New Brunswick Is Raising Fees for the Records Americans Need to Prove Canadian Citizenship by Descent
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 importan...