Many people have misconceptions about Canada’s citizenship by descent law, assuming that having a Canadian parent or a Canadian passport is necessary to be a citizen. However, since Bill C-3 came into effect on December 15, 2025, the rules have changed.

The bill eliminated the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent for individuals born before that date. This means that anyone with a Canadian ancestor and a documented chain of descent to them is already a Canadian citizen, requiring only the appropriate documentation to apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate.

Parental Citizenship Requirement for Descent

To qualify for Canadian citizenship by descent, your parent must have been a Canadian citizen at the time of your birth. However, the process is automatic and does not require any action or awareness from the parent. Even if your parent was unaware of their Canadian citizenship, you are still considered a citizen by descent.

Here are two scenarios to illustrate this:

Example 1: Straightforward Case

Consider the case of Michael Stuart, born in Vancouver to an American family in 1961. Despite never considering himself a Canadian citizen or holding any Canadian documentation, he was a citizen by birthright. Consequently, his daughter Abigail, born in California, can apply for proof of Canadian citizenship based on her father’s citizenship status.