Canadian families with deep roots overseas are waking up to long-awaited news: as of 12:01 a.m. ET on December 15 the amended Citizenship Act (Bill C-3) is officially law. The reform abolishes the so-called *first-generation limit*, a 2009 rule that prevented Canadians born outside the country from automatically passing citizenship to their own foreign-born children.
Under the new framework, anyone born **before** December 15 who would have been a citizen but for the first-generation limit—or for earlier, now-defunct provisions that stripped citizenship—will be recognized as Canadian once they file for a proof-of-citizenship certificate. Going forward, Canadian parents who themselves were born or adopted abroad can transmit citizenship to children born or adopted overseas so long as they can document at least three years (1,095 days) of physical presence in Canada before the child’s birth or adoption.
The Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) estimates that tens of thousands of “Lost Canadians” are affected. IRCC has confirmed that applications already submitted under interim measures introduced after a 2023 Ontario Superior Court ruling will be processed automatically under the new rules; no re-filing is required. Minister Lena Metlege Diab hailed the change as “a modern, fair and family-centred approach that reflects how Canadians live, work and study abroad.”
![Canada Enacts Bill C-3, Ending First-Generation Citizenship Limit Abroad]()
Families or employers needing help gathering documentation or coordinating international paperwork can streamline the process through VisaHQ’s Canada portal. The platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides easy online tools, personalized guidance, and expedited services for everything from proof-of-citizenship certificates to travel visas—saving applicants time while ensuring compliance with the latest IRCC requirements.
For multinational employers the amendment removes a major mobility headache. Executives who accepted postings outside Canada often found their Canadian-born children unable to inherit citizenship, complicating future relocations and spousal work authorization. With Bill C-3 in force, global companies can transfer Canadian talent abroad with fewer long-term immigration risks for employees’ families.
Practically, affected individuals should assemble documents proving time spent in Canada—school records, tax returns, leases, or employment letters—and expect processing times similar to routine proof-of-citizenship requests (currently six to eight months). IRCC is expected to issue detailed guidance in January on acceptable evidence and digital-application options.
Under the new framework, anyone born **before** December 15 who would have been a citizen but for the first-generation limit—or for earlier, now-defunct provisions that stripped citizenship—will be recognized as Canadian once they file for a proof-of-citizenship certificate. Going forward, Canadian parents who themselves were born or adopted abroad can transmit citizenship to children born or adopted overseas so long as they can document at least three years (1,095 days) of physical presence in Canada before the child’s birth or adoption.
The Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) estimates that tens of thousands of “Lost Canadians” are affected. IRCC has confirmed that applications already submitted under interim measures introduced after a 2023 Ontario Superior Court ruling will be processed automatically under the new rules; no re-filing is required. Minister Lena Metlege Diab hailed the change as “a modern, fair and family-centred approach that reflects how Canadians live, work and study abroad.”
Families or employers needing help gathering documentation or coordinating international paperwork can streamline the process through VisaHQ’s Canada portal. The platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides easy online tools, personalized guidance, and expedited services for everything from proof-of-citizenship certificates to travel visas—saving applicants time while ensuring compliance with the latest IRCC requirements.
For multinational employers the amendment removes a major mobility headache. Executives who accepted postings outside Canada often found their Canadian-born children unable to inherit citizenship, complicating future relocations and spousal work authorization. With Bill C-3 in force, global companies can transfer Canadian talent abroad with fewer long-term immigration risks for employees’ families.
Practically, affected individuals should assemble documents proving time spent in Canada—school records, tax returns, leases, or employment letters—and expect processing times similar to routine proof-of-citizenship requests (currently six to eight months). IRCC is expected to issue detailed guidance in January on acceptable evidence and digital-application options.
