In the past year, our office has seen an unprecedented increase in inquiries from Americans discovering that they may now qualify for Canadian citizenship through their parents, grandparents — and even great-grandparents.
This surge isn’t random. It’s the direct result of a major legal change in Canada that quietly opened the door to thousands of U.S.-born descendants of Canadians who were previously blocked by outdated citizenship rules.
The Rule That Cut Families Off
For decades, Canadian citizenship by descent stopped at the first generation born outside Canada. That meant:
- Canadian born in Canada → child born in the U.S. = Canadian
- That U.S.-born Canadian → their child born in the U.S. = NOT Canadian
Entire family lines lost citizenship rights simply because multiple generations were born south of the border.
Since large numbers of Canadians immigrated to the United States throughout the 20th century, this restriction disproportionately affected American families with Canadian roots.
The Court Case That Changed Everything
On December 23, 2023, the Ontario Superior Court ruled that the second-generation cut-off violated constitutional equality rights. The government was ordered to fix the law.
After nearly two years, Parliament responded.
Bill C-3: A Historic Expansion (December 15, 2025)
Bill C-3 removed the generational ceiling entirely.
Now:
✅ Descendants of Canadians can qualify regardless of how many generations removed
✅ Citizenship can be reclaimed retroactively for many U.S.-born individuals
✅ The only requirement is proof of an unbroken line to the Canadian ancestor
This is why Americans are suddenly becoming eligible when they were previously refused.
Why U.S. Demand Has Exploded
Several factors are driving the sharp rise in American applications:
- Millions of Americans have Canadian grandparents due to historic migration
- Canada now allows citizenship recognition across generations
- Canadian citizenship provides mobility, healthcare access, work rights, and dual nationality advantages
- Many families are only now discovering their eligibility under the new law
Simply put: Bill C-3 unlocked a door that had been closed for decades, and U.S.-born descendants are rushing to walk through it.
A New Condition for Future Births (Important)
For children born outside Canada after December 15, 2025:
A Canadian parent who was also born abroad must show 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada before passing citizenship.
This does not affect Americans born earlier who are now reclaiming citizenship under Bill C-3.
IRCC Is Already Approving Americans
IRCC has begun issuing citizenship certificates to second- and third-generation applicants, many of them born in the United States. While formal guidelines for later generations are still developing, approvals are happening now.
What Americans Need to Prove
To qualify, applicants must show lineage through official records:
- Your birth certificate
- Parent’s birth certificate
- Grandparent’s birth certificate
- Proof the Canadian ancestor was born in Canada or naturalized
No proof = no approval. Documentation is everything.
The Bottom Line
For Americans with Canadian ancestry, the amendment to the Canadian Citizenship Act known as Bill C-3 represents one of the most significant expansions of citizenship rights in modern Canadian history. Families previously told they were “too many generations removed” are now legally recognized as Canadian citizens.
And that’s exactly why applications from the United States are soaring.