Canadian Citizenship: By Descent or By Naturalization
There are two main routes to Canadian citizenship. If you were born abroad to a Canadian parent, you may already be a citizen and can apply for a citizenship certificate. If you are a permanent resident, you can apply for citizenship by naturalization. This guide shows which route fits you and links to each one.
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Which route to Canadian citizenship fits you?
By descent: if you were born outside Canada to a Canadian parent, you may already be a citizen. You do not apply for citizenship. You apply for a citizenship certificate to prove it. Since 15 December 2025, Bill C-3 has opened this route to many more people (IRCC, checked October 2026).
By naturalization: if you are a permanent resident, you apply after at least 1,095 days in Canada in the last 5 years. You also need English or French skills, a passed test if you are 18 to 54, and you take the oath.
What can I do as a citizen?
Citizens can vote, run for office and apply for a Canadian passport. You also no longer need to meet a residency rule to keep your status.
Why the route matters
- Descent: you apply for proof, not for citizenship, and your family chain must be documented
- Naturalization: you apply, test and take the oath, so your day count must be right
- Not sure: take the eligibility quiz before you spend money on records or forms
Where do you want to start?
Pick the route that matches your situation, or take the quiz.
Start with descent if you
- Were born outside Canada to a Canadian parent
- Have a Canadian grandparent or earlier ancestor
- Need a citizenship certificate to get a passport
Start with naturalization if you
- Are a permanent resident counting days in Canada
- Have no Canadian parent or ancestor
- Want to know when you can apply
Not sure? Take the citizenship eligibility quiz. It covers both routes.
Your citizenship routes, in five parts
Each route has its own rules, forms and fees. Source: IRCC.
Born abroad to a Canadian parent? Apply for a citizenship certificate. The rules changed on 15 December 2025.
A permanent resident can apply after 1,095 days in Canada in the last 5 years.
Answer a few questions. The quiz covers descent before and after the cut-off, and the PR day count.
A child who is a PR pays $100. A child with a citizen parent has no test or day count.
Canada allows it. Your other country may not, so check its rules first.
Not sure where you stand?
We review your family records or your days in Canada, then tell you your next step.
Rules every applicant should know
Descent: born before 15 December 2025
Most people born abroad to a Canadian parent are automatically citizens, including those whose parent qualified under the new rules.
Descent: born on or after 15 December 2025
First generation has no days test. A parent who was also born abroad needs 1,095 days in Canada before your birth.
Descent: proof is a certificate
A citizenship certificate costs $75 and is the proof you need for a Canadian passport.
Naturalization: 1,095 days in 5 years
You must be in Canada at least 1,095 days in the 5 years before you apply. Time in prison, on parole or on probation does not count.
Naturalization: 730 days as a PR
At least 730 of your days must be as a permanent resident. Each day before PR counts as half a day, up to 365 days.
Naturalization: test and language
If you are 18 to 54, you need English or French at CLB level 4 and a passed test. Taxes must be filed for 3 of 5 years if the law requires it.
Related pages
These pages cover each route in detail.
How to avoid a refused application
Five habits keep your application safe on either route.
Prove every link in the chain
For descent, each ancestor needs certified records that show the parent and child link.
Check your parent’s days
For births after 15 December 2025, a second-generation parent needs 1,095 days in Canada before the birth.
Count your days
For naturalization, use passport stamps and travel records to build a day-by-day list.
File your taxes
For naturalization, check that the years you need are filed, if the law requires it.
Get advice early
If you have gaps in your records, long trips or past refusals, ask before you apply.
Want your application reviewed?
We check your records or your day count and tell you if you are ready.
Your citizenship path, step by step
Start with the quiz, then follow your route.
Check your route
Take the eligibility quiz to see which route fits.
Gather your records
Collect certified birth and marriage records for every link.
Apply for a certificate
Submit your application and pay the $75 fee.
Count your days
Confirm 1,095 days in Canada, with 730 as a PR.
Apply and pass the test
Pay the $653 fee, show language skills and get 15 of 20 right.
Passport or oath
Use your certificate to get a passport, or take the oath at your ceremony.
Five mistakes that delay citizenship
These mistakes cost time and sometimes a second fee.
Assuming descent is automatic
You still need to prove it with a certificate, and the chain must be unbroken.
Mixing up the dates
The 15 December 2025 cut-off depends on your own birth date.
Skipping the parent days test
A second-generation claim after the cut-off needs a parent with 1,095 days in Canada.
Miscounting days
A wrong day count can lead to a refusal on the naturalization route.
Ignoring the 730 PR days
Days before PR count only half, so they cannot replace PR days.
Want a second set of eyes?
We review your records and your days before you apply.
Citizenship facts at a glance
Key facts from IRCC, checked October 2026. Descent rules page updated 24 December 2025, eligibility page 21 April 2026. Last updated: October 2026.
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Citizenship FAQs
What are the ways to become a Canadian citizen?
There are two main routes. By descent, you were born outside Canada to a Canadian parent and apply for a citizenship certificate to prove you are already a citizen. By naturalization, you are a permanent resident and apply after at least 1,095 days in Canada in the last 5 years (IRCC, checked October 2026).
Am I a citizen if I was born abroad to a Canadian parent?
Often yes. If you were born outside Canada before 15 December 2025 to a Canadian parent, you are generally a citizen, even in the second generation or later. Take our eligibility quiz or read our citizenship by descent guide to check your case.
What changed on 15 December 2025?
Bill C-3 came into force and removed the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent in many cases. People born abroad before that date to a Canadian parent are now generally citizens. For later births, a second-generation parent must meet the 1,095-day test.
What is the substantial connection test?
It is the rule for second-generation births on or after 15 December 2025. The Canadian parent, who was also born abroad, must have spent at least 1,095 days, about 3 years, in Canada before the birth or adoption. A parent born in Canada or naturalized does not face this test.
How do I prove citizenship by descent?
Apply for a citizenship certificate. It costs $75 and is the official proof you need for a Canadian passport. Read our guide on proof of citizenship delays and our descent documents guide before you apply.
How do I become a citizen as a permanent resident?
You apply for citizenship by naturalization. You need at least 1,095 days in Canada in the 5 years before you apply, with at least 730 as a PR. You also need English or French at CLB level 4 and a passed test if you are 18 to 54, then you take the oath.
How many days do I need in Canada before I apply?
You need at least 1,095 days in the 5 years before you sign your application, and at least 730 must be as a permanent resident. Each day before PR counts as half a day, up to 365 days. The day you sign does not count.
How much does Canadian citizenship cost?
The adult application fee is $653, which includes the $123 right of citizenship fee. A child under 18 pays $100, and a citizenship certificate costs $75 (IRCC fee list, checked October 2026). Fees can change, so check the IRCC fee list before you pay.
Do I have to take the citizenship test?
Most applicants aged 18 to 54 must take it. The test has 20 questions, you get 45 minutes, and you need at least 15 correct answers. You get up to 3 attempts in 30 days, and if you fail all three, IRCC invites you to a hearing.
Can my child apply for Canadian citizenship?
Yes, a child under 18 who is a permanent resident can apply for $100. If a parent is a citizen or applies at the same time, the child needs no test, language proof, day count or tax filing. Without that, the child must have been in Canada 3 of the last 5 years.
Does Canada allow dual citizenship?
Yes, Canada lets you hold other citizenships. Whether your other country lets you keep its citizenship is a separate question, so ask its embassy before you apply for Canadian citizenship.