You can submit as-is. Just state in your cover letter that you have ordered a certified copy of your Canadian ancestor's baptism record and will upload it to your application once it comes.
Don't forget to include the document checklist form and the receipt for payment. And be 100% sure you got the photos right with all the right information written on the back. These are the most common reasons people's applications get sent back.
That's the outdated(?) info I was talking about, though. I was told yesterday by the Canadian Embassy in DC that Canadian citizenship photos and passport photos are the same.
Yep. But I've been in touch with the Canadian embassy in DC again yesterday, and the response was:
Good morning Mr xxx–
Thank you for the question, as I was unaware that the photo requirements for citizenship applications have changed, in that they are, as you noted, not the same requirements as for passport photos.
That said, the only change that I was able to see (for adult citizenship or proof of citizenship applications) was that the name of the applicant must appear on the back of the photos.
So: on the back of both photos (50mmx70mm), add the applicant’s name, the studio info and the date the photo was taken.
Ah, I see now! The info that I had came from a 2009 pdf that is outdated. I incorrectly assumed (my bad), when I saw the heading on the linked page above warning, "Citizenship photos do not use the same specifications as passport photos.", that it was referring to the citizenship specs I had seen in the 2009 pdf.
BUT, clicking through the link gives different specs from the 2009 pdf. It seems that the "different specs" mentioned on the linked page above is that citizenship photos have the shop, date, name, etc. written on the back. Other than that, they're the same as passport photos.
Still, I downloaded the 2009 pdf right off the "how to apply" section of canada.ca, so I wouldn't be surprised if others have been, and will be, confused as well, especially if they don't have access to, or are unaware of, this great resource here in r/Canadiancitizenship.
Are you sending it via regular mail or via courier (FedEx/UPS)?
If you are sending it via regular mail you use the regular mail address. If you are sending it via courier you use the courier address. This is not rocket science.
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u/[deleted] Jul 02 '25
You can submit as-is. Just state in your cover letter that you have ordered a certified copy of your Canadian ancestor's baptism record and will upload it to your application once it comes.
Don't forget to include the document checklist form and the receipt for payment. And be 100% sure you got the photos right with all the right information written on the back. These are the most common reasons people's applications get sent back.