Naturalization Records Held by Citizenship and Immigration Canada

• About the Records
• About the Series
• How to Obtain Copies

About the Records

Citizenship and Immigration Canada holds records of naturalization and citizenship from 1854. The originals of records dated between 1854 and 1917 have been destroyed. However, a nominal card index has survived, which provides information compiled at the time of naturalization, such as present and former place of residence, former nationality, occupation, date of certification, name and location of the responsible court. The index rarely contains any other genealogical information.

Records created after 1917 are more detailed, indicating the surname, given name, date and place of birth, entry into Canada, and in some cases, the names of spouses and children. The file will typically include the original petition for naturalization, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police report on the person, the oath of allegiance, and any other documents.

Many people were naturalized under acts prior to 1914, and therefore, the original naturalization records no longer exist. However, if they interacted with the department in later years, those papers may still be available. Examples are Series E certificates, which were often issued to persons whose fathers or husbands had been naturalized earlier. The person was technically already naturalized through the naturalization of the father or husband. If the person later wanted a naturalization certificate, he/she could apply for one. Those application papers normally include much of the information that was on the father's/husband's pre-1914 papers, now destroyed.

About the Series

Under the 1914 Act, naturalization certificates were issued based on the category of naturalization. Each certificate bore a letter (A, B, D, C or E) referred to as "the Series," and a number. Certificates issued in French also include the letter F after the number.

How to Obtain Copies

Records listed in these databases are held by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Requests for copies of documents must be sent by mail to the under-noted office:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Public Rights Administration
360 Laurier Ave West
10th Floor
Ottawa, ON
K1A 1L1

Please note that the following conditions apply:

• Each application for copies must be submitted on an Access to Information Request Form [www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tbsf-fsct/350-57_e.asp] by a Canadian citizen or an individual living in Canada.
• Fee: $5.00, payable to the Receiver General for Canada.
• The request must be accompanied by a signed consent from the person concerned or proof that he/she has been deceased 20 years. Proof of death can be a copy of a death record, a newspaper obituary or a photograph of the gravestone showing name and death date.
• The request should include the following information: surname, given name, date and place of birth, and, if known, the number of the naturalization certificate including the alphabetic Series identifier and the "F" suffix if the certificate was issued in French. Specify that you want copies of the original documents.