New Brunswick Is Raising Fees for the Records Americans Need to Prove Canadian Citizenship by Descent
Canadian Immigration News | November 2026
New Brunswick is preparing to increase fees for historical records that many Americans need to establish their eligibility for Canadian citizenship by descent. The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick has announced that new fees for accessing and obtaining certified historical records will take effect on December 1, 2026. However, the province has not yet disclosed the revised fee amounts, leaving applicants uncertain about how much they will need to pay to obtain essential citizenship documents.
This announcement comes at a time when interest in Canadian citizenship by descent is growing significantly, particularly among Americans who have Canadian-born parents, grandparents, or more distant ancestors. Following changes to Canada’s citizenship legislation under Bill C-3, more people may now qualify for Canadian citizenship through their family connections.
For applicants tracing their ancestry to New Brunswick, obtaining official birth, marriage, and death records is an important part of establishing their family history and demonstrating their eligibility.
The upcoming fee increase, combined with longer archival processing times and growing demand, makes it important for prospective applicants to understand the new developments and prepare their documentation carefully.
1. New Brunswick Announces Higher Fees for Historical Citizenship Records
The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick has confirmed that it will introduce revised fees for records beginning December 1, 2026.
These records are particularly important for Americans applying for Canadian citizenship by descent because they can help establish the connection between an applicant and a Canadian-born ancestor.
As of November 2026, the existing charges listed on the Provincial Archives’ citizenship request page are:
- Certified copy: $11 CAD per record, including shipping.
- Additional pages: $1 CAD per page.
The archive has confirmed that these fees are under review and that new rates will take effect on December 1, 2026. However, the revised prices have not yet been published.
There is also uncertainty about whether applicants whose requests are already waiting in the processing queue will be charged the existing rates or the new fees.
For individuals who need several generations of historical documents, even a relatively small increase could add to the overall expense of preparing a citizenship application.
Applicants should therefore check the official Provincial Archives website for updated pricing before submitting their requests.
2. Why Are Americans Requesting Canadian Citizenship Through Their Ancestors?
For generations, Canada’s citizenship rules restricted the automatic transmission of citizenship beyond the first generation born outside Canada. This restriction was commonly known as the first-generation limit.
For example, a Canadian citizen born in Canada could generally pass citizenship to a child born abroad, but that child could not automatically pass citizenship to their own child born outside Canada under the previous rules.
This restriction prevented many people with Canadian ancestry from obtaining citizenship.
However, the introduction of Bill C-3 changed the legal framework.
On December 15, 2025, the new legislation came into effect, removing the first-generation limit for people born before that date, subject to the applicable citizenship requirements.
As a result, individuals with Canadian ancestors several generations back may now have an opportunity to establish their Canadian citizenship.
This legislative change has generated considerable interest among Americans researching their family histories, particularly those whose ancestors originally came from New Brunswick.
However, having a Canadian ancestor does not automatically guarantee citizenship. Applicants must establish their eligibility under the applicable legislation and provide appropriate documentation.
3. Why New Brunswick Records Are Important for Citizenship by Descent Applications
New Brunswick has a significant historical connection with families who eventually settled in the United States.
Over several generations, people from New Brunswick migrated to different American states, including Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
Today, many descendants of these families are researching their Canadian roots to determine whether they qualify for citizenship by descent.
The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick maintains historical records that can help establish these family connections.
Some of the most important documents include:
Birth records: These documents can establish where an ancestor was born and help demonstrate their Canadian connection.
Marriage records: Marriage registrations can help establish relationships between family members and explain differences in surnames across generations.
Death records: These documents can provide additional information about an ancestor’s identity, family relationships, and life history.
Church records: Baptismal, marriage, and burial records can sometimes help applicants when official civil registration documents are unavailable.
For citizenship applications, these records can help establish an unbroken family connection between the applicant and the Canadian ancestor.
It is important to remember that a genealogy website printout or an independently created family tree is not sufficient on its own. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires authentic, reliable, and verifiable documentation from the original issuing authority or record-holding institution.
4. Bill C-3 Has Increased Demand for New Brunswick Archival Records
The increased demand for historical documents is closely connected to the changes introduced through Bill C-3.
