Big news: Canada changed their citizenship rules and now if you've ever had a direct ancestor who was a citizen, you are now automatically a citizen too! www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/act-changes/rules-2025.html

I've been sharing this around, and I know a few people who've discovered they're now Canadian citizens!

January 20, 2026 - 05:39 UTC

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That is not how I read the information on their website. One of your parents must have been a Canadian citizen
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Which they are automatically if one of their parents was a Canadian citizen, which they were if one of their parents was a citizen, and so forth.
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I've gotta look into my genealogy again.
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Thank you for posting this. I had no idea I'm already a Canadian citizen!
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The website says "second generation or more" born outside Canada. But then it only references grandparents. So do great-great grandparents born in Canada count or not?
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Yes, great grandparents count - there are multiple people over on r/canadiancitizenship who are reporting they received proof of citizenship from IRCC and are waiting for their records to come in the mail.
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I was born in Canada, I thought you had to live there to claim citizenship ?
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No. If you're old enough to be reading this post and have provably canadian ancestry with documentable records, you can claim it even if you don't live in Canada. The 'substantial connection' test requirement (1095 days) applies to births occurring on or after Dec 15 2025.
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If your spouse is disabled, they still won't let you in.
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That's so good to know! My husband's grandparents were from Canada so at least we can have an escape path, if need be.
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Alas, none of my grandparents were Canadian...
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how about great grandparents? how about great great grandparents? there's actually no limit anymore is the crazy thing
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My late grandparents once told me our family owned farm up there. But it was sold off years ago. Does that count?
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...

how this works with Cajuns?
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You need to be able to prove you've spend 1000 days in Canada also, not a small ask.
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Where on the page does it say that for amended rules prior to Dec 2025?
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I cannot figure this out. Both of my grandparents on my mom's side were from Quebec. I THINK that makes it count, but I have no idea.
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It appears so yes. As it says, make an application and Canada will give you a determination. You will want proof but mom's parents are direct ancestors.
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Quebec is a province of Canada so I’d say it counts for sure.
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Looks like grandparents for sure count.
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How many generations back does this go? I’m reading the page but feel like I’m missing something in the gaps - if you have Canadian great-grandparents, does this still apply?

(Basically can’t tell if it’s an elliptical way to include a broadly defined 2nd gen or ALL descendant generations.)
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Not sure if you saw the below post, but it goes back as far as you can prove it: www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/wiki/index/
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I'd like to know this too. I have a great-GF whose birthplace isn't quite clear, but I definitely have great-great-GPs from Quebec.
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YOOOOOO 👀
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Oooh apparently I may be Canadian!
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Let's all be Canadians ❤️
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My dad (and his parents) were Canadian citizens until he renounced his citizenship in the 60s AND changed his first name 🤦‍♀️ curious if the grandparent clause still applies to me.
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it's probably worth filling out the forms find out, the worst they can say is no
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Interesting! I know my grandmother moved to Canada during WWII before eventually coming to the US, but I have no idea if she had citizenship there. Is there any way to check?
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#MalcolmInTheMiddle was a cool sitcom .
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Kind of wish the job system wasn't so unforgiving. Got a TEER 4 job and from what I hear that's basically just not happening
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For those affected: We will be sending you your complimentary coupon for one (1) poutine shortly.
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Fuck yeah I love poutine! 🥹👉🏻👈🏻 I dunno if Im affected but I wish for the poutine, please!
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My grandma was Canadian born and had dual citizenship, and i have cousins in alberta, does that count?
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I am also American (regrettably)
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If you're going to come up, do be sure to check housing prices.

You really don't want to be surprised while living in a motel until you can find a place.

If you're coming to Vancouver, the X Files, etc motel is a dive, but many people new to the city have used it to get established
2400motel.com/
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Nation states are the silliest and fakest form of LARPing and I dearly hope I live to see the end of them.
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This was also the case before 2008, so most people who it could apply to were already citizens. Still a bug deal to those born since then, and to Canadians who want children but were born somewhere else!
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One question: my understanding is it didn't go back more than 1-2 generations before, but now it does. Is that your interpretation as well?
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IIRC the windows and qualifiers were a bit stricter back then too, in any case this is huge!
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my mom and brother and his family are gonna get in! yay!

lucky ducks, i did this all the hard way!!!
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Some caveats:
1) You must have been born before December 15, 2025 for this to apply (which if you're reading this, you are), and
2) You (obviously) need to be able to be able to provide some proof of your claim
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What would entail being a direct descendant? No twice cousins price removed but yes 28th great parents?
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