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.