Canadian citizenship by descent for Americans

If a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent was Canadian, Bill C-3 may mean you are already a Canadian citizen — with no residency requirement and no need to give up your US passport.

What changed on December 15, 2025

Canadian citizenship by descent previously stopped after one generation born abroad. Bill C-3, the Citizenship Restoration Act, removed that first-generation limit retroactively. Families told years ago that the chain was broken now have a claim again, and because the change is retroactive, the application is usually for proof of citizenship rather than a grant.

Who this typically applies to

• A Canadian-born parent — you are very likely already a citizen under the pre-existing rules.
• A Canadian-born grandparent — previously blocked by the first-generation limit, now restored under Bill C-3.
• A female ancestor who lost status by marrying a foreign national before 1977 — Bill C-3 reverses that loss.
• An ancestor who failed the age-28 retention requirement — also reversed retroactively.

Descent versus immigrating

• Proof of citizenship by descent: CA$75 in government fees, roughly five to ten months.
• Spousal sponsorship: CA$1,205, eleven to fourteen months to permanent residence, then years of residency.
• Naturalization as a permanent resident: CA$630, after 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada.

Dual citizenship, practically speaking

Canada allows dual citizenship and the United States does not require renunciation, so you can hold both. Travel to Canada by air on your Canadian passport once you have one, and remember that US citizens file US tax returns on worldwide income for life — the Canada-US treaty usually prevents double taxation but not the filing itself.

Canada Citizen Center is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.