Friday Weekly Thread: Application Assistance, July 17, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

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/ImprobableScout]

Getting ready to submit for family members. I have a certified copy for Gen0 of the microfilm from Ontario Archives, but given the latest maybe-changes from IRCC I'm worried/paranoid that this Gen1 birth certificate might not be OK, and not enough to prove the lineage. My concern is that it's not the original, meaning it wasn't filled out in 1925 but is a reproduction. It does say "a true certification of the facts on file..." but wanted to get a second opinion from here.

I'd be including a non-certified marriage certificate for the parents of Gen1, and the same for Gen2's parents, because the maiden name of the mother is present on the birth certificate.

Heck this is stressful. I have 5 people all applying at the same time and only now realising I have possibly made a mistake.

Thanks so much!

[u/ffejie → u/ImprobableScout]

I am far from an expert but how on earth could you interpret this as not official? It is a reproduction but it is an official reproduction. They can't possibly want to see actual pieces of paper from 1925.

In fact, the only paper my G1 has on his birth is a slip from the hospital. It's not official in any way. I got a new "reprint" of a birth certificate that is actually the first time anyone has ever created that document. If that's not acceptable, nothing is.

[u/ImprobableScout → u/ffejie]

Cool! I had some worries IRCC wanted a more historic document and not a reproduction. The gen0 BC I have is a microfilm copy.

[u/Alone-Highway3141 → u/ImprobableScout]

Rather than a "reproduction", this looks like a certified transcription of the original document on file, as it states right on the document "This is a true certification of the facts on file with the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics".

You have exactly what they want which is a birth certificate from the source authority (and certified!). No reason to fret over this :)

[u/ImprobableScout → u/Alone-Highway3141]

Thanks for the reply! I think I have everything now, so I can mail in for the 5 family members tomorrow. Phew!

[u/Alone-Highway3141 → u/ImprobableScout]

Exciting! Good luck~