{"id":2968,"date":"2025-12-17T14:29:51","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T14:29:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/?p=2968"},"modified":"2026-03-27T12:47:51","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T12:47:51","slug":"bill-c-3-canadian-citizenship-now-granted-across-multiple-generations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/bill-c-3-canadian-citizenship-now-granted-across-multiple-generations\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill C-3: Canadian Citizenship Now Granted Across Multiple Generations"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section admin_label=&#8221;section&#8221;]\n\t\t\t[et_pb_row admin_label=&#8221;row&#8221;]\n\t\t\t\t[et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Text&#8221;]\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"680\" height=\"519\" src=\"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/12\/bill-c3-canadian-citizenship-multiple-generations.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2973\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.3102212855637514;width:942px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/12\/bill-c3-canadian-citizenship-multiple-generations.jpg.jpg 680w, https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/12\/bill-c3-canadian-citizenship-multiple-generations.jpg-480x366.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 680px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Canada has officially passed <strong>Bill C-3<\/strong>, an important update to the Citizenship Act that restores or grants Canadian citizenship to people known as \u201c<strong>Lost Canadians,<\/strong>\u201d who were excluded under an old rule called the<strong> First-Generation Limit (FGL)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Bill C-3 received <strong>Royal Assent<\/strong> <strong>on November 20, 2025,<\/strong> and came into effect on <strong>December 15, 2025. <\/strong>Eligible individuals can now apply for proof of Canadian citizenship if they became citizens automatically under the new law.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>One of the most important changes under Bill C-3 is that <strong>Canadian citizenship can now be granted across multiple generations<\/strong>, not just one<strong>. <\/strong>This means citizenship may be traced through a <strong>parent, grant parent or even great-grandparent.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you qualify, you are not asking Canada to give you citizenship, instead you are applying for <strong>proof of citizenship<\/strong> to confirm a status the law now recognizes.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Who Are \u201cLost Canadians\u201d and What Is The FGL?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cLost Canadians\u201d are individuals who were denied or never obtained Canadian citizenship because of rules in earlier versions of the Citizenship Act, even though they had a Canadian parent or Canadian ancestry.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A major reason for this exclusion was the <strong>first-generation limit (FGL)<\/strong>, introduced in <strong>2009<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Under the FGL:<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you were born outside Canada, you could only be a Canadian citizen if your parent was born in Canada or later became Canadian.<\/li>\n<li>If your parent was also born outside Canada, they could not pass citizenship to you, even if your grandparents were Canadian.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As a result, Canadian citizenship stopped after one generation born abroad, cutting off children and grandchildren from obtaining Canadian citizenship.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>2023<\/strong>, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled this unfair and unconstitutional, which led to the creation of Bill C-3.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How Bill C-3 Changes Citizenship Rules<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Bill C-3 removes the strict generational cut-off that affected many families and allows citizenship to be granted through the family line.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Citizenship Is Restored for People Born in the Past<\/h3>\n<p>If you were born <strong>before<\/strong> <strong>December 15, 2025<\/strong>, and were affected by the old rules, Canada may already recognize you as a citizen under the law.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This applies even where multiple generations in your family were born outside Canada<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You will need <strong>official documentation<\/strong> to apply for confirmation of Canadian status.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Clear Rules for Future Children Born Outside Canada<\/h3>\n<p>Bill C-3 sets clear rules for children born or adopted outside Canada<strong> after December 15, 2025.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If the Canadian parent was born in Canada or later became Canadian, their child will automatically be Canadian.<\/li>\n<li>If the Canadian parent was also born outside Canada, they must have lived in Canada for a required period before the child\u2019s birth or adoption.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>What This Means for Families<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>For many families, Bill C-3 is a significant shift.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>People who were told that citizenship ended with their parents or grandparents can now apply for proof of citizenship, as Canadian citizenship may extend further through their family history.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This change reconnects families across generations.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Can Pilkington Immigration Help?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Working with an immigration lawyer can help ensure your application is prepared correctly from the start, especially when tracing citizenship across multiple generations.<\/p>\n<h4>Citizenship claims involve parents, grandparents or great-grandparents can be complicated. Family records may be old, missing, or spread across different countries, and even small gaps or errors can lead to delays or refusals.<\/h4>\n<h3>Pilkington Immigration can help by:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Reviewing your family history<\/li>\n<li>Identifying whether citizenship is applicable across generations<\/li>\n<li>Helping gather and organize the required documents<\/li>\n<li>Preparing a clear and complete application for submission<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Our approach is practical, thorough and focused. If you believe Bill C-3 may apply to you or your family, the first step is understanding where you stand.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Contact Pilkington Immigration for a consultation and receive clear guidance on your Canadian citizen options.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). <em>Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) comes into effect.<\/em> Government of Canada. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/immigration-refugees-citizenship\/news\/2025\/12\/bill-c-3-an-act-to-amend-the-citizenship-act-2025-comes-into-effect.html\">https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/immigration-refugees-citizenship\/news\/2025\/12\/bill-c-3-an-act-to-amend-the-citizenship-act-2025-comes-into-effect.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/contact-us\/\">CONTACT US<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column]\n\t\t\t[\/et_pb_row]\n\t\t[\/et_pb_section]","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Canada has officially passed Bill C-3, an important update to the Citizenship Act that restores or grants Canadian citizenship to people known as \u201cLost Canadians,\u201d who were excluded under an old rule called the First-Generation Limit (FGL). \u00a0 Bill C-3 received Royal Assent on November 20, 2025, and came into effect on December 15, 2025. