{"id":1525,"date":"2026-10-18T16:35:30","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T16:35:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/canadian-citizenship-by-descent-bill-c-3\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T16:35:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T16:35:30","slug":"canadian-citizenship-by-descent-bill-c-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/canadian-citizenship-by-descent-bill-c-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Canadian citizenship by descent after Bill C-3: who qualifies now"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a>, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation \u00b7 Reviewed October 18, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

On December 15, 2025<\/strong>, Bill C-3 changed who can be a Canadian citizen by descent. Many people born outside Canada to a Canadian parent who was also born abroad are now citizens. Children born abroad from that date on can be citizens too, if their Canadian parent spent at least 1,095 days<\/strong> in Canada before the birth or adoption.<\/p>\n

What changed<\/h2>\n

Since 2009, Canada had a “first-generation limit.” A child born outside Canada was a citizen by descent only if their Canadian parent was born in Canada or naturalized. If the parent was also born abroad to a Canadian, the child usually was not a citizen.<\/p>\n

Courts found this rule unconstitutional, and Bill C-3 replaced it. There are now two groups:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
You were born or adopted abroad<\/th>\nWhat the new law says<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Before December 15, 2025<\/td>\nIf you were left out only because of the first-generation limit (or certain older rules), you are generally now a citizen.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
On or after December 15, 2025<\/td>\nYou are a citizen by descent if your Canadian parent had at least 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada before your birth or adoption.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The 1,095-day connection test<\/h2>\n

For children born or adopted abroad on or after December 15, 2025, the Canadian parent must show a “substantial connection” to Canada:<\/p>\n