- IRCC updated the quality assurance section of the CIT 0001 guide on September 23, 2026, without announcement.
- The guide no longer says the quality assurance interview is "in-person," which leaves room for remote interviews.
- IRCC now only promises written notice if your application is chosen for an interview, not whenever it is selected for review.
- The change may relate to applications being sent to the Program Support Unit without the applicant being told.
On September 23, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated its guide for paper applications for a citizenship certificate (CIT 0001). This is the guide for proof of citizenship applications, including citizenship by descent claims under Bill C-3. IRCC did not announce the update, and only one section changed: the short paragraph on the quality assurance program near the end of the guide. It is a small edit, but the new wording matters if your application is selected.
To find the change, we compared archived copies of the guide from September 1, 2026 and September 29, 2026 on the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. Nothing else on the page changed, including the links.
What the quality assurance program is
IRCC randomly selects some proof of citizenship applications for a closer look. If yours is selected, IRCC may review and verify your original documents, check that the information on your form is accurate, and ask for more supporting documents, up to and including DNA evidence to confirm parentage. None of that changed on September 23.
What changed
1. "In-person" is gone
The old guide said a selected applicant would be asked to attend an "in-person interview." The new guide just says "an interview." IRCC has not explained why, but the new wording leaves room for interviews by video or in another remote format. For applicants who live outside Canada, including the many Americans applying under Bill C-3, that could make a real difference. Travelling to a Canadian office for a short interview is a significant cost.
2. "Special review" is now just "review"
The guide used to say the program chooses applications for a "special review." It now says applications are chosen "for review." On its own, this looks like a plain-language cleanup.
3. The promise to notify you is narrower
This is the change we find most interesting. The old guide said IRCC would notify you in writing if your application "is chosen." The new guide says IRCC will notify you in writing if your application is chosen "for an interview."
That is a real difference. Under the old wording, anyone selected for quality assurance could expect a letter. Under the new wording, IRCC only commits to writing to you if the review leads to an interview. Your file can now be selected and reviewed without you being told.
Is this linked to files going to the Program Support Unit?
We wonder. Over the past months, we have seen many proof of citizenship applications sent to IRCC's Program Support Unit (PSU) for additional review without the applicant ever being informed. Under the old guide, applicants selected for quality assurance review were promised written notice. Some only learned about the PSU when they made an access to information request. The new guide no longer makes that promise unless an interview is needed.
IRCC has not explained the change, and we cannot confirm that the two are connected or that every PSU referral is a quality assurance selection. But the new wording fits what applicants have been experiencing.
What this means for you
- No letter does not mean no review. Your application can be selected and reviewed without written notice, unless IRCC wants to interview you.
- Keep your original documents safe and easy to reach. If you are interviewed, IRCC can ask to verify the originals of the copies you submitted.
- An interview may not mean travel. The guide no longer says the interview is in person. If you receive an interview request, read it carefully for the format before you book anything.
- Be ready for requests for more evidence. In parentage questions, this can go as far as DNA testing.
Questions about your file
If your proof of citizenship application has stalled, been transferred, or you have received an interview request, book a consultation with a citizenship lawyer on our team.
Sources
- IRCC, Guide for Paper Applications for a Citizenship Certificate for Adults and Minors (Proof of Citizenship) under Section 3 (CIT 0001), date modified September 23, 2026
- Internet Archive Wayback Machine, archived copies of the guide captured September 1, 2026 and September 29, 2026
This post is general information, not legal advice.
Disclaimer: This blog is general information only, not legal advice, and may be incomplete or out of date. Laws change often. For advice on your situation, consult a qualified lawyer.
About our team
Five lawyers, a genealogist and a research team, all working on the same files.
Our lawyers have clerked at the Federal Court, decided claims at the Immigration and Refugee Board, served in Canada's foreign service and worked in the immigration groups of leading national firms. Kendra Gaede, our genealogist, chairs the Manitoba Genealogical Society's Research Committee and knows records from Quebec and Acadia to the Prairies. She leads the researchers who trace your family line and find the records that prove it.
2012 to 2016
Cédric Marin, our founder, studies civil law and common law at the University of Ottawa.
2017 to 2022
He clerks at the Federal Court of Canada, decides refugee claims and appeals at the Immigration and Refugee Board, and earns a Master of Laws.
2023
He opens Marin Immigration Law in Ottawa.
2025
Bill C-3 comes into force, and many more families with Canadian roots can claim citizenship.
2026
Four associate lawyers, a genealogist and a research team join, and we move into our office at 280 Albert Street.
Today
About 15 people, in Ottawa and across Canada.
