Submitting your citizenship application.

Send colour photocopies only — do not send original documents. IRCC will sometimes reject originals and return the application. Even if they don't reject your application, you may not get your original documents back.

IRCC requires colour copies because birth certificates and official documents often have colour-coded watermarks to prevent fraud. If you submit a black-and-white copy, they cannot determine if the document is genuine.

If your document is inherently black and white — like a census record or an older certificate — just include something in colour in the same scan (don't cover anything up or modify the document). If it's a census record, it's not a problem. If it's a birth certificate from 1920 or something, they need something in colour.

Yes, you should still copy a document marked "do not copy" or "void if copied." IRCC will still accept the copy. Submit it the same as any other document. The warning is a security feature of the document itself — it doesn't prevent IRCC from accepting a copy for citizenship certificate purposes.

Yes, you can apply now even while waiting on a certified copy you've ordered. Apply with a printed copy from FamilySearch, Ancestry, or a similar site while you wait. Note in your cover letter that you've ordered the certified copy and will upload it to your application once it arrives.

IRCC allows one or two supplemental document uploads after submission, so you can keep moving while you wait. For help finding records, see our requesting records page.

No, when applying with family members in the same packet you don't need multiple copies of shared documents. Every person needs their own CIT 0001 and CIT 0014 forms, but you only need one copy of the shared documents that prove the line of descent from applicants to the Canadian ancestor (Gen 0).

The CIT 0014 is the Document Checklist for the citizenship certificate application, and yes, you need it. You're required to fill it out and include it with your paper application. It's your self-verification that you've included everything IRCC requires.

Use it as your final check before sealing the envelope. IRCC has rejected applications that do not include the checklist.

To send your paper application from the US, you have two options.

By regular mail: Case Processing Centre — Sydney-Proofs, P.O. Box 10000, Sydney, Nova Scotia, B1P 7C1.

By courier (FedEx, UPS, DHL): IRCC Digitization Centre — Proofs, 3050 Wilson Ave, New Waterford, Nova Scotia, B1H 5V8.

Don't send to any other IRCC office — all citizenship certificate applications from the US are processed centrally in Nova Scotia. Before mailing, check the CIT 0014 to make sure the address has not changed.

Yes, you need to fill out a customs form when sending your application from the US. International shipments from the US require a customs declaration. I declared mine as legal documents, declared the value at $1, and had no problems with customs or tariffs.

It's rare, but packages do occasionally get lost or delayed. What you do next depends on how you shipped it.

If you used a courier (FedEx, UPS, DHL): Couriers provide detailed tracking and are generally reliable for international shipments. If tracking stalls or shows a problem, contact the carrier directly to open a trace or claim. Because couriers require a signature on delivery to IRCC, you'll have clear proof of whether your package arrived. If it's truly lost, file a claim with the carrier.

If you used USPS: USPS international tracking is less detailed once the package leaves the US, and updates can go quiet for days or even weeks while it moves through Canada Post. Don't panic if tracking stops updating — this is normal. If it's been more than 6–8 weeks with no AOR and no delivery confirmation, you can file a missing mail search request through USPS. International claims are harder to win than domestic ones, which is one of the reasons many applicants choose a courier despite the higher cost.

If your package is confirmed lost: Since IRCC requires copies (not originals), a lost package means reprinting your application packet and resubmitting. Annoying, but not a disaster. There's no way to "recover" a lost application mid-process — IRCC can only work with what they physically receive.

This is why I recommend keeping a full digital copy of your packet before you mail it, and choosing a shipping method with signature confirmation.