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ARTICLE · 30 DECEMBER 2025

New Canadian Citizenship Rule For Canadians Born Abroad

On December 15, 2025, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-3 to change the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent. This new law allows a Canadian parent born or adopted outside Canada to pass on Canadian citizenship to their children born or adopted outside Canada, provided they have spent 3 years (or 1,095 days) cumulative in Canada before their child’s birth or adoption.

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On December 15, 2025, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-3 to change the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent. This new law allows a Canadian parent born or adopted outside Canada to pass on Canadian citizenship to their children born or adopted outside Canada, provided they have spent 3 years (or 1,095 days) cumulative in Canada before their child’s birth or adoption.

On December 15, 2025, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-3 to change the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent.

This new law allows a Canadian parent born or adopted outside Canada to pass on Canadian citizenship to their children born or adopted outside Canada, subject to a physical presence requirement in certain cases.

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