Any person born in Canada, with very few exceptions, is a Canadian citizen.
For people born outside Canada, Canadian citizenship can be inherited from either parent (mother or father) if they were a Canadian citizen at the time of your birth. This applies whether your parent was born in Canada, or naturalized as a citizen in Canada after immigrating there. Canadian citizenship can also be inherited at any age
But what about a Canadian grandparent? Can Canadian citizenship be inherited from a Canadian grandmother or grandfather?
In most cases, no it cannot. In 2009, changes to the Citizenship Act eliminated inheritance of Canadian citizenship to the second generation of children born outside Canada. Prior to these changes coming into force, children born outside Canada who had a grandparent who was a Canadian citizen at the time of their birth could inherit Canadian citizenship from their grandparent.
There are still very limited circumstances which could lead to a grandchild born outside Canada inheriting their Canadian grandparent’s citizenship, however their parent would need to have been serving in the Canadian forces or federal or provincial government outside Canada at the time of the child’s birth for this possibility to exist.
Today, you are only allowed to inherit Canadian citizenship from a parent who was born in Canada or who naturalized in Canada. Canadian citizenship can be inherited from both adopted and biological parents. Children in these circumstances cannot pass on Canadian citizenship to their own children born outside Canada.
|
Biological, Adoptive, or Legal Parent at Birth |
Child | Child’s Citizenship |
|
Born in Canada |
Born Outside Canada |
Canadian |
|
Naturalized in Canada before birth of child |
Born Outside Canada |
Canadian |
|
Naturalized in Canada after birth of child |
Born Outside Canada |
Not Canadian |
|
Born outside Canada; inherited Canadian citizenship from parent |
Born Outside Canada; applied for proof of citizenship before April 17, 2009 |
Canadian |
| Born outside Canada; inherited Canadian citizenship from parent |
Born Outside Canada; did not apply for proof of citizenship before April 17, 2009 |
Not Canadian |
Legal Parent at Birth
One new concept in Canadian citizenship law is that of a child’s “Legal Parent at Birth.” A child’s legal parent at birth is a person who is named on their original birth certificate as their parent at the time of the child’s birth, but who is not related them biologically or through adoption, such as in a same-sex family where the Canadian parent is not the biological parent of the child. A Legal Parent at Birth can now pass down Canadian citizenship to a child as of July 2020.
Proof of Canadian Citizenship
In any of the above circumstances, children do not apply to naturalize as Canadian citizens the same way that immigrants do. Instead, they apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate as proof that they are Canadian citizens. Once the citizenship certificate is issued, the holder can:
- Get a Canadian passport
- Live in Canada indefinitely
- Work in Canada indefinitely
- Study in Canada without paying international student fees
- Sponsor their relatives for Permanent Residence in Canada
Contact Us if you believe that you or your child is a Canadian citizen to apply for their first citizenship certificate.
