Discover Your Canadian Citizenship
Bill C-3 removed the generational limit on Canadian citizenship by descent. If you have a Canadian ancestor, you may already be a citizen.
Effective December 15, 2025 — an estimated 350,000–500,000 people worldwide are newly eligible.
What Changed Under Bill C-3?
Before Bill C-3
Canadian citizenship by descent was limited to one generation born outside Canada. If your parent was the first generation born abroad, the chain stopped with you. Grandchildren and further descendants were excluded.
After Bill C-3
For anyone born before December 15, 2025, there is no generational limit. Citizenship flows through the entire chain of descent, no matter how many generations back your Canadian ancestor was born.
How This Guide Helps
We walk you through the entire process, from checking your eligibility to submitting your application.
Check Eligibility
Answer a few questions to determine if you qualify under Bill C-3 and which generation you are.
Build Your Checklist
Get a personalized list of every document you need, tailored to your specific family chain.
Apply Step by Step
Follow our detailed guide through form completion, fee payment, and application submission.
Key Facts
Application Fee
$75 CAD per person
Processing Time
~10 months
Application Form
CIT 0001
Deadline to Apply
None — no deadline
Paper or Online?
Paper recommended for multi-gen claims
Dual Citizenship
Canada allows dual citizenship
Ready to Get Started?
The eligibility check takes about 2 minutes. Find out if Bill C-3 applies to you.
Check Your Eligibility