Canadian Citizenship
How to Get Canadian Citizenship
In short: you can become a Canadian citizen by naturalization, by birth in Canada, or by descent. If you meet one of these three criteria, you may be eligible for Canadian citizenship.
A Canadian passport is one of the most valuable in the world. Are you interested in becoming a Canadian citizen but unsure how to get Canadian citizenship? This guide will help you get there.
There are three ways to obtain Canadian citizenship:
- Apply for a grant of citizenship, also known as naturalization.
- You are born in Canada, except if you are the child of a foreign diplomat or a spy.
- You are the direct descendant of a person who:
- was born in Canada,
- was born in a territory that would become Canada (i.e., pre-confederation in 1867), or
- acquired citizenship through naturalization before their child was born.
Citizenship by Grant
How Do I Apply for Citizenship by Grant or Naturalization?
There are at least two ways to apply for a grant of citizenship. The first is the most common way, which is to apply as a permanent resident of Canada who passes the grant of citizenship criteria. These are:
- You are a permanent resident of Canada living in Canada,
- In the past 5 years, you have physically resided in Canada for:
- at least 1,095 days as a permanent resident, or
- at least the combination of:
- a maximum 730 days as a temporary resident to receive a credit of a maximum 365 days, and
- the remainder of 1,095 less the total credit of days earned as a temporary resident.
For example, if you resided as a temporary resident for 600 days, you would receive 300 days of credit, meaning you must have resided an additional 795 days as a permanent resident.
- In the past 5 years, you have been a “tax resident” for at least 3 “tax years”. Note that your 3 tax years must fall within the 5-year period immediately before you apply.
- You can demonstrate moderate English or French language proficiency by submitting the results of an approved language test, training course, or post-secondary program credential from Canada. This criterion is applicable only to persons between the ages of 18 to 54.
- You must pass a citizenship knowledge test of Canada. This is a test of your knowledge of Canadian history, civics, society and culture. The test is administered by Citizenship Canada after you apply for citizenship. This criterion is only applicable to persons between the ages of 18 and 54.
- You must not be ineligible for criminal or national security reasons, or for failing to abide by a commitment that formed part of your permanent residency obligations.
A common mistake made by applicants is that they are unaware that there are different rules that apply to adults who are between 18 to 54 years old and older adults. If you are 55 years old, or older, criteria 4. and 5. do not apply to you.
If you are a minor child accompanying a parent who is a permanent resident of Canada who is also applying for a grant of citizenship, some of these criteria may not apply to you.
What Do I Need to Apply for a Grant of Citizenship?
To apply for a citizenship grant, you must:
- Complete the citizenship application form applicable to your age category,
- Pay the required fees,
- Submit documentation as required by the document checklist, and
- Submit a calculation of your physical presence in Canada using the official calculator found on the Government of Canada’s website.
- A lawyer can help you verify that you submitted your dates according to how a “day” is counted in Canada according to the Interpretations Act. Sometimes, the online calculator produces inaccurate calculations, often because the user who inputs the information is mistaken about what a “day” means in the Interpretations Act.
What is the Other Way of Applying for a Grant of Citizenship?
The second way a person can apply for a citizenship grant is by requesting a discretionary grant of citizenship. As the name implies, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration can grant citizenship to any foreign national, temporary resident or permanent resident to reward exceptional service to Canada, or to alleviate statelessness or unusual hardship.
Some examples of exceptional service include:
- High performance athletes who wish to participate in the highest levels of international competitions, such as the Olympic Games, for Team Canada, and they have a substantial connection to Canada by way of ancestry or extended periods of residency, study, or training with Canadians.
- Persons who have made extraordinary achievements in business, art or sciences that have advanced Canada’s national interests or international standing.
This is not an exhaustive list. As the name implies, because it is discretionary, and because government priorities change over time, in practice, you may face an issue if you apply for a discretionary grant without the support of a senior government minister.
Citizenship by Birth
How Can I Apply for Canadian Citizenship by Birth?
You do not apply for Canadian citizenship if you are born in Canada. Instead, the Citizenship Act recognizes persons born in Canada as a Canadian citizen, unless you fall into one of the exceptions. The most common exception is that you were born to a parent who was a foreign diplomat, and your other parent was not already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Another exception is for reasons of national security, such as your parent was a spy of a foreign government.
If you were born in Canada and do not fall into one of the exceptions listed in the Citizenship Act, you may apply for a Canadian passport. Your birth certificate is adequate proof of your citizenship.
Canadian Citizenship by Descent
How Do I Apply for Canadian Citizenship by Ancestry or as a Direct Descendant of a Canadian Citizen?
In December 2023, the Superior Court of Ontario overturned certain provisions of the Citizenship Act that prohibited Canadian citizenship from passing beyond the first generation born abroad.
As a temporary remedy, until December 2025, the Government of Canada issued discretionary grants of citizenship to persons who were multiple generational descendants of Canadian citizens born abroad.
On 15 December 2025, amendments to the Citizenship Act codified the rule that anyone born outside Canada before 15 December 2025 to a direct descendant of a Canadian citizen is a Canadian citizen. This overturned the previous first-generation limit rule. These “Canadians by descent” are recognized as Canadian citizens by the Citizenship Act. So, rather than requiring you to apply for a grant of citizenship, the law recognizes that you are a Canadian citizen. To prove this, you apply for a Citizenship Certificate with evidence that you are a direct descendant of a Canadian citizen. Once confirmed, a Citizenship Certificate will be sent to you as your proof of Canadian citizenship.
It is not commonly known that, before 1947, Canada did not offer citizenship. Instead, persons legally in Canada were British Subjects, Immigrants or Aliens. If you were born in the territory of Canada before 1947, or born in a territory that would eventually become part of Canada, you may have been a British Subject.