Before the legislative changes, the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick reportedly handled approximately 100 genealogy-related requests each month in 2025.
Following the implementation of Bill C-3 in December 2025, requests increased considerably.
By spring 2026, the archive was receiving approximately 400 citizenship-related requests per month, with a backlog exceeding 1,000 requests, according to provincial archivist Joanna Aiton Kerr.
This represents a substantial increase in demand for archival services.
Many requests are coming from Americans looking for their ancestors’ birth registrations and other historical documents.
The growing workload has placed additional pressure on archival staff, making it more difficult for applicants to obtain the documents they need within a short period.
The province has also acknowledged that it is experiencing higher-than-usual demand for citizenship-related record searches.
5. How Long Does It Take to Obtain New Brunswick Citizenship Records?
Processing delays are another important concern for people applying for Canadian citizenship by descent.
As of November 2026, the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick advises applicants that it may take at least six months for an archivist to begin processing a request.
This is an estimated waiting period rather than a guaranteed completion timeline.
Applicants should understand that the six-month estimate only refers to the time before an archivist begins reviewing the request. The actual search and document preparation may require additional time.
For example:
- Digitally available records may be easier to locate.
- Records stored on microfilm may require additional research.
- Requests with incomplete information may take longer to investigate.
- Records involving older church registrations may require additional verification.
Once payment has been collected and the certified document is ready, delivery by ground mail generally takes another two to four weeks.
The archive also indicates that mailed records do not include tracking.
These delays can create difficulties for applicants who are trying to prepare a complete citizenship application within a particular timeframe.
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6. Which New Brunswick Records Can Applicants Search Online?
Before submitting a request to the Provincial Archives, applicants should explore the available online historical collections.
New Brunswick has expanded its digital record collections, making it easier for individuals to search for information about their ancestors.
The current online collections include:
| Record category | Available historical records |
| Birth registrations | Before 1930 |
| Marriage registrations | Before 1976 |
| Death registrations | Before 1976 |
In late July 2026, the archive added birth registrations from 1929 and marriage and death registrations from 1975.
Following its November 6, 2026 update, the online database contained approximately 1,167,941 records.
This expansion gives applicants a valuable opportunity to locate relevant historical information before requesting assistance from archival staff.
If the required document is not available online, applicants may need to request a search directly from the Provincial Archives.
For records outside the archive’s historical collection, applicants should contact Service New Brunswick’s Vital Statistics office.
The province also launched a new vital statistics search platform on July 29, 2026, to help individuals locate records, track requests, and complete certain tasks online.
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7. What Information Is Required to Request Historical Records?
Applicants who cannot locate their ancestors’ records online may request assistance from the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.
However, providing accurate information is important because it helps archival staff narrow down their searches.
The archive generally requires the following details:
- Full name: First and last names of the individual whose birth, marriage, or death record is required.
- Date of the event: The exact date is helpful, but a three-to-five-year date range can be provided if the precise date is unknown.
- Location: The county, city, town, village, or community where the event occurred.
- Religious denomination: This information can be particularly useful when searching historical church records.
- Additional family information: Maiden names, birth names, parents’ names, middle names, or initials can help identify the correct record.
If applicants have already located a possible record through the archive’s genealogical guides, they should include the relevant parish, denomination, year, and microfilm information.
Providing these details can make it easier for archival staff to identify the correct document.
Applicants can submit an online request through the official Government of New Brunswick website.
8. What Happens If an Ancestor’s Birth Certificate Cannot Be Found?
Missing historical birth certificates are a common concern for people researching citizenship by descent.
Some older records may never have been formally registered, while others may have been lost, damaged, or never transferred to government archives.
Fortunately, IRCC recognizes that alternative official documents may sometimes help establish Canadian citizenship and family relationships.
Depending on the circumstances, acceptable supporting documents may include:
- Hospital records of birth.
- Records from a physician or midwife who witnessed the birth.
- Baptismal certificates or records.
- Historical census records.
- Passenger or boat manifests.
- Canadian citizenship or naturalization certificates.
- Certificates of Registration of Birth Abroad.
