With the passage of Bill C-3, getting Canadian citizenship through a grandparent is no longer the dead end it once was. Thousands of people who previously weren't eligible to inherit Canadian citizenship are now.

Discovering your Canadian roots can open the door to citizenship through your grandparents. This pathway provides a unique opportunity for those with a Canadian family lineage to claim citizenship, even if they were born elsewhere. The process hinges on proving direct descent from a Canadian grandparent and understanding specific eligibility criteria, which can vary based on historical amendments to citizenship laws.

On December 15, 2025, Canada officially transformed its citizenship laws with the passage of Bill C-3, an amendment to the Citizenship Act. These changes significantly expand access to Canadian citizenship by descent, particularly for individuals born outside Canada in the second generation or later.