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ARTICLE · 23 DECEMBER 2025

New Citizenship Rules Now In Effect For Canadians Born Or Adopted Abroad

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As of December 15, 2025, new rules under Bill C-3 have officially come into force, changing how citizenship is passed to children born or adopted outside Canada.

CanadaImmigration
Jessie Zheng
Jessie Zheng
Krista Schofer
Krista Schofer
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Significant changes to Canadian citizenship law

As of December 15, 2025, new rules under Bill C-3 have officially come into force, changing how citizenship is passed to children born or adopted outside Canada. These changes aim to restore fairness and modernize the law for families living abroad.

What's new?

Under the updated Citizenship Act:

  • Canadians born or adopted abroad before December 15, 2025, who lost or were denied citizenship because of the first-generation limit, are now recognized as citizens
  • Canadians born or adopted abroad can now pass citizenship to their own children born or adopted outside Canada, provided they have lived in Canada for at least three cumulative years before the child's birth or adoption

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