OTTAWA — More than 6,100 people have received proof of Canadian citizenship under expanded citizenship-by-descent rules introduced late last year, with people born in the United States accounting for more than half of the successful applications.
Data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada shows that, as of May 31, approximately 51 per cent of approved citizenship certificate applications under the expanded eligibility provisions involved people born in the United States.
The increase follows significant changes to Canada’s Citizenship Act through Bill C-3, which came into effect on December 15, 2025.
For people born before that date, the legislation expanded eligibility for citizenship by descent beyond the previous first-generation limit. Under the earlier system, Canadian citizenship generally could not automatically be passed to a second or subsequent generation born outside Canada.
The first-generation restriction had been ruled unconstitutional by the Ontario Superior Court in 2023, setting the stage for changes to Canada’s citizenship laws.
The new provisions mean some people who were previously excluded may now be able to establish Canadian citizenship through a Canadian ancestor, provided they meet the applicable legal requirements and can produce sufficient documentation demonstrating their family connection.
Americans represent by far the largest group among approvals under the expanded criteria. After the United States, people born in Mexico accounted for approximately 20.5 per cent of approved applications, followed by Bolivia at 6.1 per cent, the United Kingdom and its territories at 3.2 per cent and Belize at 2.2 per cent.
Immigration professionals say interest has been particularly strong among Americans exploring whether their family histories could provide a path to Canadian citizenship.
Toronto immigration consultant Al Parsai said two developments appear to be contributing to that interest: the current geopolitical environment in the United States and Canada’s changes to citizenship-by-descent rules.
For some Americans, the combination has provided both a motivation to investigate Canadian citizenship and, in certain cases, a newly available legal route to establish it.
The changes have also generated increased interest in genealogy and historical family records. Potential applicants are searching archives for birth certificates, marriage records, naturalization documents and other evidence needed to establish an uninterrupted family connection to a Canadian ancestor.
Among those potentially affected are descendants of French-speaking Acadians who were expelled from parts of what are now Canada’s Maritime provinces during the 18th century and later established communities in Louisiana.
However, discovering a Canadian ancestor does not automatically establish citizenship.
Applicants must still demonstrate that they satisfy the legal requirements and provide documents establishing the relevant chain of descent. For families whose connections to Canada go back several generations, obtaining reliable historical records can be difficult.
Older birth and marriage certificates, immigration records and naturalization documents may be incomplete, difficult to locate or require additional verification.
The surge in interest is also placing substantial pressure on Canada’s citizenship processing system.
IRCC currently estimates that citizenship certificate applications can take approximately 25 months to process, a dramatic increase from processing times of roughly nine to 10 months reported earlier in 2026.
Applications submitted from outside Canada and the United States may take an additional three to four months.
Approximately 121,800 people are currently waiting for decisions on citizenship certificate applications, according to IRCC. That total includes applicants seeking recognition under the expanded citizenship rules as well as people applying for certificates for other reasons, including replacing documents or establishing citizenship through Canadian-born parents.
The growing backlog means people who may already be Canadian citizens under the law can nevertheless face a lengthy wait to obtain the certificate formally proving their status.
IRCC says it prepared for the implementation of Bill C-3 and is continuing to process applications as quickly as possible while ensuring the integrity of Canada’s citizenship program.
The department maintains that applications require careful examination to confirm that each person satisfies the legal requirements and that decisions are made consistently and in accordance with Canadian law.
The early figures demonstrate the substantial international impact of Canada’s expanded citizenship-by-descent provisions. With Americans representing 51 per cent of approvals and tens of thousands of citizenship certificate applications still awaiting decisions, interest in establishing Canadian citizenship through family ancestry is likely to remain significant.
For potential applicants, however, the process can involve two major challenges: establishing a complete documentary connection to a qualifying Canadian ancestor and preparing for processing times that can now extend beyond two years.