The Citizenship Act retroactively recognizes you as a Canadian citizen. Even if your ancestor was, back then, ineligible for British Subject status, because of old, discriminatory laws existing before everyone obtained the franchise (i.e., “infirm” or a woman), they may be retroactively considered a citizen. As such, many Americans are realizing that they may now be eligible for Canadian citizenship as a descendant of a British Subject or other person who was retroactively recognized as a citizen.
There are some exceptions, though these are rare. One exception might be that your ancestor lost their British Subject status. For example, your ancestor was declared a traitor for having participated in an act of sedition, and the King or Queen of England decided to revoke your ancestor’s British Subject status. As you can imagine, this situation was incredibly rare.
Another way that you might not be eligible is if you descended from a French Subject ancestor, who was not a British Subject. Following the Seven Years War in the 18th century, Britain forcibly removed a vast number of French Subjects from Acadia – many of whom migrated to Louisiana – in the Grand Dérangement. These French Subjects in Louisiana eventually became known as the Cajuns. Many of their descendants became citizens of the United States of America when the territory of Louisiana became part of the United States. It is unlikely that you will be eligible for Canadian citizenship if you descended from a French Subject.
However, some Acadians accepted the oath of allegiance to the British Crown, and they and their descendants became British Subjects. They may have moved voluntarily to join the large French population in Louisiana. If they were British Subjects, even though originally having French heritage, they may be eligible for Canadian citizenship.
Canadian Citizenship for Americans
If you are an American citizen who descended from a Canadian citizen or a British Subject who was born in Canada, or who acquired Canadian citizenship or British Subject status while in Canada, then you might be eligible to apply for your Canadian citizenship certificate. Canadian citizenship for Americans through descent has become an increasingly pursued path, particularly following the 2025 amendments to the Citizenship Act.
How to Apply for Your Canadian Citizenship Certificate
To apply for your Canadian citizenship certificate, you must:
- Complete the required forms,
- Pay the government processing fee for the application, and
- Submit the required supporting documents.
If your last Canadian ancestor was born in the past 100 years, it may be relatively easy to provide birth certificates or naturalization records. However, you might find it difficult to identify adequate records of birth or naturalization from the early 20th century or earlier. For example, many applicants are surprised to learn that some provinces did not issue birth certificates over 100 years ago. Instead, they may have considered Baptismal Certificates or other records as evidence of a person’s birth in Canada.
Archival records of naturalization or birth may also exist. These can be obtained by applying to the Government of Canada or a provincial government’s official archives.
It is common for non-lawyers to fail to distinguish between unofficial or official records. You want your application to be persuasive and legally sound. This often requires legal knowledge and training. If you are having a difficult time figuring out what official documents you need to prove your Canadian ancestry, you should contact our law firm to help you.
If you are an American citizen descendant from a Canadian, or a person who was a British Subject, born in Canada, and you need assistance discovering documentation to prove this, our law firm can guide you through the process of applying for archival records and other documents to help you demonstrate your eligibility for a Canadian citizenship certificate.
What if My Child is Born Outside of Canada on or after 15 December 2025?
If you are a Canadian citizen and were born outside Canada, and you have a child born outside of Canada on or after 15 December 2025, you may still be able to pass your citizenship on to your child. To do so, you must meet the “substantial connection” test. This new test replaces the previous first-generation limit (FGL) framework. It is an attempt to remedy the constitutional deficiencies of the old FGL rule.
The substantial connection test requires that you had physically resided in Canada for at least 1,095 days before your child was born.
You should speak with a Canadian citizenship and immigration lawyer to see if you can pass on citizenship to your children.
If you cannot pass Canadian citizenship to your child, you may be eligible to sponsor your child to become a Permanent Resident of Canada if you move to Canada. After living in Canada for 1,095 days, your child may then be eligible to apply for a grant of citizenship.
Mandelbaum Immigration Lawyers can assist you with an application for permanent residency to sponsor your child.
Contact Mandelbaum Immigration Lawyers
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FAQ
How do I apply for Canadian citizenship after getting permanent residency?
You must have physically resided in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the past 5 years as a permanent resident, been a tax resident for at least 3 of those tax years, and pass a language test and citizenship knowledge test (if between ages 18–54). You then submit an application form, required documents, and a physical presence calculation using the Government of Canada’s official calculator.
What is the Canadian citizenship test?
The citizenship knowledge test covers Canadian history, civics, society, and culture. It is administered by Citizenship Canada after you submit your application. It applies only to applicants between the ages of 18 and 54.
Do I need to take the citizenship test if I am over 55?
No. Applicants aged 55 and older are exempt from both the language proficiency requirement and the citizenship knowledge test.
Can my child apply for Canadian citizenship at the same time as me?
If your child is a minor accompanying a parent who is a permanent resident applying for a grant of citizenship, some of the standard criteria – such as the language test and citizenship test – do not apply to the child.
What documents do I need to apply for Canadian citizenship by descent?
You must submit the required government forms, pay the processing fee, and provide proof of Canadian ancestry – such as birth certificates or naturalization records. If your ancestor was born more than 100 years ago, archival records from the Government of Canada or provincial archives may be required, as some provinces did not issue birth certificates at that time.
What is Canadian citizenship by descent, and who qualifies?
Canadian citizenship by descent applies to anyone who is a direct descendant of a Canadian citizen. Following amendments to the Citizenship Act on December 15, 2025, all direct descendants of Canadian citizens born outside Canada before that date are now recognized as Canadian citizens — overturning the previous rule that limited eligibility to only the first generation born abroad. To prove citizenship, you apply for a Citizenship Certificate with documentation of your Canadian ancestry.