On December 15, 2025, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-3 to change the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent. This new law allows a Canadian parent born or adopted outside Canada to pass on Canadian citizenship to their children born or adopted outside Canada, provided they have spent 3 years (or 1,095 days) cumulative in Canada before their child’s birth or adoption.
Author(s):
Katie Leung
published 12/22/2025
On December 15, 2025, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-3 to change the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent.
This new law allows a Canadian parent born or adopted outside Canada to pass on Canadian citizenship to their children born or adopted outside Canada, provided they have spent a cumulative three years (or 1,095 days) in Canada before their child’s birth or adoption.
In other words, you may be a Canadian citizen if your parent was born or adopted outside Canada to/by a Canadian citizen, and if your parent spent at least three years in Canada before your birth.
One of the challenges for proof of Canadian Citizenship is obtaining the correct supporting documents to show. At TDS, we can assist with ordering birth/death certificates across Canadian provinces or help clients obtain other types of proof of birth and Canadian citizenship, such as baptism or census documents.
If you or someone you know has a Canadian ancestor, it may be worth exploring whether you or they are a Canadian citizen. To confirm whether you are a Canadian citizen, you will have to submit a proof of citizenship application to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada. We can assist you in obtaining the necessary documents and applying for proof of Canadian citizenship.
For more information, please contact Katie Leung at khl@tdslaw.com.
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