Canadian Citizenship by Descent Cost: Full 2026 Breakdown

The official government fee for a Canadian citizenship by descent application is $75 CAD per person. But that's not the full picture. When you add provincial birth certificates, translations for Quebec documents, courier fees, and optional professional help, total costs range from $300 to $600 for a DIY application, or $1,500 to $3,000 if you hire an immigration lawyer.

The good news: these are one-time costs. Your citizenship certificate never expires, never needs renewal, and makes you a Canadian citizen for life.

The government fee: $75 CAD per applicant

Every person claiming Canadian citizenship by descent pays the same $75 CAD application fee to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This covers processing of your CIT 0001 form and the issuance of your citizenship certificate.

Key facts about the government fee:

• Same price for adults and children — there's no family discount
• One-time fee — citizenship certificates are permanent, no renewal required
• Payment by certified cheque or money order only, payable to the Receiver General for Canada
• Processing time is currently 9–12 months, regardless of how much you pay

If you're applying for yourself and two children, that's $225 CAD in government fees alone. But the real canadian citizenship by descent cost comes from gathering the required documents.

Provincial birth certificate fees (per generation)

Under Bill C-3, you need to prove the citizenship chain from yourself back to your Canadian-born ancestor. That means ordering official birth certificates for each link in the chain.

Your documents

• Your birth certificate: typically $15–40 USD depending on your state or country of birth
• Apostille or authentication (if born outside Canada): $10–50 USD

Your parent's documents

• Parent's birth certificate (if born outside Canada): $15–40 USD
• Authentication if required: $10–50 USD

Your grandparent's Canadian birth certificate

This is the most important document. You need the long-form provincial birth certificate showing both parents' names.

• Ontario long-form birth certificate: $45 CAD (online) or $35 CAD (by mail)
• British Columbia: $55 CAD
• Alberta: $50 CAD
• Quebec long-form birth certificate: $48 CAD
• Nova Scotia: $32.45 CAD
• Manitoba: $45 CAD
• Saskatchewan: $35 CAD

Processing times vary by province — typically 2–6 weeks. Rush services cost extra, usually $50–100 CAD more.

For the typical grandparent pathway, you're looking at $100–200 CAD total just for birth certificates across all generations.

Translation costs for Quebec documents

If your Canadian ancestor was born in Quebec before the 1990s, their birth certificate will be in French. IRCC requires a certified translation by a member of a recognized translators' association, accompanied by a translator's affidavit.

• Per-document translation fee: typically $50–150 CAD per certificate
• Translator's affidavit: sometimes included, sometimes $25–50 CAD extra

For a typical application with one Quebec birth certificate and one Quebec marriage certificate, budget $150–300 CAD for translations.

You can find certified translators through the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) or provincial bodies. Details in our Quebec long-form birth certificate guide.

Postage and courier fees

You'll mail your completed CIT 0001 application and all supporting documents to IRCC's processing centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

From the US

• USPS Priority Mail International: $30–40 USD
• FedEx or UPS International: $60–100 USD

Many applicants prefer tracked courier services for peace of mind, especially when sending irreplaceable family documents.

Return envelope

Include a prepaid return envelope if you want original documents returned. Budget another $30–50 USD for international return postage.

Total postage cost: $60–150 USD depending on your choices.

Optional: professional help

You are not required to hire anyone. The CIT 0001 form is straightforward, and IRCC provides detailed instructions.

But if your situation is complex — unclear citizenship chain, name changes, missing documents, or prior refusals — professional help can save you months of delays.

Immigration lawyer

• Flat fee: typically $1,500–3,000 CAD per applicant
• What you get: legal advice, application review, cover letter, document analysis, representation with IRCC
• When to consider: complex family history, prior rejections, legal uncertainties

Remember: arryv is not a law firm. If you need legal advice about your eligibility or unusual circumstances, consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or Canadian immigration lawyer.

Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC)

• Flat fee: typically $800–1,500 CAD per applicant
• What you get: application preparation, document checklist, form review
• When to consider: you want expert review but don't need full legal representation

Document preparation services

Services like arryv offer a middle ground:

• Flat fee: typically $300–600 CAD per applicant
• What you get: eligibility assessment, customized document checklist, step-by-step application prep, form review, submission support
• What you don't get: legal advice (refer to lawyer/RCIC for that)
• When to consider: you're confident in eligibility but want expert guidance on the paperwork

Total cost comparison

Here's what a typical grandparent pathway application costs under three approaches:

Cost item	DIY	Document service	Immigration lawyer
IRCC fee	$75 CAD	$75 CAD	$75 CAD
Birth certificates (3 generations)	$150 CAD	$150 CAD	$150 CAD
Translation (if Quebec)	$150 CAD	$150 CAD	$150 CAD
Postage/courier	$100 CAD	$100 CAD	$100 CAD
Professional fee	$0	$450 CAD	$2,000 CAD
Total	$475 CAD	$925 CAD	$2,475 CAD

Amounts in USD converted to CAD at approximate 2026 rates for simplicity.

These are one-time costs. Once you receive your citizenship certificate, there are no renewal fees, no maintenance costs, and no ongoing expenses.

What about passports?

The canadian citizenship by descent cost discussed here covers only the citizenship certificate application. If you want a Canadian passport after receiving your certificate, that's a separate process:

• Adult passport (10-year): $190 CAD
• Child passport (5-year): $57 CAD

Passport fees are paid after you receive your citizenship certificate. Learn more in our guide to what to do after you get your citizenship certificate.

Costs for children: no discount

If you're applying for yourself and your children, each child pays the same $75 CAD government fee and requires their own set of documents.

For example, a family of four (two adults, two children) claiming citizenship through the same Canadian grandparent:

• IRCC fees: 4 × $75 = $300 CAD
• Birth certificates: 4 applicant certs + 2 parent certs (if parents are siblings) + 1 grandparent cert = ~$250 CAD
• Postage: 4 applications = $250–400 CAD depending on whether you bundle or send separately
• Total DIY: $800–950 CAD

IRCC processes each application individually. There's no family application option.

Hidden costs to watch for

Rush fees

If you need a birth certificate urgently, provinces charge $50–100 CAD extra for expedited processing. This can double your document costs if you're in a hurry.

Rejected applications

If IRCC rejects your application due to common rejection reasons — missing documents, wrong form version, incomplete information — you'll pay the $75 CAD fee again when you reapply. Getting it right the first time saves money.

Notary and commissioner of oaths fees

Some documents require certification. Fees vary:

• Notary public: typically $10–25 CAD per document
• Commissioner of oaths: often free at banks, city halls, or libraries in Canada

Death certificates

If your Canadian-born grandparent or parent has passed away, you may need their death certificate to complete the citizenship chain. Provincial death certificates cost $25–50 CAD.

The cost is one-time and final

Unlike visa renewals, permanent residence renewals, or passport renewals, your citizenship certificate never expires. You pay once, you're Canadian for life.

This makes the canadian citizenship by descent cost a one-time investment in permanent status. Compare that to:

• US green card renewal: $540 USD every 10 years
• Canadian permanent residence card renewal: $50 CAD every 5 years
• Canadian passport renewal: $190 CAD every 10 years (but you'd pay this regardless)

The certificate itself is all you need to prove citizenship. A passport is optional and only required for travel.

Is professional help worth it?

For most people with a straightforward grandparent pathway — you were born outside Canada to a parent who was also born outside Canada, and your grandparent was born in Canada — the DIY route works fine.

Consider paying for help if:

• Your citizenship chain involves more than two generations outside Canada
• You have name changes not fully documented
• Your parents were adopted
• You're a Lost Canadian with a complicated history
• You've already been rejected once
• You need certainty and can't afford delays

The free eligibility check at arryv takes two minutes and will tell you if your case is straightforward or if you should consult a professional.

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