Canadian Parents Born or Adopted Abroad Can Now Pass Citizenship to Children Born Outside Canada

Canada’s Parliament has passed Bill C-3, an amendment to the Citizenship Act, granting citizenship to Canadians born or adopted abroad who were previously excluded under the “first-generation limit.” 

The law came into effect on 15 December 2025. Under the new rules, Canadian parents born or adopted outside the country can pass citizenship to their children born or adopted abroad, provided the parent demonstrates a meaningful connection to Canada. 

Specifically, the parent must have lived in Canada for at least three years before the child’s birth or adoption. This provision is intended to ensure that citizenship reflects substantive ties to the country.

The reform addresses a longstanding limitation in Canadian nationality law. For years, children of Canadian parents born abroad were barred from automatic citizenship if their parents had also been born or adopted outside Canada. Bill C-3 now allows those previously affected, including individuals born before the law’s introduction, to apply for official proof of citizenship.

Canada’s citizenship laws have undergone several revisions since the Citizenship Act of 1947. Earlier amendments in 2009 and 2015 restored citizenship to thousands of “Lost Canadians” who had been denied nationality due to technical restrictions. 

The first-generation limit, established in 2009, had become a particularly contentious element of the law. In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled the restriction unconstitutional, a decision the federal government chose not to challenge.

Following the 2023 court ruling, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced interim measures to support affected families. With Bill C-3 now in force, these measures have been formalised, and applications are being processed under the updated regulations. 

Individuals who had already submitted applications for citizenship certificates do not need to resubmit their documents, as their cases will be assessed according to the amended law.