My mother was born in Canada (to Canadians), but her family moved to the US and became US citizens when my mother was a child (in the 1930s). So my mother was no longer a Canadian citizen when I was born. (And neither were my grandparents, although my great-grandmother was still Canadian and living in Canada.) Does this mean I would not qualify for citizenship by descent? Thanks in advance for any insight you may provide!
Hi there,
Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us.
You may find the following tool from IRCC helpful in determining this answer:
According to the guide, on Applying for your Canadian Citizenship Certificate:
A person is likely a Canadian citizen if at least 1 parent (legal parent at birth or biological parent)
was born in Canada, or
became a naturalized Canadian citizen before the person was born
You can check if you or your minor child (under 18) may be a Canadian citizen
on our See if you may be a citizen page
by using our Am I a Canadian? tool
To find out for sure, apply for a citizenship certificate.
For more information, see changes to citizenship rules on
There have been recent changes to the Citizenship Act that may affect you:
The Citizenship Act includes a first-generation limit to citizenship by descent. This limit generally means someone is not automatically a Canadian citizen if:
they were born outside Canada, and
their parent was also born outside Canada to a Canadian parent or adopted outside Canada by a Canadian parent.
- The grandparent was Canadian.
In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declared that the first-generation limit for many people is unconstitutional.
However, the Court has suspended the declaration until November 20, 2025. This means that the current rules still apply until further notice.
On March 13, 2025, we announced an interim measure that includes:
a way for those affected by the first-generation limit to be considered for a discretionary grant of citizenship from the minister, and
priority consideration for people born or adopted on or after December 19, 2023 if their Canadian parent has a substantial connection to Canada.
You can find out how this change may affect your application using this tool: Changes to the first-generation limit on citizenship. It may also be a good idea to contact IRCC for advice specific to your situation.
We hope this information is helpful, and wish you all the best with your application. Please follow up with us if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
Your Settlement.Org Team