Change to citizenship rules in 2025

On December 15, 2025, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act. This legislation changes the first-generation limit to citizenship by descent.

On this page, we explain what this change means, how to check if you’re affected, and what you need to do before travelling to Canada.

 This change officially took effect on December 15, 2025.

On this page

• What the change means
• If you applied under the interim measure
• How to prove your Canadian citizenship
• Before travelling to Canada

What the change means

Before Bill C-3, Canadian citizenship by descent was limited to the first generation born outside Canada. This rule was called the first-generation limit to citizenship. The changes made by Bill C-3 removed this limit in some situations.

This change to the first-generation limit doesn’t affect anyone who already became a Canadian citizen before Bill C-3 became law. If you were already a citizen before the bill, you’re still a citizen.

How we count generations when considering this rule

To count generations for this rule, we consider the first generation to be the first person born or adopted outside Canada to a Canadian citizen.

Examples:

• Canadian citizen: Born in Canada (a citizen by birth) or applied for and was granted citizenship (a citizen through naturalization).
• First generation: Born outside Canada to a Canadian citizen who was born in Canada or granted citizenship (naturalized). This person is Canadian by descent.
• Second generation or later: Also born outside Canada to a first-generation person. This person is now Canadian in some situations.

This is also how we count generations for people who are adopted and apply for a direct grant of citizenship.

If you were born or adopted on or after December 15, 2025

People born outside Canada in the second generation (or later) may be Canadian if

• their parent was also born or adopted outside Canada to a Canadian citizen (meaning the grandparent was Canadian), and
• that same parent spent at least 1,095 days in Canada before the birth

Adopted people are likely eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship through a direct grant for adopted people if

• they were born and adopted outside Canada in the second generation or later, and
• their Canadian parent spent at least 1,095 days in Canada before the adoption

If you were born or adopted before December 15, 2025

Citizenship may have been restored or given to people who were born outside Canada in the second generation or later before December 15, 2025.

This means that in most cases you’re automatically a Canadian citizen if you were born

• before December 15, 2025
• outside Canada to a Canadian parent

This rule also applies to you if you were born to someone who became Canadian because of these rule changes.

If this change made you a Canadian automatically, but you don’t want to be one, you can apply to give up (renounce) your Canadian citizenship.

Adopted people are likely eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship through a direct grant for adopted people if they were born and adopted outside Canada in the second generation or later before December 15, 2025.

If you applied under the interim measure

In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declared the first-generation limit, as it was at that time, unconstitutional for many people.

In response, we announced an interim measure to support those affected.

If your application is still in progress

Now that the Citizenship Act has been amended, we will process your application using the new rules. You don’t need to submit a new citizenship certificate application.

How to prove your Canadian citizenship

If you think you became a citizen because of Bill C-3, you must apply for a citizenship certificate to find out for sure. You may also want a certificate as proof of your citizenship if you became a citizen automatically.

When you apply, we’ll review your application to check if you’re a Canadian citizen. If you are, we’ll give you a citizenship certificate (proof of your Canadian citizenship).

This proof will help you apply for a Canadian passport and avoid delays at the border if you plan to enter Canada.

Apply for a citizenship certificate.

Apply for Canadian citizenship

If you’re not affected by this change, but you still want to become a Canadian citizen, you can still apply for citizenship if you’re eligible.

Find out if you’re eligible to apply for citizenship.