Question 1

Did Bill C-3 make citizenship by descent harder or easier?

Accepted Answer

Easier for people in the second generation and beyond who already existed — it removed the first-generation cap, so many became citizens automatically. It adds a physical-presence condition only for children born abroad from December 15, 2025 onward.

Question 2

Can I claim Canadian citizenship through a grandparent or great-grandparent?

Accepted Answer

Generally yes, if you were born before December 15, 2025 and can document the citizenship chain back to a Canadian citizen (after 1947). There is no fixed generational cap, but the lineage must be proven — distant ancestry by itself does not qualify.

Question 3

Is the "substantial connection" test three years of living in Canada?

Accepted Answer

It is 1,095 days of cumulative (not necessarily continuous) physical presence in Canada — and it applies to the parent of a child born abroad on or after December 15, 2025, not to people born before that date.

Question 4

What does it cost and how long does it take?

Accepted Answer

The official IRCC proof-of-citizenship application fee is CAD $75. Processing times vary by case — check the current figure on IRCC's processing-times tool before you rely on it.

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