As journey guidelines proceed to shift and international uncertainty grows, extra individuals are turning to second citizenship as a supply of long-term safety.
Even celebrities akin to George Clooney and Rosie O’ Donnell have acquired or are in search of to amass twin citizenship (and the passport that comes with it)—French citizenship for the previous and Irish for the latter.
Amid this international demand for second passports, Canada has not too long ago handed a brand new regulation making extra people eligible for a Canadian passport.
On December 15, 2025, Invoice C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) got here into power, increasing who will be acknowledged as a Canadian citizen by descent—particularly individuals who had been beforehand blocked by the first-generation restrict (FGL).
Verify Your Eligibility for Canadian Citizenship
This text will cowl:
- What the passing of Invoice C-3 means;
- How you’ll find out in the event you’re eligible for Canadian citizenship;
- How one can apply for a Canadian passport (if eligible);
- Whether or not Canada permits twin citizenship; and
- The advantages of getting a Canadian passport.
Am I eligible for Canadian citizenship by descent attributable to Invoice C-3?
Invoice C-3 eliminated the FGL for many individuals born (or adopted) overseas earlier than December 15, 2025, who would have been Canadian residents if not for the earlier guidelines.
The FGL was carried out in 2009, limiting citizenship by descent to the primary technology born exterior Canada.
This meant {that a} baby born overseas would inherit citizenship by descent provided that their dad or mum was both born in Canada or grew to become a citizen by naturalization. If the kid’s dad or mum was a citizen by descent (e.g., they had been additionally born overseas to a Canadian), the kid couldn’t inherit Canadian citizenship.
Invoice C-3 eradicated this rule, thus granting 1000’s of “Misplaced Canadians” with citizenship.
When you have a grandparent who was born in Canada or acquired Canadian citizenship by naturalization, you might be eligible for Canadian citizenship—even when neither you nor your mother and father had been born in Canada.
In case you’re not sure whether or not you qualify, CanadaVisa has launched a free on-line device that you should utilize to evaluate your eligibility for citizenship by descent underneath the brand new laws.
Making use of for a proof of citizenship
In case you imagine you’re a Canadian citizen as a result of passing of Invoice C-3 and want to get hold of a proof of citizenship certificates, you have to to use for one with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Most people should accomplish that on-line, although paper purposes can be found for sure people. In case you apply for proof of citizenship and your utility is profitable, you may be granted a citizenship certificates which you’ll then use to use for a Canadian passport instantly.
If you’re making use of inside Canada, you will get your Canadian passport in as little as 10 enterprise days—offered you apply for one in particular person at a Service Canada centre.
Get a Free Authorized Session on Making use of for Proof of Canadian Citizenship
Does Canada enable twin citizenship?
Canada acknowledges and permits twin (and a number of) citizenship, that means you possibly can turn into a Canadian citizen with out being required by Canada to surrender your different nationality.
Nevertheless, not all nations enable twin citizenship. Whether or not you possibly can hold your authentic citizenship after turning into Canadian relies on the legal guidelines in your different nation of citizenship (and typically on whether or not you have to formally notify that nation or full a renunciation course of).
For instance, China doesn’t acknowledge twin nationality, and India doesn’t enable Indian citizenship to be held concurrently a overseas citizenship—so nationals of these nations could also be required to surrender their authentic citizenship once they naturalize elsewhere.
The US permits Individuals to carry one other citizenship, together with Canadian citizenship—so US nationals can turn into Canadian with out routinely shedding their US standing.
All overseas nationals ought to examine the foundations of their authentic citizenship nation earlier than making use of for a twin Canadian citizenship.
What are the advantages of getting a Canadian passport?
The Canadian passport has repeatedly been named as one of many world’s strongest passports.
In keeping with the Henley Passport Index, the Canadian passport beats out the US passport—the latter dropping out of the highest 10 strongest passports worldwide within the final 2o years.
The Canadian passport at the moment permits visa-free journey to 181 locations worldwide (in opposition to the US’s 179 locations).
There are various different perks of getting a Canadian passport, from having the proper to vote in elections and run for workplace, to the flexibility to freely enter, work and reside in Canada with none restrictions.
Verify Your Eligibility for Canadian Citizenship
