Hire a Canadian Citizenship Guide
Work with someone who's been through this.
Personal help from a guide who assembled her own seven-generation Proof of Citizenship application. Get answers to your questions and hands-on assistance — wherever you are in the process.
Complete the form and someone will respond within 2–3 business days to schedule next steps.
Meet your guides
Two sisters who've been through this.
We each navigated our own multi-generation Proof of Citizenship applications. Not sure where to start? One of us can help.
Available for new clients
Lesley Henderson
Historical records analyst
I help Americans trace their lineage to a qualifying Canadian-born ancestor and build a submission-ready packet you can include in your application — without the lawyer fees.
I'm going through the process myself, with my own family. I know firsthand what it takes.
My background is in historical records analysis. As a contractor in Washington, D.C., I analyzed documents dating back to the Civil War, handled requests from Congressional offices, and even helped maintain the US Army's official Medal of Honor Roll. I also assisted with fraud investigations, earning recognition from prosecutors for my ability to simplify complex records and regulations so they were easily understood by any jury layperson. I hold a B.A. in Political Science with honors and pursued STEM graduate studies in Emerging Media and Communications at UT Dallas.
Where Lesley is most useful
Records research
Tracking down birth, marriage, and death records across archives and time periods.
Information synthesis
Turning scattered documents and incomplete information into a clear narrative.
Talking it through
Walking you through your specific situation when you feel stuck.
Document organization
Helping you assemble and structure your application package.
Contact Lesley to inquire about availability and rates. She typically responds within 2–3 business days. Lesley is an independent service provider and is not employed by or contracted with Citizenship by Descent LLC. All scheduling, agreements, and payments are made directly between you and Lesley.
Contact Lesley →
Currently unavailable
Ellery Wren
Title researcher and documentation specialist
I built AlreadyCanadian.com and the Resource Hub after filing my own seven-generation Proof of Citizenship application. The site is the resource I wished I'd had on day one. I also help individuals and families prepare their own Canadian Citizenship by Descent applications.
My professional work is in chain-of-title research for oil, gas, and wind energy acquisitions — searching public records back to the original land patent, tracing ownership across multiple jurisdictions, and drafting the affidavits and assignments that make those deals defensible. Along the way, I've built more than forty family trees, because reliable title defense sometimes requires knowing exactly who inherited what from whom, and when.
I hold a BA in Design, a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, and another master's in Professional Counseling. In early 2026, I applied that same skill set to my own family — tracing my LeDuc line through Quebec parish records in the 1850s through seven generations to myself and my kids.
Where Ellery is most useful
Multi-generation applications
Three or more generations back, with multiple family members in one package.
Complex document chains
Missing records, name changes across generations, ambiguous parentage.
Application strategy
Reviewing your situation and helping you decide what to gather first.
Quebec and parish research
BAnQ requests, parish baptism records, dit names, and anglicizations.
I'm currently focused on building out the Resource Hub and not accepting new clients at this time.
Not currently availableProof of Citizenship Application
Guide services and fees.
Pricing scales with the number of generations in your line of descent. Adjust the counter below to see your estimate.
How many generations are in your line of descent?
Count your Canadian-born ancestor and every descendant down to the youngest applicant — including yourself. .
Your estimate
Genealogy research
$200 per generation
$600
Application assembly
$100 per generation
$300
Bundle — both services
$255 per generation · save 15%
$900
$765
Genealogy research
We trace your line of descent through historical records — birth, marriage, naturalization, and parish documents — and build the documentary chain that proves your descent from a Canadian-born ancestor.
Application assembly
Send us the records you've collected. We'll organize them, draft a clear roadmap of your line of descent for IRCC, fill out your application form, and prepare your packet for mailing.
Deposit & fees
All engagements require a 50% deposit upfront. Fees apply regardless of application outcome.
What's not included
Every service assumes you'll request your own vital records. Archives require the applicant or a direct family member to make record requests. We'll tell you exactly what to ask for and how, but you'll be the one placing the orders.
Common questions
Before you reach out.
A few questions people commonly ask about working with a guide. For broader questions about the application process itself, see the main FAQ.
Is this legal advice?
No. Lesley Henderson is not an attorney or licensed immigration consultant, and this site is not affiliated with the Government of Canada or IRCC. What Lesley Henderson offers is informational support, based on her own experience with the Proof of Citizenship process and what she has observed working with other applicants.
Much about this process is undocumented, inconsistently applied, or subject to change. Nothing Lesley Henderson says should be treated as legal advice.
How is this different from hiring an immigration lawyer?
Attorneys can represent you legally, advise you on legal questions, and submit applications on your behalf. Lesley Henderson cannot. What Lesley Henderson offers is research and organizational support from someone who has personally navigated a multi-generation application — at project-based fixed prices rather than hourly attorney rates.
A guide may be a reasonable fit if you want research and organizational help but prefer to submit your own application. An immigration attorney is the right fit if your situation involves legal ambiguity, contested parentage, or a need for formal legal representation before IRCC.
What if I'm not sure which service I need?
Reach out and describe your situation. Lesley Henderson will describe the services that might fit and let you decide which to book. If a short Strategy Session would help you figure out what's needed, she will mention that as an option. The decision is always yours.
What happens after I submit the contact form?
One of us typically responds within 2–3 business days. We'll will ask a few questions about your situation, then describe the services available. Payment is made directly to the guide.
Do you work with clients outside the United States?
Bill C-3 applies to descendants of Canadian citizens regardless of where they live. Lesley Henderson has worked with clients in several countries. Sessions are conducted by video call, and documents are shared electronically via a secure file sharing service.
Can you guarantee my application will be approved?
No. IRCC makes the final decision on every application, and no one outside IRCC can guarantee an outcome — not guides, not attorneys, not consultants.
We provide guidance on how we and others have navigated the Canadian citizenship by descen process. We cannot predict how IRCC will interpret any particular case, because requirements and processes can change without notice and much about them is not publicly documented.
Is Lesley connected to AlreadyCanadian.com or Citizenship by Descent LLC?
As an independent service provider, Lesley Henderson is not employed, supervised, contracted, or otherwise engaged by Citizenship by Descent LLC or AlreadyCanadian.com.
This website is informational and provides contact information for Lesley Henderson as a courtesy to readers. Any agreement between you and Lesley Henderson is made directly with her. Citizenship by Descent LLC does not set her rates, direct her work, manage client relationships, or bear any responsibility for the services she provides.
Important to know
What this is, and what it isn't.
Neither Ellery Wren or Lesley Henderson are attornies or licensed immigration consultants. What we offer is informational support, grounded in experience navigating the Proof of Citizenship process for ourselves and on behalf of family members, along with research and firsthand observation of how other applicants have approached similar cases. Much about this process remains undocumented, inconsistently applied, or subject to change.
Lesley Henderson is an independent service provider. She is not employed, supervised, contracted, or otherwise engaged by Citizenship by Descent LLC or AreYouCanadian.com. Any agreement between you and Lesley is made directly with her. Citizenship by Descent LLC does not set her rates, direct her work, manage client relationships, or bear any responsibility for the services she provides.
Important
No guide, advisor, or attorney — including Lesley Henderson or Ellery Wren— can guarantee the outcome of an application. IRCC makes the final decision. Requirements and processes can change without notice, and much about them is not publicly documented.
If your situation involves adoption, contested parentage, surrogacy, or any other unusual legal circumstance, we recommend working with an immigration attorney. These cases fall outside the scope of what a guide service can responsibly handle.
Getting started
Reach out to a guide.
Complete the form and Lesley will respond within 2–3 business days to schedule next steps.
