make an application incomplete.

The department will contact you if it needs more information. The declaration in Section 16 commits you to tell IRCC if any information changes before processing ends. Keep your contact details current.

Processing times for proof of citizenship applications were 25 months at the time of the report. A request for more information can add months to that wait.