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<!-- wp:image {\"id\":2973,\"width\":\"942px\",\"height\":\"auto\",\"aspectRatio\":\"1.3102212855637514\",\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/12\/bill-c3-canadian-citizenship-multiple-generations.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2973\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.3102212855637514;width:942px;height:auto\" \/><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<p>Canada has officially passed <strong>Bill C-3<\/strong>, an important update to the Citizenship Act that restores or grants Canadian citizenship to people known as \u201c<strong>Lost Canadians,<\/strong>\u201d who were excluded under an old rule called the<strong> First-Generation Limit (FGL)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Bill C-3 received <strong>Royal Assent<\/strong> <strong>on November 20, 2025,<\/strong> and came into effect on <strong>December 15, 2025. <\/strong>Eligible individuals can now apply for proof of Canadian citizenship if they became citizens automatically under the new law.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>One of the most important changes under Bill C-3 is that <strong>Canadian citizenship can now be granted across multiple generations<\/strong>, not just one<strong>. <\/strong>This means citizenship may be traced through a <strong>parent, grant parent or even great-grandparent.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you qualify, you are not asking Canada to give you citizenship, instead you are applying for <strong>proof of citizenship<\/strong> to confirm a status the law now recognizes.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Who Are \u201cLost Canadians\u201d and What Is The FGL?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cLost Canadians\u201d are individuals who were denied or never obtained Canadian citizenship because of rules in earlier versions of the Citizenship Act, even though they had a Canadian parent or Canadian ancestry.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A major reason for this exclusion was the <strong>first-generation limit (FGL)<\/strong>, introduced in <strong>2009<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Under the FGL:<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you were born outside Canada, you could only be a Canadian citizen if your parent was born in Canada or later became Canadian.<\/li>\n<li>If your parent was also born outside Canada, they could not pass citizenship to you, even if your grandparents were Canadian.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As a result, Canadian citizenship stopped after one generation born abroad, cutting off children and grandchildren from obtaining Canadian citizenship.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>2023<\/strong>, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled this unfair and unconstitutional, which led to the creation of Bill C-3.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How Bill C-3 Changes Citizenship Rules<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Bill C-3 removes the strict generational cut-off that affected many families and allows citizenship to be granted through the family line.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Citizenship Is Restored for People Born in the Past<\/h3>\n<p>If you were born <strong>before<\/strong> <strong>December 15, 2025<\/strong>, and were affected by the old rules, Canada may already recognize you as a citizen under the law.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This applies even where multiple generations in your family were born outside Canada<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You will need <strong>official documentation<\/strong> to apply for confirmation of Canadian status.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Clear Rules for Future Children Born Outside Canada<\/h3>\n<p>Bill C-3 sets clear rules for children born or adopted outside Canada<strong> after December 15, 2025.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If the Canadian parent was born in Canada or later became Canadian, their child will automatically be Canadian.<\/li>\n<li>If the Canadian parent was also born outside Canada, they must have lived in Canada for a required period before the child\u2019s birth or adoption.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>What This Means for Families<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>For many families, Bill C-3 is a significant shift.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>People who were told that citizenship ended with their parents or grandparents can now apply for proof of citizenship, as Canadian citizenship may extend further through their family history.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This change reconnects families across generations.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Can Pilkington Immigration Help?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Working with an immigration lawyer can help ensure your application is prepared correctly from the start, especially when tracing citizenship across multiple generations.<\/p>\n<h4>Citizenship claims involve parents, grandparents or great-grandparents can be complicated. Family records may be old, missing, or spread across different countries, and even small gaps or errors can lead to delays or refusals.<\/h4>\n<h3>Pilkington Immigration can help by:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Reviewing your family history<\/li>\n<li>Identifying whether citizenship is applicable across generations<\/li>\n<li>Helping gather and organize the required documents<\/li>\n<li>Preparing a clear and complete application for submission<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Our approach is practical, thorough and focused. If you believe Bill C-3 may apply to you or your family, the first step is understanding where you stand.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Contact Pilkington Immigration for a consultation and receive clear guidance on your Canadian citizen options.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). <em>Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) comes into effect.<\/em> Government of Canada. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/immigration-refugees-citizenship\/news\/2025\/12\/bill-c-3-an-act-to-amend-the-citizenship-act-2025-comes-into-effect.html\">https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/immigration-refugees-citizenship\/news\/2025\/12\/bill-c-3-an-act-to-amend-the-citizenship-act-2025-comes-into-effect.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<!-- wp:buttons -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons\"><!-- wp:button -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/contact-us\/\">CONTACT US<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:button --><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:buttons -->","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-events"],"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Staff","author_link":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/author\/brian\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2968","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2968"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2968\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2978,"href":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2968\/revisions\/2978"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilkingtonimmigration.com\/aurora-newmarket-on\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}