Introduction
The Government of Canada has introduced Bill C-3, an amendment to the Citizenship Act, which came into effect on December 15, 2025. This update changes the way citizenship is passed on to children born or adopted outside Canada, affecting many immigration applicants and Canadian citizens with families abroad.
What Has Changed
Before Bill C-3, the Citizenship Act allowed Canadian citizenship to be passed on only to the first generation born or adopted outside Canada. This meant that a Canadian citizen had to be either born or naturalized in Canada for their child born or adopted abroad to automatically acquire citizenship.
With Bill C-3 now in effect, these limitations have been modified. The amendment expands the ability to pass Canadian citizenship to more generations born or adopted outside Canada, removing the previous first-generation restriction. The law revision enables more children born abroad to obtain citizenship directly from their Canadian parent, even if the parent was also born abroad.
Who Is Affected
This update is important for Canadian citizens who have children or plan to have children outside of Canada. It also matters for immigration applicants who are in the process of acquiring citizenship and for families living abroad with Canadian roots. Employers and others involved in immigration may also see indirect effects as more applicants qualify for citizenship under the new rules.
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What You Should Do Next
If you or your family members may be affected by this change, review your eligibility to claim Canadian citizenship for children born or adopted abroad. Follow any instructions issued by IRCC regarding the new rules and documentation requirements. Stay informed by visiting official IRCC sources to ensure your applications comply with the updated Citizenship Act.
Official Source
This information is based on the official IRCC update regarding Bill C-3: An Act to amend the Citizenship Act, released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.