US EditionMillions of Americans may now also be considered Canadian under new law
Immigration lawyers say 56,000 people are waiting for decisions as applicants seek proof of citizenship through a law that broadened eligibility to more descendants.
- 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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68 Articles
New law makes qualifying for Canadian citizenship easier for some Americans
FILE - A Canadian passport is displayed in front of a computer screen showing the American flag in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on March 12, 2025. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Millions of Americans might qualify for dual Canadian citizenship under a recent change to Canada’s requirements. The new lawPreviously, Canadian citizenship by descent could only be passed down to one generation, from a parent to a child. But the new law…
Millions of Americans may also be considered Canadian under new law
Millions more Americans might qualify for dual Canadian citizenship under a recent change to Canada’s requirements that has led to a surge in applications from its southern neighbor. Since the new law took effect Dec. 15, immigration lawyers in the…
Some Americans Dig for Canadian Roots as Citizenship Rules Ease
A change to the Citizenship Act that effectively allows anyone with a provable Canadian ancestor to claim citizenship is sending some Americans into archives and church records in search of long-lost family ties, driving an increase in applications from the United States. Immigration professionals note that while more Canadians continue to move to the United States than Americans move north, political conditions are a significant driver for the …
Millions of Americans may now also qualify for Canadian citzenship under a new law
Since the new law took effect Dec. 15, immigration lawyers in the United States and Canada say they have been overwhelmed by clients seeking help submitting proof of citizenship applications.
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