- Certificates of Retention of Canadian Citizenship.
- Other relevant official documents issued by the original authority.
Applicants should understand that the suitability of alternative evidence depends on the individual circumstances and the documents available.
If an official record cannot be obtained, IRCC requires applicants to explain in writing why it is unavailable and provide evidence that they attempted to obtain it.
For example, correspondence with the Provincial Archives or a confirmation that a record could not be located may help demonstrate that reasonable efforts were made.
IRCC evaluates the documents and explanations provided when making a decision.
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9. Who Is Most Likely to Be Affected by the Fee Increase?
The upcoming changes are particularly relevant to Americans whose family histories can be traced to New Brunswick.
Several generations of New Brunswick residents migrated to different parts of the United States, creating family connections that remain important today.
Applicants in the following states may be especially interested:
Maine: Its geographic proximity to New Brunswick has contributed to longstanding family and migration connections.
Massachusetts: Many families with Canadian ancestry have historical connections to New Brunswick communities.
Michigan: People researching Canadian-born ancestors may need historical provincial records to establish their family relationships.
Wisconsin: Descendants of Canadian migrants may require certified historical documents for citizenship applications.
Minnesota: Individuals with New Brunswick ancestry may also need to obtain original birth, marriage, and death registrations.
The fee increase does not apply exclusively to American applicants. Anyone requesting affected certified historical records from the Provincial Archives may be impacted.
The main concern is that applicants who need multiple documents could face higher costs after December 1, 2026.
Since the new prices have not yet been announced, prospective applicants should avoid assuming that current charges will remain available after the effective date.
10. What Should Applicants Do Before December 1, 2026?
With the upcoming fee changes and existing processing delays, applicants should take a practical approach to gathering their documents.
Here are some important steps to consider.
Step 1: Research your Canadian ancestry
Begin by identifying the Canadian ancestor through whom you may qualify for citizenship.
Collect family information, including names, birth dates, marriage details, and locations.
Step 2: Check the online archival database
Search the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick’s digital collections before submitting a new request.
This may help you identify the relevant registration and reduce the need for an extensive archival search.
Step 3: Identify the correct record-holding authority
Determine whether the required document is held by the Provincial Archives or Service New Brunswick’s Vital Statistics office.
Historical records and more recent civil registration documents may be handled by different authorities.
Step 4: Request certified copies
If you locate a relevant historical document, check the process for obtaining a certified copy.
Remember that an ordinary genealogy printout is not a substitute for an official document required to support a citizenship application.
Step 5: Prepare records for every generation
You may need to establish the relationship between yourself and your Canadian ancestor through several generations of birth and marriage records.
Make sure that names, dates, and family relationships are consistent across the documents.
Step 6: Monitor updated fees and processing times
Check the official provincial website regularly for information about the December 1 fee changes.
Also consider the existing six-month-or-longer archival waiting period when planning your citizenship application.
Step 7: Review your eligibility before applying
Obtaining historical documents is only one part of the process. You should also determine whether you qualify under Canada’s current citizenship legislation.
A complete review can help identify missing evidence before submitting your application.
Conclusion
New Brunswick’s decision to introduce higher fees for historical archival records from December 1, 2026, is an important development for Americans seeking to establish Canadian citizenship through their ancestors. Although the revised charges have not yet been announced, the existing backlog and extended processing times make early document preparation particularly important.
The changes introduced through Bill C-3 have created new opportunities for individuals with Canadian ancestry, but applicants must still establish their eligibility and provide authentic, verifiable documentation.
From locating historical birth registrations to obtaining certified marriage and death records, every document can play an important role in establishing a family’s Canadian connection.As a trusted provider of personalized Canadian immigration solutions, we assist individuals and families in understanding citizenship documentation, application procedures, and available immigration options. Whether you are looking for a Citizenship Consultant Toronto, an experienced Immigration Consultant Etobicoke, or a reliable Canadian Citizenship Consultant Ontario.
If you are considering applying for Canadian citizenship by descent, working with an experienced Canadian citizenship consultant in Toronto can help you understand the requirements, identify documentation gaps, and prepare a more organized application.
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