US EditionMillions of Americans may now also be considered Canadian under new law
Lawyers say millions may already qualify, and Canada confirmed citizenship by descent for 1,480 people from Dec. 15 to Jan. 31.
- Canada's Bill C-3, effective December 15, 2025, expanded citizenship by descent beyond one generation, allowing descendants of Canadian grandparents to claim citizenship by filing for official proof.
- Lawmakers enacted this change as a retroactive legal correction after Canadian courts ruled the previous single-generation limit unconstitutional, recognizing descendants' vested right to citizenship.
- Immigration attorneys report being "pretty much flooded" with cases, though applicant Mary Mangan of Somerville, Massachusetts, notes "I would guess 90% of people can probably do this on their own."
- Processing times now average around 10 months, with 56,000 people awaiting decisions, while Citizenship Canada confirmed citizenship for 1,480 individuals between December 15 and January 31.
- Professor Fen Hampson of Carleton University noted that while Canadians are a "welcoming people," some worry "Canadians of convenience" with thin ties could delay processing for refugees fleeing vulnerable situations.
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37 Articles
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Canada opens door to millions of Americans who want to leave the flood of people leaving during the Trump era
Potentially millions of Americans suddenly have a much easier path to Canadian citizenship, prompting a rush of people to explore their ancestry and file paperwork seeking dual citizenship. For people like Zack Loud of Farmington, Minnesota, it was a surprise to learn that under a new law, Canada already considered him and his siblings citizens because their grandmother is Canadian. “My wife and I were already talking about potentially looking a…
Oskaloosa Herald
Millions of Americans may now also be considered Canadian under new law
Potentially millions of Americans suddenly have a much easier path to Canadian citizenship. A change in the country's laws has prompted a rush of Americans to explore their ancestry and file paperwork seeking dual citizenship. Since the new law took…
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