If one of your parents was a Canadian citizen at the time of your birth, you automatically inherited Canadian citizenship, regardless of your place of birth.

As a Canadian citizen by descent, you have the same rights as those born in Canada. By providing official documents proving your parent’s ancestry, you can apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate and subsequently obtain a Canadian passport.

Process for Obtaining a Canadian Passport

Prior to applying for a Canadian passport, you must first obtain a proof of citizenship certificate from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Once you have the certificate, you can proceed with the passport application. The process is relatively simple if one of your parents was born in Canada. You will need to submit your birth certificate displaying your parents’ names and evidence that at least one of your parents was a Canadian citizen when you were born.

If your parent was born in Canada, their birth certificate can serve as proof of citizenship. For naturalized parents, their citizenship certificate or naturalization record is required.

After submitting a complete application for the proof of Canadian citizenship certificate, along with the necessary documents, you can anticipate receiving the certificate within approximately 10 months. Subsequently, you can apply for a Canadian passport, which typically takes 10 to 20 business days for processing.

Dual Citizenship Considerations

For Americans, there are no disadvantages to pursuing Canadian citizenship. Both the United States and Canada recognize dual citizenship, allowing U.S.-Canadian dual citizens to enjoy the full rights of both countries without additional tax obligations from Canada.

Canada acknowledges the rights of Canadian citizens by descent, even if they hold other nationalities. However, it’s essential to consider the stance of your other citizenship(s) as not all countries permit dual citizenship.