Bill C-3
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- ENGLISH
- SUMMARY SUMMARY
- 1 Citizenship Act 1 Citizenship Act
- 7 Coming into Force 7 Coming into Force
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First Session, Forty-fifth Parliament, 3-4 Charles III, 2025 |
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HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA |
An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025)
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Reprinted as amended by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration as a working copy for the use of the House of Commons at Report Stage and as reported to the House on October 9, 2025
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MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION, REFUGEES AND CITIZENSHIP |
SUMMARY
This enactment amends the Citizenship Act to, among other things,
(a) ensure that citizenship by descent is conferred on all persons who were born outside Canada before the coming into force of this enactment to a parent who was a citizen;
(b) confer citizenship by descent on persons born outside Canada after the first generation, on or after the coming into force of this enactment, to a parent who is a citizen and who had a substantial connection to Canada before the person’s birth;
(c) allow citizenship to be granted under section 5.1 of that Act to all persons born outside Canada who were adopted before the coming into force of this enactment by a parent who was a citizen;
(d) allow citizenship to be granted under section 5.1 of that Act to persons born outside Canada who are adopted on or after the coming into force of this enactment by a parent who is a citizen and who had a substantial connection to Canada before the person’s adoption;
(e) restore citizenship to persons who lost their citizenship because they did not make an application to retain it under the former section 8 of that Act or because they made an application under that section that was not approved; and
(f) allow certain persons who become citizens as a result of the coming into force of this enactment to access a simplified process to renounce their citizenship.
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Available on the House of Commons website at the following address:
www.ourcommons.ca
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1st Session, 45th Parliament, 3-4 Charles III, 2025 |
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HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA |
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BILL C-3 |
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An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) |
His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
R.S., c. C-29
Citizenship Act
2008, c. 14, s. 2(1)
1 (1) Paragraph 3(1)(f) of the Citizenship Act is amended by adding “or” at the end of subparagraph (i), by striking out “or” at the end of subparagraph (ii) and by repealing subparagraph (iii).
2008, c. 14, s. 2(1)
(2) Paragraph 3(1)(h) of the Act is replaced by the following:
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(h) the person was granted citizenship on or after January 1, 1947 but before April 17, 2009, the person would have, but for that grant, been a citizen under paragraph (g) and, if it was required, the person took the oath of citizenship;
2008, c. 14, s. 2(1)
(3) The portion of paragraph 3(1)(i) of the Act before subparagraph (i) is replaced by the following:
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(i) the person had been a citizen other than by way of grant, ceased to be a citizen for a reason other than the reasons referred to in subparagraphs (f)(i) and (ii), was subsequently granted citizenship before the coming into force of this paragraph under any of the following provisions and, if it was required, took the oath of citizenship:
(4) Section 3 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (1.4):
Citizen despite death of parent
(1.5) A person who would not become a citizen under one of the paragraphs of subsection (1) for the sole reason that their parent or both their parent and their parent’s parent died before the coming into force of An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) is a citizen under that paragraph if that parent — or both that parent and that parent’s parent — but for their death, would have been a citizen as a result of the coming into force of that Act.
2014, c. 22, s. 2(6)
(5) Paragraphs 3(2.1)(a) and (b) of the Act are replaced by the following:
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(a) before January 1, 1947, the person made a declaration of alienage; or
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(b) the person became a citizen by way of grant on or after January 1, 1947 and subsequently renounced their citizenship under any of the provisions referred to in clauses (1)(f)(i)(A) to (F).
2014, c. 22, s. 2(6)
(6) Subsection 3(2.2) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Not applicable — paragraphs (1)(b), (g) and (h)
(2.2) Paragraphs (1)(b), (g) and (h) do not apply to a person — who, but for this subsection, would be a citizen under one of those paragraphs for the sole reason that one or both of their parents are persons referred to in any of paragraphs (1)(k), (m), (o) and (q) — if the person became a citizen by way of grant on or after January 1, 1947 and subsequently renounced their citizenship under any of the provisions referred to in clauses (1)(f)(i)(A) to (F).
