Get Your First Canadian Citizenship Certificate Through a Parent or Grandparent
| Type of Service | Through Parent | Through Grandparent |
| Regular Processing | $600.00 | $1,100 |
| Urgent Processing | $900.00 | $1,500 |
Processing times vary from 3 months for citizenship through a parent up to 12 months.
Processing times for citizenship through a grandparent have not been issued but expect it to be in excess of 12 months
Expedited processing is at the discretion of the immigration officer.
Canadian Citizenship Through a Parent
If you were born outside Canada to a Canadian parent, you must have documentation to prove that you are a Canadian citizen and enter Canada.
Proof that you are a Canadian citizen will allow you to:
- Live in Canada
- Work in Canada
- Go to school in Canada
- Sponsor your relatives for PR in Canada
- Get a Canadian passport
- Vote in Canada
- Hold a job requiring security clearance
Inheriting Canadian Citizenship
Canadian citizenship can be passed down from biological and adoptive parents, as well as Legal Parents At Birth (a person named on the child’s original birth certificate as a parent who is not the child’s biological or legally adoptive parent, such as in same-sex couples).
A child born outside Canada to a Canadian parent can claim their Canadian citizenship at any time in their life – they are not required to make an application prior to any specific age. Applications can be made for minor children from the time they are born, and applicants can submit their own proof of Canadian citizenship application from the time they are 18 years old.
A child of a Canadian citizen can apply for proof of Canadian citizenship regardless of whether their Canadian parent is still living.
These rules apply to children of Canadian parents born anywhere in the world.
Proof of Canadian Citizenship Application Process
If a child has inherited Canadian citizenship from a parent, then they do not apply to naturalize as Canadian citizens in the same way as immigrants to Canada. This is because technically they are already Canadian citizens, and they simply need to apply for proof of this status.
The child of a Canadian parent has to submit an application to IRCC demonstrating two things:
- That their parent was a Canadian citizen at the time they were born
- That the Canadian citizen is indeed their parent
For children adopted by Canadian parents, the application process is slightly different and has an additional step. First, the applicant has to prove that their adoption was legal in the country where it took place, as well as in Canada if they came to Canada to live. Then, they have to prove that their parent was Canadian at the time of the adoption just as described above.
Applications submitted by applicants in Canada or the US will be processed entirely in Canada. Applications submitted by applicants living outside Canada or the US will first be processed by the Canadian Embassy where they reside, and will then be finalized in Canada.
Processing Times – Proof of Canadian Citizenship
The processing time for a first Canadian citizenship certificate is significantly longer than for a replacement.
A first Canadian citizenship certificate application submitted from an applicant in Canada or the US takes approximately one year to finalize and receive the certificate.
For applicants outside of Canada and the US, processing times are usually closer to one and a half years.
If an applicant has special circumstances which would warrant urgent processing of their application, then they may request expedited processing. Circumstances which may warrant urgent processing of your first citizenship application include:
- A Canadian job offer
- Acceptance to a Canadian school
These are some of the most common reasons for urgent processing, however other reasons are accepted.
If you or your child was born outside Canada and want to claim your Canadian citizenship, contact us or start your application below.
Canadian Citizenship through a Grandparent
In a significant stride toward equality and acknowledging the constitutional implications of Canadian citizenship, the government of Canada has announced that it will not appeal the Federal Court decision which strikes down first generation limit to Canadian citizenship by descent, which was legislated by the Harper government in 2009.
Bill C-71, the amendment to the Citizenship Act, which will be implemented shortly, extends Canadian citizenship rights to second-generation children born outside Canada. Over the past 10 years, our office has helped thousands of Canadians born outside Canada claim their Canadian citizenship.
Application Process for Canadian Citizenship through a Grandparent
Children born outside Canada to a Canadian parent who was born in Canada or naturalized currently go through an application process to obtain proof of their Canadian citizenship. When the application is approved, they are issued a Canadian citizenship certificate (previously Canadian citizenship card). This document serves as proof that they are Canadian, and are entitled to a Canadian passport and all other rights enjoyed by Canadians.
IRCC has not yet announced the specifics of the application process for second generation Canadian citizens born outside Canada (grandchildren of Canadian grandparents), but it is expected to work very similarly to the first Citizenship certificate application process used by children of Canadian citizens.
Determine Your Eligibility for Canadian Citizenship as the Grandchild of a Canadian
To apply for your proof of Canadian citizenship as the grandchild of a Canadian citizen, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be the blood related grandchild of a Canadian citizen (adopted children go through a separate application process)
Gather the Required Documents for Your First Canadian Citizenship Certificate Application
When IRCC receives your Canadian citizenship certificate application, the package must be complete or it will be returned to you unprocessed.
Several essential documents are required for the application to be complete:
- Fully completed and signed application form CIT0001 (form to be confirmed once bill C-71 has been implemented)
- Two pieces of valid personal ID, such as a passport, driver’s license, or health card, one of which must include a photo
- Birth certificate (long form showing parents’ names)
- Parents’ birth certificates (long form showing parents’ names)
- Grandparents’ birth certificates (short form or long form)
- Parent’s or grandparent’s proof of Canadian citizenship (citizenship certificate) if they naturalized in Canada
- Proof of name change, if applicable
All of the above must be certified colour copies.
IRCC may also request additional documents from you once your application is in process, based on what documentation you have already provided.
Proving You Are a Canadian Citizen through a Grandparent
The success of your Canadian citizenship application as the grandchild of a Canadian citizen hinges on demonstrating that you are a Canadian citizen with documentary evidence. The onus is on the applicant to prove that they meet the requirements – IRCC will not investigate a claim which is weak or unsupported.
Several documents are needed to prove that you are a Canadian citizen:
- Your birth certificate, showing your parents’ names (long form)
- Your parent’s birth certificate, showing their parents’ names (long form)
- Your Grandparent’s Canadian birth certificates (these can be short form) or their naturalization certificates if they were not born in Canada.
- If your parent or grandparent naturalized in Canada, their proof of Canadian citizenship
If you have a Grandparent that was born in Canada and want to claim your Canadian citizenship, contact us or start your application below.
