Canadian authorities have begun sending letters to recently naturalised citizens asking them to return their citizenship certificates for re-examination over potential eligibility concerns.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) initiated the process since June 13, targeting individuals granted citizenship under the descent framework introduced by Bill C-3 in December last year.
The bill eased eligibility for descendants of “Lost Canadians” and those born or adopted by Canadian parents abroad.
Letters signed by Peggy Sun, the Registrar of Canadian Citizenship, inform recipients: “The purpose of this letter is to inform you that I have information in my possession that indicates that you may not be entitled to hold a Canadian certificate of citizenship.”
IRCC cited two main issues: submitted documents that did not originate from the source authority, and failure by applicants to provide written explanations of efforts to obtain original documents.
Most affected individuals are believed to be living in the United States. They have been asked to surrender their certificates while their applications undergo further scrutiny.
The letters do not accuse recipients of fraud and assure them of the opportunity to submit additional evidence to support their claims.
The move reflects IRCC concerns about the vulnerability of the streamlined citizenship process to potential abuse.