2014, c. 22, s. 2(6)
(7) Paragraphs 3(2.3)(a) and (b) of the Act are replaced by the following:
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(a) before April 1, 1949, the person made a declaration of alienage; or
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(b) the person became a citizen by way of grant on or after April 1, 1949 and subsequently renounced their citizenship under any of the provisions referred to in clauses (1)(f)(i)(A) to (F).
2008, c. 14, s. 2(2); 2014, c. 22, ss. 2(6), (8) and (9)(F)
(8) Subsections 3(2.4) and (3) of the Act are replaced by the following:
Not applicable — paragraphs (1)(b), (g) and (h)
(2.4) Paragraphs (1)(b), (g) and (h) do not apply to a person — who, but for this subsection, would be a citizen under one of those paragraphs for the sole reason that one or both of their parents are persons referred to in any of paragraphs (1)(l), (n), (p) and (r) — if the person became a citizen by way of grant on or after April 1, 1949 and subsequently renounced their citizenship under any of the provisions referred to in clauses (1)(f)(i)(A) to (F).
Not applicable — paragraphs (1)(b), (f) to (j), (q) and (r)
(2.5) Paragraphs (1)(b), (f) to (j), (q) and (r) do not apply to a person who became a citizen by way of grant before the day on which this subsection comes into force and subsequently renounced their citizenship under any of the provisions referred to in clauses (1)(f)(i)(A) to (F).
Not applicable — after first generation
(3) Paragraph (1)(b) does not apply to a person born outside Canada on or after the day on which An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) comes into force
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(a) if
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(i) at the time of the person’s birth
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(A) only one of the person’s parents was a citizen and that parent was a citizen under any of paragraphs (1)(b), (c.1), (e), (g) to (j) and (o) to (r) and was born outside Canada,
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(B) only one of the person’s parents was a citizen and that parent was a citizen under paragraph (1)(f) and was born outside Canada to a parent who was a citizen at the time of their birth, or
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(C) both of the person’s parents were citizens under any of paragraphs (1)(b), (c.1), (e) to (j) and (o) to (r) and were born outside Canada and, in the case of a parent who was a citizen under paragraph (1)(f), that parent was born to a parent who was a citizen at the time of their birth, and
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(ii) neither of the person’s parents who was a citizen was physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days Insertion start during any period of five consecutive years Insertion end before the person’s birth; or
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(b) if
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(i) at any time, only one of the person’s parents was a citizen and that parent was a citizen under any of the following provisions or both of the person’s parents were citizens under any of the following provisions:
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(A) paragraph 4(b) or 5(b) of the Canadian Citizenship Act, S.C. 1946, c. 15,
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(B) paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Canadian Citizenship Act, S.C. 1946, c. 15, as enacted by S.C. 1950, c. 29, s. 2,
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(C) paragraph 4(1)(b) of the Canadian Citizenship Act, S.C. 1946, c. 15, as enacted by S.C. 1952-53, c. 23, s. 2(1),
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(D) paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Canadian Citizenship Act, S.C. 1946, c. 15, as enacted by S.C. 1950, c. 29, s. 2 and amended by S.C. 1952-53, c. 23, s. 3(1),
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(E) paragraph 4(1)(b) of the Canadian Citizenship Act, R.S.C. 1952, c. 33, as enacted by S.C. 1952-53, c. 23, s. 13(1),
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(F) paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Canadian Citizenship Act, R.S.C. 1952, c. 33, as amended by S.C. 1952-53, c. 23, s. 14(1),
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(G) subsection 39B(1) of the Canadian Citizenship Act, R.S.C. 1952, c. 33, as enacted by S.C. 1967-68, c. 4, s. 10, or
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(H) paragraph 4(1)(b) or 5(1)(b) or subsection 42(1) of the former Act, and
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(ii) neither of the person’s parents who was a citizen was physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days Insertion start during any period of five consecutive years Insertion end before the person’s birth.
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Not applicable — paragraph (1)(b)
Start of inserted block(3.1) Paragraph (1)(b) does not apply to a person born outside Canada on or after the day on which An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) comes into force if the person
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(a) is 18 years of age or more but less than 55 years of age and does not have an adequate knowledge of one of the official languages of Canada;
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(b) is 18 years of age or more but less than 55 years of age and does not have an adequate knowledge of Canada and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, as demonstrated in one of the official languages of Canada; or
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(c) is 18 years of age or more and has not undergone a security assessment to determine whether or not they would be inadmissible under any of sections 34 to 37 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
End of inserted block
2014, c. 22, ss. 2(10) and (11)
(9) Subsections 3(4) and (4.1) of the Act are repealed.
