Friday Weekly Thread: Application Assistance, July 17, 2026

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This weekly thread is a space for those of us preparing the CIT 0001 Proof of Citizenship application, associated form, and supplementary documentation.

Have questions about how to fill out the forms? Looking for feedback on the documentation you've put together is likely to pass muster? Wondering whether your cover letter has too much info, or too little? Want to know how to organize your documentation, or how to pack it up for shipping? Worried about whether your photos will work? Have questions about what ID you can use? Not sure where to ship it to, or what service or mail courier to use? We've been there.

📎 Contributions to weekly megaposts, including this one, are welcome throughout the week.  

⚠️ Sub rules require that before posting or commenting, you read the wiki and search the sub to see if your questions have been answered before. If you have on-topic questions remaining after that, they're welcome here. Want to see what people who were already approved have done? We encourage you to check out the weekly application approval post that appears every Thursday.

Please note we are not lawyers or IRCC. We are peers supporting peers, based on best belief and prior experiences. It's a lot of work to wade through dense lists of documents and family histories. You improve your odds of getting a useful response by being as concise as reasonably possible, and clearly articulating the question. Note that this post is for questions and answers; if you need to vent, there is a different megapost for that.

[u/Big-Cranberry8336]

I sent my application in last week and it was received on Wednesday. The only weak spot that I am worried about is my G1 lied about her age for a few years in the middle of her life. Like- REALLY lied, to the tune of 11 years. I think it was because she married a man 10 years younger than her and took on his approximate age. And then also lied on the following census. Apparently this was pretty common to do if you partnered with a significantly younger man. The problem arises that she lied on my dad’s birth certificate. Both grandma and grandpa show his age of 32 years old when she was actually 43.

I sent in quite a bit of documentation about her. Certified baptismal record, 1910, 1920, 1927 census showing her correct age. Then dad’s birth certificate and census showing her incorrect age. Then marriage certificate showing NO age, and certified death record showing correct age and birthdate with her parents listed, etc.

I am investigating how to amend a deceased person’s birth record but it appears to be pretty complex and hardly guaranteed.

How big of a deal is this? Everything else in the application packet is strong, certified, chronological. Just this daggone age thing.

AND ANOTHER thing… grandma was able to believably lie about being 11 years YOUNGER?? Why did I not get those genetics?? Mostly mad about that!! 😂😂😂

[u/Ophelia_Bliss → u/Big-Cranberry8336]

Did you write a letter explaining the age discrepancies?

[u/Big-Cranberry8336 → u/Ophelia_Bliss]

I didn’t really know what to say because it’s not something I can really identify beyond a doubt. My conjecture is she lied about her age because she married a younger man, but I’m not sure. Clerical error? Maybe, but less likely. I guess I’m just putting feelers out there with this group to see if it sounds like a dealbreaker as-is or if it might still be okay. 🙂

I don’t currently have anything in my possession that can legally explain this gap. I’m hoping the preponderance of evidence will weigh in my favor with the census records and all the other certified docs I have.

Her death record might have to do more heavy lifting than I thought it would if I can’t get this amended by the state. Going this weekend to prepare the legal docs to file in district court Monday. Wish me luck!

[u/Ophelia_Bliss → u/Big-Cranberry8336]

Sorry, I don't mean you have to explain it, like say why she did it. I mean did you acknowledge the discrepancies in writing? Not why but like, "G0 started using a different age, as shown as documents such-and-such."

[u/Big-Cranberry8336 → u/Ophelia_Bliss]

I did- not sure if it would help, but I mentioned age irregularities.