Canada Just Passed a Law Making Citizenship Easier

Canada is modernizing its citizenship laws. Bill C-3, An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act (2025), has received Royal Assent.
This means that Canadians will soon have a fair, clear way to pass on citizenship to their children born or adopted outside Canada. 
Until Bill C-3 comes into effect, the interim measure on this page remains in place.

If you apply using the interim measure, you will not have to re-apply when the new rules come into effect. We’ll process all remaining applications using the new rules.

What is the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent

The first-generation limit on citizenship generally means that someone is not automatically a Canadian citizen if:

- they were born outside Canada, and
- their parent was also born outside Canada to a Canadian parent or adopted outside Canada by a Canadian parent.
- The grandparent was Canadian.