2014, c. 22, s. 2(13)
(10) Subsections 3(5.1) and (5.2) of the Act are repealed.
2014, c. 22, s. 2(15)
(11) Subsection 3(6.2) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Citizenship other than by way of grant
(6.2) A person referred to in any of paragraphs (1)(k) to (r) — or a person referred to in paragraph (1)(b) or (g) who is a citizen under that paragraph for the sole reason that one or both of their parents are persons referred to in any of paragraphs (1)(k) to (n) — who became a citizen by way of grant before the coming into force of this subsection is deemed, except for the purposes of paragraph (2.1)(b), subsection (2.2), paragraph (2.3)(b), subsections (2.4) and (2.5) and subparagraphs 27(1)(j.1)(ii) to (iv), never to have been a citizen by way of grant.
(12) Section 3 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (6.3):
Deemed application
(6.4) A person who is referred to in paragraph (1)(b) and also in paragraph (1)(f) is deemed to be a citizen only under paragraph (1)(f).
Citizenship other than by way of grant
(6.5) A person who is referred to in any of paragraphs (1)(b), (f) to (j), (q) and (r) as a result of the coming into force of An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) and who became a citizen by way of grant before the coming into force of that Act is deemed, except for the purposes of paragraphs (1)(h) to (j) and (2.1)(b), subsection (2.2), paragraph (2.3)(b), subsections (2.4) and (2.5) and subparagraph 27(1)(j.1)(iv), never to have been a citizen by way of grant.
2008, c. 14, s. 2(2)
(13) The portion of paragraph 3(7)(a) of the Act before subparagraph (i) is replaced by the following:
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(a) a person referred to in paragraph (1)(c) who was, before the coming into force of this subsection, granted citizenship under any of the following provisions after ceasing to be a citizen by way of grant for any reason other than the reasons referred to in subparagraphs (1)(f)(i) and (ii) is deemed to be a citizen under paragraph (1)(c) from the time that the person ceased to be a citizen:
2014, c. 22, ss. 2(16) and (17)
(14) Paragraphs 3(7)(h) and (i) of the Act are replaced by the following:
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(h) a person referred to in paragraph (1)(b) is deemed to be a citizen under that paragraph from the time that the person was born;
2014, c. 22, s. 2(19)
(15) Subsection 3(9) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Definition of by way of grant
(9) In subsections (2.1) to (2.5), (6.2) and (6.5), by way of grant means by way of grant under this Act or under prior legislation, by way of acquisition under this Act or by way of resumption under prior legislation.
2 Subsection 4(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Child born after death of parent
(2) For the purposes of paragraph 3(1)(b), subsection 3(2) and subparagraph 3(3)(a)(i), if a child is born after the death of either of their parents, the child is deemed to have been born before the death of that parent.
2008, c. 14, s. 4(2)
3 Paragraph 5(5)(a) of the Act is replaced by the following:
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(a) is born outside Canada on or after the day on which An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) comes into force;
2014, c. 22, ss. 4(9) and (10)
4 (1) Subsection 5.1(4) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Not applicable — after first generation
(4) No person who is adopted on or after the day on which An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) comes into force may be granted citizenship under any of subsections (1) to (3)
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(a) if
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(i) at the time of the person’s adoption
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(A) only one of the person’s adoptive parents was a citizen and that adoptive parent was a citizen under any of paragraphs 3(1)(b), (c.1), (e), (g) to (j) and (o) to (r) and was born outside Canada,
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(B) only one of the person’s adoptive parents was a citizen and that adoptive parent was a citizen under paragraph 3(1)(f) and was born outside Canada to a parent who was a citizen at the time of the adoptive parent’s birth, or
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(C) both of the person’s adoptive parents were citizens under any of paragraphs 3(1)(b), (c.1), (e) to (j) and (o) to (r) and were born outside Canada and, in the case of an adoptive parent who was a citizen under paragraph 3(1)(f), that adoptive parent was born to a parent who was a citizen at the time of the adoptive parent’s birth, and
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(ii) neither of the person’s adoptive parents who was a citizen was physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days Insertion start during any period of five consecutive years Insertion end before the person’s adoption; or
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(b) if
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(i) at any time, only one of the person’s adoptive parents was a citizen and that adoptive parent was a citizen under any of the provisions referred to in clauses 3(3)(b)(i)(A) to (H) or both of the person’s adoptive parents were citizens under any of those provisions, and
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(ii) neither of the person’s adoptive parents who was a citizen was physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days Insertion start during any period of five consecutive years Insertion end before the person’s adoption.
