Access to information and privacy

Fact sheet

Citizenship or naturalization records

Citizenship and Immigration Canada retains records of citizenship and naturalization granted since 1854. While the original copies of records dated between 1854 and 1917 have been destroyed, a nominal card index has survived. The nominal card index provides information compiled at the time of naturalization, such as present and former place of residence, former nationality, occupation, date of certificate, and location of the responsible court. The index rarely contains any other genealogical information. Records created after 1917 are more detailed, indicating the surname, given name, date and place of birth, date of entry into Canada, and in some cases, the names of spouses and children.

Note: The Canadian Citizenship Act came into force on January 1, 1947. From 1763 to that date, persons born in the provinces and colonies of British North America were all British subjects. Being of equal status, immigrants from Great Britain and the Commonwealth were not required to become naturalized.

For Canadians and non-Canadians

Persons who require a search of naturalization records for a legal purpose must submit a request for a search of Citizenship records to a court of Canadian Citizenship or the Registrar of Canadian Citizenship, P.O. Box 7000, Sydney, Nova Scotia, B1P 6V6. Fee: $75.00 (payable to the Receiver General of Canada by cheque or money order).

For Canadians

To obtain a photocopy of your own citizenship records, submit a request for access to personal information form, in accordance with the Privacy Act, to the Privacy Coordinator, Sydney Case Processing Centre, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, P.O. Box 7000, Sydney, Nova Scotia, B1P 6V6. Fee: no charge.

For Canadians and non-Canadians

Applications for photocopies of the citizenship records of third parties (persons other than yourself, usually for genealogical purposes) must be submitted under the Access to Information Act by a Canadian Citizen, a permanent resident, a Canadian Corporation or a person present in Canada. Please refer to the conditions noted below which apply to Access to Information requests.

Immigration records

Records of permanent residents (immigrants) arriving at Canadian land and seaport points of entry before 1936 are held by Library and Archives Canada, records from January 1936 onwards remain in the custody of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

For Canadian citizens and/or permanent residents of Canada

To obtain a certified copy of your own Record of Landing or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (either as principle applicant or accompanying dependent) for legal purposes, please visit or write your nearest Canada Immigration Centre. Fee: $30.00 (payable to the Receiver General of Canada by cheque or money order).

To obtain a photocopy of your own Record of Landing or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (either as principle applicant or accompanying dependent), submit a request for access to personal information, in accordance with the Privacy Act, to your nearest Canada Immigration Centre. Fee: no charge.

Applications for photocopies of the Record of Landing or Confirmation of Permanent Residence of third parties (persons other than yourself, usually for genealogical research) must be submitted under the Access to Information Act by a Canadian Citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, a Canadian Corporation or a person present in Canada. Please refer to the conditions noted below which apply to Access to Information requests.

For non-Canadians and non-Residents of Canada (not living in Canada)

To obtain a certified copy of your own Record of Landing or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (either as principle applicant or accompanying dependent) for legal purposes, please visit or write the nearest Canadian Consulate, Embassy or High Commission. Fee: $30.00 (payable to the Receiver General of Canada by cheque or money order).

Applications for photocopies of your own Record of Landing or Confirmation of Permanent Residences or those of third parties (persons other than yourself, usually for genealogical research) must be submitted under the Access to Information Act by a Canadian Citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, a Canadian Corporation or a person present in Canada. Please refer to the conditions noted below which apply to Access to Information requests.

The following conditions apply to Access to Information requests:

The request must be accompanied by a signed consent from the person concerned or proof that he or she has been deceased for more than 20 years (copy of death certificate, newspaper obituary or photograph of the tombstone showing the person’s name and date of death). No proof is necessary if the person was born over 110 years ago. Proof of executorship and purpose for the request are required should the person be deceased less than 20 years (only for the purpose of administering the estate of that person). There is a $5.00 fee (payable to the Receiver General of Canada by cheque or money order) for the processing of a request made under the Access to Information Act.

Requests for immigration records should include individual’s name at time of entry into Canada, date of birth, and year of entry.

Requests for citizenship or naturalization records should include the name, date and place of birth of the subject of the inquiry. When applicable and obtainable, please also provide the Canadian citizenship or naturalization certificate number that was issued.

Death certificates for persons who died in Canada can be obtained from Provincial and Territorial Vital Statistics Offices.

Submit requests under the Access to Information Act to:

Public Rights Administration
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
360 Laurier Avenue West
Narono Building, 10th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 1L1

Immigration records up to 31 December 1935

For information on immigration records up to December 31, 1935, please visit the Library and Archives Canada site:

• Canadian Genealogy Centre — Immigration
• ArchiviaNet — Immigration Records (1925–1935)