CIT 0001 vs CIT 0002: Which Form Do You Actually Need?

If you're claiming Canadian citizenship by descent under Bill C-3, you need to submit the right form. CIT 0001 is for applicants 18 years or older. CIT 0002 is for applicants under 18. The choice seems simple, but there are edge cases worth understanding before you send anything to Sydney, Nova Scotia.

The basic rule: age determines the form

IRCC uses two different application forms for citizenship certificates:

• CIT 0001 – Application for a Citizenship Certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship) – for adults 18 and older
• CIT 0002 – Application for a Citizenship Certificate for Adults on Behalf of a Minor (proof of Canadian citizenship) – for children under 18

Both forms result in the same document: a citizenship certificate proving you're a Canadian citizen by descent. The process, fee, and mailing address are identical. The difference is who completes the form and what supporting documents you need.

When to use CIT 0001

Use CIT 0001 if you're 18 or older and applying for yourself. This includes:

• Adults who were born outside Canada to a Canadian parent (who was also born outside Canada) and are now eligible under Bill C-3
• Adults reclaiming citizenship after a previous denial under the old first-generation limit
• Young adults who turned 18 before starting their application

You sign the form yourself. You provide your own identity documents. You're the applicant and the signatory.

Most readers of this site use CIT 0001. If you're claiming citizenship through a Canadian grandparent, you're likely using this form. We have a detailed line-by-line guide to filling out CIT 0001.

When to use CIT 0002

Use CIT 0002 if you're applying on behalf of a child under 18. This form is completed by a parent or legal guardian.

Common scenarios:

• You're a US-born adult who just claimed Canadian citizenship via your Canadian-born grandparent, and now you want to apply for your 10-year-old child
• You're a Canadian citizen (born in Canada or naturalised) and your child was born abroad
• You're a parent with dual citizenship and your minor child was born outside Canada

The parent or guardian completes and signs the form. The child does not sign. You submit the child's documents along with proof of your own citizenship and your legal authority to apply on their behalf.

What changes between the two forms

Both forms ask for similar biographical information, but CIT 0002 requires additional documents:

CIT 0001 (adult applicant):

• Your long-form birth certificate
• Your parent's birth certificate (to prove the Canadian lineage)
• Your grandparent's long-form Canadian provincial birth certificate (if applying under the grandparent pathway)
• Two pieces of personal identification
• Two photos
• $75 CAD fee

CIT 0002 (minor child):

• Child's long-form birth certificate
• Parent's proof of Canadian citizenship (citizenship certificate or Canadian birth certificate)
• Evidence of custody or guardianship (if applicable)
• Child's identity documents (passport, health card, school records)
• Two photos of the child
• $75 CAD fee

The key difference: CIT 0002 requires proof that the parent applying has legal authority to do so. If parents are separated or divorced, IRCC may ask for a custody order or written consent from the other parent.

What happens if your child turns 18 during processing

This is one of the most common questions we see.

If your child turns 18 after you submit CIT 0002, the application continues as filed. IRCC does not require you to withdraw and resubmit using CIT 0001. Age is determined at the time of application, not at the time of decision.

Processing times for citizenship certificates currently run 9 to 12 months, so this scenario is common for teenagers.

If your child turns 18 before you mail the application, use CIT 0001 and have them sign it themselves.

Can you apply for yourself and your child at the same time?

Yes. Many parents who qualify under Bill C-3 apply for themselves and their minor children simultaneously.

You submit:

• One CIT 0001 for yourself
• One CIT 0002 for each child under 18

Each application is processed independently. Each requires its own $75 CAD fee. You can mail them together in the same envelope to the Sydney, Nova Scotia processing centre, but include separate cheques or money orders.

One practical note: if you're applying for your child based on your own Canadian citizenship (not a citizenship you were born with, but one you're claiming under Bill C-3), it's often simpler to wait until you receive your own citizenship certificate before applying for your child. That certificate becomes the proof of your citizenship on the child's CIT 0002 form. You can apply at the same time, but IRCC may pause the child's application until yours is approved.

The substantial connection test and children born after December 15, 2025

If your child was born outside Canada on or after December 15, 2025, and you're the Canadian-citizen parent who was also born outside Canada, the substantial connection test applies.

You must prove 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada before your child's birth. This changes the documents required with CIT 0002:

• Proof of your time in Canada (entry/exit records, tax returns, school records, employment history)
• Signed statutory declaration listing your absences and presence

This does not apply to children born before December 15, 2025, even if you're applying after that date.

One form, one applicant

Whether you use CIT 0001 or CIT 0002, the rule is the same: one form per person. You cannot list multiple applicants on a single form. Each person needs their own application, their own fee, and their own set of supporting documents.

If you have three children, you submit three CIT 0002 forms.

Still not sure which form applies to you?

The decision tree is straightforward:

• Applicant is 18 or older → CIT 0001
• Applicant is under 18 → CIT 0002

If you're applying for multiple people in your family, you'll likely use both forms. And if you're unsure whether you even qualify under Bill C-3, or whether you need to include additional documentation based on your family's immigration history, start with our free eligibility quiz at /check. It walks through your specific situation and tells you exactly which documents and forms you need before you spend time requesting birth certificates or writing cheques to IRCC.