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Not applicable — subsections (1) to (3)
Start of inserted block(4.1) No person who is adopted on or after the day on which An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) comes into force may be granted citizenship under any of subsections (1) to (3) if the person
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(a) is 18 years of age or more but less than 55 years of age at the date of his or her application and does not have an adequate knowledge of one of the official languages of Canada;
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(b) is 18 years of age or more but less than 55 years of age at the date of his or her application and does not have an adequate knowledge of Canada and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, as demonstrated in one of the official languages of Canada; or
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(c) is 18 years of age or more and has not undergone a security assessment to determine whether or not they would be inadmissible under any of sections 34 to 37 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
End of inserted block
2014, c. 22, s. 4(11)
(2) Subsection 5.1(6) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Death of parent
(6) A person who would not be granted citizenship under any of subsections (1) to (3) for the sole reason that their adoptive parent or both their adoptive parent and their adoptive parent’s parent died before the coming into force of An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) may be granted citizenship under that subsection if that adoptive parent — or both that adoptive parent and that adoptive parent’s parent — but for their death, would have been a citizen as a result of the coming into force of that Act.
2014, c. 22, s. 5
5 The portion of section 5.2 of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
Citizenship by way of grant under section 5.1 — grandchild of person in service abroad
5.2 A person born outside Canada who was adopted by a parent referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) and who is either a citizen under prior legislation or the former Act — other than under any provision referred to in any of clauses 3(3)(b)(i)(A) to (H) — or was granted citizenship under paragraph 5(2)(a) of this Act, as it read before April 17, 2009, or under subsection 5(1), (2), or (4) or 11(1) of this Act is deemed, as of the coming into force of this section, to have been granted citizenship under section 5.1:
5.1 The Act is amended by adding the following after section 26:
End of inserted blockAnnual report — grants of citizenship
Start of inserted block26.1 (1) Within three months after the end of each fiscal year, the Minister must prepare a report for the previous year that sets out the number of persons who become citizens as a result of the coming into force of An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025), their countries of citizenship other than Canada, if any, their most recent country of residence and the provisions of this Act under which they are citizens.
End of inserted blockTabling
Start of inserted block(2) The Minister must cause the report to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the report is completed.
End of inserted blockStart of inserted block
6 (1) Subsection 27(1) of the Act is amended by adding the following after paragraph (c):
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(c.01) respecting the length of physical presence in Canada required under subparagraphs 3(3)(a)(ii), 3(3)(b)(ii), 5.1(4)(a)(ii) and 5.1(4)(b)(ii), including the manner of calculating the length of physical presence, any documents required to demonstrate that a person meets the requirement and the circumstances in which the requirement does not apply;
End of inserted block
( Insertion start 2 Insertion end ) Paragraph 27(1)(j.1) of the Act is amended by striking out “or” at the end of subparagraph (ii), by adding “or” at the end of subparagraph (iii) and by adding the following after subparagraph (iii):
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(iv) who are citizens as a result of the coming into force of An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025), who were born before the day on which that Act comes into force and who did not, before that day, become citizens by way of grant as defined in subsection 3(9);
6.1 The Act is amended by adding the following after section 27:
End of inserted blockAnnual report — security assessment waivers
Start of inserted block27.01 (1) Within three months after the end of each fiscal year, the Minister must prepare a report for the previous year that sets out the number of persons in respect of whom the requirement to undergo a security assessment under paragraphs 3(3.1)(c) or 5.1(4.1)(c) was waived and the reasons for which it was waived.
End of inserted blockTabling
Start of inserted block(2) The Minister must cause the report to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the report is completed.
End of inserted blockComing into Force
Order in council
7 This Act comes into force on a day to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.
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Published under authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons
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