If you are an American who became Canadian under Bill C-3, your children born before 15 December 2025 are, in most cases, Canadian too. Children born on or after that date are different. For Bill C-3 second generation children born later, the Canadian parent must have spent at least 1,095 days in Canada before the birth.
This guide uses Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rules for the Bill C-3 changes, which took effect on 15 December 2025, and the CIT 0555 physical presence form, covered in IRCC’s citizenship certificate guide (page last modified September 23, 2026). It is written for American families who claim Canadian citizenship by descent through a parent or grandparent.
Am I a Canadian citizen by descent?
Trace your family line one generation at a time. Each link is tested against the law in force when that person was born, so you see exactly where your chain holds and where it breaks. About three minutes, and no account needed.
Check my family lineAre Bill C-3 second generation children born before 15 December 2025 Canadian?
In most cases, yes. IRCC says a child born outside Canada to a Canadian parent before 15 December 2025 is usually a citizen automatically. That includes a parent who only became Canadian because of Bill C-3. If your mother was born in Toronto, you were born in Ohio and your son in 2019, he is likely Canadian already.
Nothing extra is needed for that to be true. The law did it on the day Bill C-3 took effect. What your child does not have yet is proof, and that is a separate application we cover below.
Our eligibility checklist for Americans walks through the family tree step by step if you are not sure which generation you are.
What is the 1,095-day rule for Bill C-3 second generation children born later?
For a child born outside Canada on or after 15 December 2025, the new rule is a test of the parent, not the child. The Canadian parent who was born abroad must have spent at least 1,095 days in Canada before the child was born. IRCC calls this a substantial connection. Without it, the child is not Canadian by descent.
IRCC describes this as 1,095 cumulative days, which is three years. Cumulative means the days add up across many visits. They do not have to be in a row, and they can come from any age before the birth.
The same rule applies to adoption. A child adopted abroad on or after that date may get a direct grant of citizenship if the Canadian parent spent 1,095 days in Canada before the adoption.
How do you count your 1,095 days in Canada?
You list every trip into and out of Canada on IRCC form CIT 0555, then add up the days. IRCC tells you to include all entries and all exits. Its own worked example shows a stay from 21 June to 28 June 1985 counted as 8 days, which suggests the day you arrive and the day you leave both count.
Here is what that looks like for a typical American family. Six weeks at a grandparent’s cottage every summer is about 42 days. Over 18 summers, that is 18 x 42 = 756 days. That family is still 1,095 minus 756 = 339 days short.
Now add four years at a Canadian university. If each school year kept you in Canada for about 240 days, that is 4 x 240 = 960 days. With those summers, the total is 960 + 756 = 1,716 days, well past the line.
Only days before the birth count. If you reach 1,095 days in 2027, a child born in 2026 does not qualify, but a child born in 2028 can. Each child is tested on its own date of birth.
What can you use to prove time spent in Canada?
IRCC says everything on the CIT 0555 form is subject to verification, so every trip you list needs something behind it. Records made at the time are strongest: school transcripts, pay slips, leases, provincial health cards, and stamped or electronic travel history. A childhood summer from 1990 is harder to prove than a recent job.
For years with no paper trail, IRCC has said it will consider affidavits from an organization or a person who knows your time in Canada, sworn before a commissioner.
The affiant must give a name, mailing address, and an email or phone number, and family members cannot swear one. Think of a teacher, an employer, or a neighbour, not a relative. Confirm the current rules in the IRCC guide before you rely on this.
If you have an old Canadian certificate or vital record, our complete document guide explains which records IRCC expects and how to order them from the provinces.
What if you are short of 1,095 days?
If your child was born on or after 15 December 2025 and you fall short, the child is not Canadian by descent. The most direct option for a future child is a birth in Canada, because a child born in Canada is a citizen from birth. The main exception is a child of foreign diplomats.
A child born in Canada to an American parent will often hold US citizenship as well, under US rules. That decision is about your family’s plans, not only paperwork, so it is worth talking through before a due date.
For a child who is already born and does not qualify, the usual path is permanent residence first and citizenship later. That is a longer road, and it starts with a clear look at your family’s options.
How do you confirm your child’s citizenship?
You apply for a citizenship certificate, also called proof of citizenship. IRCC says anyone who thinks they became a citizen under Bill C-3 must apply for one to know for sure. The fee is $75 per person. For a child born on or after 15 December 2025, you also file the CIT 0555 form showing your 1,095 days.
Apply for your own certificate first, or at the same time. Your child’s claim rests on yours, so IRCC will need proof that you are Canadian too. Our guide to proof of citizenship processing times explains why that wait is long.
Once the certificate arrives, your child can apply for a Canadian passport. Check US Customs and Border Protection rules for your child’s border documents before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Do summer trips to Canada count toward the 1,095 days?
Yes. Any day you were physically in Canada before your child was born can count, including childhood visits. IRCC asks you to list each entry and exit on form CIT 0555. The hard part is proof, because short trips from decades ago rarely left records. Gather old photos, letters, and travel history early.
My first child qualifies and my second does not. Is that possible?
Yes. The 1,095-day test is applied on each child’s date of birth. A child born before 15 December 2025 is usually Canadian automatically. A brother or sister born after that date only qualifies if you had 1,095 days in Canada before that birth. Families with children on both sides of the date see this often.
Does my American spouse’s time in Canada count?
No. The days must belong to the parent who is Canadian and was born abroad. Your spouse’s time in Canada does not count toward the test, even if the two of you lived there together. If both parents are Canadian citizens born abroad, either one can meet the 1,095 days.
If your family has children on both sides of 15 December 2025, or you are unsure whether your days add up, we can map it out with you. Speak with Amir Ismail, RCIC #R412319. Book Your Strategy Consultation and we will review your family line and your evidence before you file. You can also check current IRCC guidance on the IRCC website.
