Canada Introduces New Regulation Increasing Citizenship Eligibility and Pathways

Canada has up to date its citizenship framework, permitting extra people born overseas to assert Canadian citizenship. Efficient December 15, 2025, Invoice C-3 got here into pressure, routinely recognizing as residents these beforehand excluded because of the first-generation restrict or older rules. The regulation additionally allows eligible people to use for proof of citizenship.

Beneath the brand new guidelines, Canadian mother and father born or adopted overseas can now move citizenship to youngsters born or adopted outdoors Canada, supplied the dad or mum demonstrates a minimum of three years (1,095 days) of bodily presence in Canada earlier than the kid’s beginning or adoption. The laws modernizes the nation’s method to citizenship by descent and extends eligibility past the primary technology born overseas.

The invoice, launched by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada earlier this 12 months, addresses limitations within the earlier system, which solely allowed citizenship to be handed if the Canadian dad or mum was born in Canada or naturalized earlier than the kid’s beginning.

Interim measures increasing citizenship eligibility stay in place whereas Parliament debated the proposal.

The federal government encourages candidates to discuss with the citizenship part of the official Canadian authorities web site for extra particulars on making use of below the brand new regulation.