If you were born in the US before December 15, 2025, and one of your parents was a Canadian citizen when you were born, you are now automatically a Canadian citizen under Bill C-3. This is true even if that parent was also born outside Canada. You don’t need to immigrate. You need to apply for a citizenship certificate to prove it.
Many Americans with Canadian roots don’t realize this. Our post on Bill C-3 and the citizenship changes explains the law. This page applies it to people born and living in the US.
Why some Americans are already Canadian
Canadian citizenship can pass from parent to child regardless of where the child is born. Until recently, a first-generation limit cut that chain: if your Canadian parent was also born abroad, you usually didn’t inherit citizenship. Ontario’s Superior Court struck the limit down in December 2023. Bill C-3 replaced it on December 15, 2025.
What Bill C-3 changed
| Your situation | Result under Bill C-3 |
| Born before Dec 15, 2025, outside Canada, to a Canadian-citizen parent | Automatically a citizen, including second and later generations |
| Born on/after Dec 15, 2025, outside Canada, to a Canadian parent who was also born abroad | Citizen only if that parent spent at least 1,095 days in Canada before the birth |
| Born in Canada | Citizen by birth (not affected) |
Common American scenarios
• Your mother or father was born in Canada: you were likely already a citizen under the old rules. Apply for proof.
• Your parent was born in the US to a Canadian grandparent: your parent may now be a citizen, and so may you, if you were born before December 15, 2025.
• You only have a Canadian grandparent and your parent was never a citizen: citizenship generally passes through a parent who is a citizen, so the grandparent alone may not be enough. Get your family history assessed.
• You have a baby after December 15, 2025: the 1,095-day substantial-connection test applies to you as the parent.
Applying for proof of citizenship from the US
1. Build the family chain. Gather birth certificates showing the link from you to the Canadian ancestor, plus that ancestor’s proof of Canadian citizenship or birth in Canada.
2. Add name-change documents. Marriage certificates or court orders wherever names changed across generations.
3. Apply for a citizenship certificate. Submit the proof of citizenship application to IRCC online or by mail, with fees.
4. Wait for the certificate. Once issued, you can apply for a Canadian passport.
Once you have your certificate, you can live and work in Canada as a citizen, with no Express Entry, work permit or sponsorship needed. Our team can prepare the application through our citizenship applications service.
Dual citizenship and US taxes
Both the US and Canada allow dual citizenship, so confirming Canadian citizenship doesn’t affect your US citizenship. See can I keep my US citizenship?. Canada taxes based on residence, not citizenship, so being a Canadian citizen while living in the US doesn’t by itself create Canadian tax. Moving to Canada would. Read US–Canada tax 101.
Frequently asked questions
I was born in the US to a Canadian mother. Am I Canadian?
Very likely, yes. Apply for a citizenship certificate to confirm it and get proof.
My grandparent was Canadian but my parent never applied. Does that matter?
Your parent may have become a citizen automatically even without applying. Citizenship passes through that parent, so their status needs to be established first.
Do I have to live in Canada to keep citizenship by descent?
No. People who became citizens under Bill C-3 don’t have a residence requirement to keep citizenship. The 1,095-day test applies to parents of children born abroad on or after December 15, 2025.
Can I just apply for a Canadian passport?
You first need proof of citizenship, usually a citizenship certificate.
Will I lose my US citizenship?
No. The US and Canada both allow dual citizenship.
