Citizenship
Canadian Citizenship by Descent
You may be a Canadian citizen because of a parent, grandparent or earlier ancestor. Changes to Canada's Citizenship Act in December 2025 mean more families may now qualify.
Overview
Citizenship by descent means citizenship that passes from a parent to a child, even when the child is born outside Canada.
For many years, Canadian law limited this to the first generation born abroad. If your Canadian parent was also born outside Canada, you usually could not become a citizen this way. This rule was called the first-generation limit.
On December 15, 2025, Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025), came into force. It removed the first-generation limit for people born before that date. For many people in this situation, citizenship applies automatically under the law, back to their date of birth.
Even so, you still need proof. That means applying for a citizenship certificate, with records that connect you to your Canadian ancestor.
How the law has changed
Your eligibility can depend on which law applied when each person in your family was born. These are the main dates.
- January 1, 1947Canadian citizenship begins.
Canadian citizenship is created as a legal status. Before this date, people in Canada were British subjects.
- February 15, 1977A new Citizenship Act.
The rules for passing citizenship to children born outside Canada change.
- April 17, 2009The first-generation limit begins.
Citizenship by descent is generally limited to the first generation born outside Canada.
- June 11, 2015More people recognized.
Further changes recognize citizenship for more people affected by older laws.
- December 19, 2023A court decision.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice rules that the first-generation limit is unconstitutional.
- December 15, 2025Bill C-3 comes into force.
The first-generation limit is removed for people born before this date, and a new rule applies to children born or adopted abroad after it.
Who this may be for
- People born outside Canada to a Canadian parent, including where that parent was also born outside Canada
- People with a Canadian-born grandparent or great-grandparent
- Families whose relatives left Canada generations ago
- People who were told in the past that they did not qualify
- Canadian parents born abroad who have children born abroad on or after December 15, 2025
General eligibility considerations
Born before December 15, 2025
If you were born outside Canada before this date to a parent who was a Canadian citizen, you may now be a citizen, even if your parent was also born outside Canada.
Born on or after December 15, 2025
If a child is born or adopted outside Canada and the Canadian parent was also born or adopted outside Canada, that parent generally must have spent at least 1,095 days (three years) physically in Canada before the child's birth or adoption. If the parent does not meet this rule, the child is not a citizen by descent and may need to be sponsored. Dependent children sponsorship.
Every link must be shown
You must show each generation, from the Canadian ancestor to you, with official records.
Your ancestor's own status
It matters whether your ancestor was a Canadian citizen under the law, and from when. Ancestors born before 1947 need careful review.
Other family history
Renunciation of citizenship, earlier citizenship decisions, adoption and other events can change the result.
This is general information. Whether you are a citizen depends on the full facts of your family history.
How the process works
Family history conversation
We start with what you know: names, places and dates for each generation.
Eligibility assessment
We check your family line against the law that applied at each birth and tell you whether a claim looks possible.
Building the family record
We list the records needed for each generation and review them as they arrive.
Preparing the applications
We prepare an application for each family member, organized so the family line is easy to follow.
Submission and follow-up
We submit to IRCC as your representative and handle any requests until a decision is made.
Documents you may need
- Your long-form birth certificate showing your parents
- Long-form birth records for each generation back to the Canadian ancestor
- Proof of your ancestor's birth in Canada or Canadian citizenship
- Marriage, death and name-change records where they are needed
- For children born on or after December 15, 2025: proof of the Canadian parent's time in Canada
- Identification and citizenship photos
- Translations of records not in English or French
IRCC expects official records. If an official birth record does not exist, other evidence may sometimes be considered. We help you understand what may work in your case.
How Bonti can help
- Map your family line and find the generation that connects you to Canada
- Identify missing records and where they are usually held
- Explain differences in names and dates between records
- Prepare an application for each family member
- Represent you with IRCC from submission to decision
Common questions
Does Bill C-3 make everyone with Canadian ancestry a citizen?
No. It removed one rule, the first-generation limit, for people born before December 15, 2025. Your family line still has to meet the law, and you must prove each link with records.
Do I have to live in Canada?
No. Citizenship by descent depends on your family history, not on where you live. People apply from inside and outside Canada.
Is there a language or knowledge test?
No. A proof of citizenship application does not include a citizenship test or a language test.
I applied before the law changed. What happens to my application?
Applications that were already being processed when Bill C-3 came into force are assessed under the new rules.
We were told years ago that we did not qualify. Should we ask again?
Yes, it is worth having your situation reviewed. The law has changed several times, and the most recent change in December 2025 opened citizenship to many families who were previously excluded.
Next step
You may already be Canadian.
Start with a 30-minute consultation. You will leave with a clear next step and a list of documents to prepare.
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