Bill C-3 by descent (certificate) · decided by IRCC
Canadian citizenship by descent
Canada issues proof of citizenship to descendants of citizens — and Bill C-3 (in force Dec 15, 2025) removed the first-generation limit, allowing grandchildren and further descendants to claim citizenship by descent. Check whether you qualify, build your lineage, and get a primary-source-backed document checklist and cost estimate.
Grandparent or great-grandparent claim? Complex chain? Skip the research — talk to a Canada citizenship specialist in 30 minutes.
🇨🇦 A claim, not a request
Bill C-3 removed the first-generation limit — grandchildren and further descendants can now claim.
Eligibility
Who may qualify
A Canadian-citizen parent
By birth or naturalization — the most direct path to citizenship by descent.
A Canadian-citizen grandparent (or further)
Bill C-3 (in force Dec 15, 2025) removed the first-generation limit on descent.
Substantial-connection test
1,095 days of physical presence in Canada applies to the parent for children born abroad on or after Dec 15, 2025.
A general overview — your eligibility depends on the specifics of your line. The free check gives a personalized answer. EasyPassport is not affiliated with IRCC. We help you organize and verify your documents. You submit your application to IRCC directly — we do not file, submit, or act on your behalf with any government authority.
Why Canada
What makes Canada different
No apostilles needed
IRCC doesn't require apostilles on your supporting documents — a real simplification versus the Italian or Irish process.
Low government fee
The proof-of-citizenship fee is just $75 CAD per person; most applicants spend $200–$400 total.
No interview, no language test
It's a document-based, administrative process — no interview and no language requirement.
Your ancestor doesn't apply first
The Canadian ancestor doesn't need their own certificate before you apply.
One address, worldwide
Every application is mailed to the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia — there's no consulate routing.
Confirmation, not a grant
The certificate confirms citizenship you already hold by operation of law, now that Bill C-3 (in force Dec 15, 2025) removed the first-generation limit.
By ancestor path
Your relationship to the Canadian ancestor determines which rules apply
Through your parent
If your parent was born in Canada or became a Canadian citizen, you may have inherited citizenship at birth.
See requirements 02GRANDPARENTThrough your grandparent
Claim through a grandparent who was born in Canada or naturalized, now that Bill C-3 (in force Dec 15, 2025) removed the first-generation limit.
See requirements 03GREAT-GRANDPARENTThrough your great-grandparent
Multi-generational claims beyond the grandparent generation, enabled by Bill C-3 which entered into force Dec 15, 2025.
See requirementsProcess
How to apply
- 1
Confirm your eligibility and chain
Trace an unbroken line back to your Canadian-citizen ancestor and confirm you qualify under Bill C-3 (in force Dec 15, 2025) — the free eligibility check does this for you.
- 2
Gather long-form records
Collect long-form birth certificates for everyone in the chain, proof of your anchor ancestor's Canadian citizenship, plus the marriage, death, and divorce records that connect the names.
- 3
Complete Form CIT 0001
Fill out the current Application for a Citizenship Certificate, using supplementary sheets for additional generations.
- 4
Add the document checklist (CIT 0014)
Itemize every document on Form CIT 0014 — missing items cause rejection. Submit color photocopies; IRCC doesn't return originals.
- 5
Get citizenship photos
Provide two identical 50mm × 70mm citizenship photos to IRCC's specs (different from passport-photo size).
- 6
Pay the $75 CAD fee
Pay online through IRCC and include the receipt. Each applicant pays and applies separately.
- 7
Mail it and track
Send your package to the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia. IRCC sends an acknowledgement of receipt; processing runs about 10 months.
Choose your path
Do it yourself, or talk to a specialist?
Do it yourself
Free tool- Parent or grandparent claim with clear documentation
- You know your ancestor held Canada citizenship
- Records are legible and translated where needed
- No broken-chain events (renunciation, timing gaps)
Talk to a specialist
- Great-grandparent or further-back claim
- Unsure whether a naturalization broke the chain
- Mixed ancestry — multiple possible pathways
- Want a professional to verify before gathering 10+ documents
At a glance
What you'll need
- Government fee
- $75 CAD
- Typical timeline
- ~10 months
- Forms
- CIT 0001
- Language
- No test
Proof of citizenship (CIT 0001)
From IRCC acknowledgement
CIT 0014 where applicable
Translations required for non-EN/FR records
Key dates & laws
The rules that decide your case
Bill C-3 removed the first-generation limit
In force Dec 15, 2025, Bill C-3 opened citizenship by descent beyond the first generation born abroad, making grandchildren and further descendants eligible. IRCC is processing all applications, including in-progress ones, under these new rules.
Substantial-connection test (births from Dec 15, 2025)
For a child born abroad on or after Dec 15, 2025, the Canadian parent must show at least 1,095 days (about 3 years) of physical presence in Canada before the birth; Crown-servant time can count.
Bill C-37 restored 'Lost Canadians'
Citizenship lost through foreign naturalization between 1947 and 1977 was retroactively restored in 2009 — often the key to a grandparent or great-grandparent claim.
Timing breaks the chain
Each ancestor had to be a citizen when the next person was born; an ancestor who became Canadian only after their child's birth didn't pass it on.
Formal renunciation is permanent
If an ancestor formally renounced Canadian citizenship, the chain is severed at that point and later laws don't restore it.
Pre-1947 British subjects
Descendants of British subjects present in Canada before the 1947 Citizenship Act follow distinct, older rules.
Where it's processed
One address, worldwide
🇨🇦 IRCC — Case Processing Centre
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Every application is mailed to the same address — no consulate routing, no in-person interview.
See mailing instructionsTools & guides
Plan your application
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
🇨🇦 Not sure where to start?
See if you qualify in about two minutes.
A personalized answer based on your specific line of descent. No passport or ID uploads — ever.