Canadian Citizenship by Descent: Prove You Are Already a Citizen
Citizenship by descent means you are a Canadian citizen because of your parent. You do not apply for citizenship. You apply for a citizenship certificate to prove it. Bill C-3 took effect on 15 December 2025, so many people born abroad to a Canadian parent, including the second generation and later, are now citizens.
since 1991
What is citizenship by descent?
Citizenship by descent is Canadian citizenship you hold because a parent was a Canadian citizen when you were born outside Canada. You do not apply for it, because the law already makes you a citizen if you qualify.
What you apply for is a citizenship certificate. It proves your status and lets you apply for a Canadian passport (IRCC, checked October 2026).
Who is a citizen by descent?
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. If you were born on or after that date, a parent who was also born abroad needs 1,095 days in Canada before your birth. A parent born in Canada, or naturalized, does not face that test.
Why proof matters
- Passport: you need the certificate to apply for your first Canadian passport
- Status: the certificate is the official proof of your citizenship
- Your children: their claim may depend on your status and, after the cut-off, your days in Canada
Which case sounds like yours?
The date you were born decides which rules apply.
Born before 15 December 2025
- A Canadian parent makes you a citizen
- A parent born abroad to a Canadian also counts
- No 1,095-day test applies
Born on or after 15 December 2025
- A parent born in Canada, or naturalized, makes you a citizen
- A parent born abroad needs 1,095 days in Canada before your birth
- Adopted children follow a separate grant route
Not sure? Take the citizenship eligibility quiz. It covers both dates.
Your descent journey, in five parts
Each part has its own guide. Our existing descent guides already help readers every month. Source: IRCC.
Answer a few questions to see if you are likely a citizen.
Get certified records for every generation from the office that issued them.
Apply to IRCC and pay the $75 fee. Processing is slow, so apply early.
Each province keeps its own records. See Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan.
Get your passport
Use your certificate to apply for a Canadian passport.
Not sure where you stand?
We review your family chain and your records, then tell you your next step.
Rules every descent applicant should know
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.
Born on or after 15 December 2025
First generation has no days test. A parent born abroad needs 1,095 days in Canada before your birth.
Adopted from abroad
Not automatic. A grant applies, and a second-generation parent needs 1,095 days in Canada before the adoption.
Every generation needs proof
IRCC asks for documents for every generation, issued by the original authority that created or keeps the record.
A certificate, not a travel document
The certificate costs $75 and proves your citizenship. You still need a passport to travel.
You can decline automatic citizenship
If you became a citizen automatically under the new rules and do not want it, you can apply to give it up.
Related pages
These guides cover each step in detail.
How to avoid a refused certificate application
Five habits keep your application strong.
Use original authority records
Order certified copies from the vital statistics office or archive, not from genealogy websites.
Document every generation
Each link in the chain needs proof of the parent and child relationship.
Send clear colour copies
Use certified translations from a professional translator, not a family member.
Check the parent days
For births after the cut-off, prove 1,095 days in Canada before the birth.
Get advice early
If a record is missing or the chain is long, ask before you apply.
Want your claim reviewed?
We check your chain and your documents before you apply.
Your descent claim, step by step
Six steps from your first question to your passport.
Check your claim
Take the eligibility quiz to see where you stand.
Gather your records
Order certified birth and marriage records for each generation.
Translate if needed
Use a professional translator for any record not in English or French.
Apply for the certificate
Apply online or on paper, depending on your case, and pay $75.
Track your application
IRCC confirms receipt and may ask for more documents.
Apply for your passport
Use your certificate to apply for a Canadian passport.
Five mistakes that delay a descent claim
These mistakes cost time and sometimes a second fee.
Relying on genealogy printouts
IRCC wants records from the original authority, not third-party copies.
Skipping a generation
A missing link in the chain can leave your claim unproven.
Mixing up the cut-off date
The 15 December 2025 date depends on your own birth date.
Skipping the parent days test
A second-generation claim after the cut-off needs 1,095 days.
Assuming it is automatic proof
You are a citizen by law, but you still need the certificate as proof.
Want a second set of eyes?
We review your records and your chain before you apply.
Descent facts at a glance
Key facts from IRCC, checked October 2026. Last updated: October 2026.
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Citizenship by descent FAQs
What is citizenship by descent?
Citizenship by descent is Canadian citizenship you hold because a parent was a Canadian citizen when you were born outside Canada. You do not apply for it. You apply for a citizenship certificate to prove it (IRCC, checked October 2026).
Who qualifies for citizenship by descent under Bill C-3?
If you were born outside Canada before 15 December 2025 to a Canadian parent, you are generally a citizen, including the second generation or later. If you were born on or after that date, a parent who was also born abroad needs at least 1,095 days in Canada before your birth. Take our eligibility quiz to check your case.
Do I need to have lived in Canada?
Not if you were born before 15 December 2025, because no time in Canada is required of you. For births on or after that date, a parent who was also born abroad needs 1,095 days in Canada before your birth.
How many generations back can I go?
For people born before 15 December 2025, the first-generation limit no longer blocks a claim. Each ancestor in your chain must still have been a citizen when the next person was born, and you must prove every link.
What is the substantial connection test?
It is the 1,095-day 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.
How do I apply for a citizenship certificate?
Check your eligibility, gather documents for every generation, pay the $75 fee, and submit your application to IRCC. Depending on your case you apply online or on paper, and you receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a client identifier (IRCC, checked October 2026).
What documents do I need?
IRCC asks for authentic, reliable and verifiable documents for every generation, issued by the original authority that created or keeps the record. Examples include provincial birth certificates, citizenship certificates, baptismal records, census records and British naturalization certificates. Read our descent documents guide for the full list.
How much does it cost?
The citizenship certificate costs $75. A search of citizenship records also costs $75 and can confirm an ancestor’s status, but it cannot prove your own citizenship or support a passport application (IRCC fee list, checked October 2026).
How long does it take?
Processing times are long and they change often, so check IRCC’s processing times tool before you apply. Our guide on proof of citizenship delays tracks the current wait.
Can my children claim citizenship through me?
Possibly. If you are a citizen and your child was born abroad, the child may be a citizen too. If your child was born on or after 15 December 2025 and you were also born abroad, you need 1,095 days in Canada before the birth.
Can I keep my other citizenship?
Canada allows dual citizenship. Whether your other country lets you keep its citizenship is a separate question, so check its rules before you apply.
Can I apply without a consultant?
Yes, you can apply yourself. A consultant helps most when your records are scattered across provinces, a record is missing or your family chain is long.