Canadian Citizenship Through Grandparent Rule: What You Need to Know
Ottawa, September 2025 – If you have a grandparent who was born in Canada, you may be eligible for Canadian citizenship—and eventually a Canadian passport—even if neither you nor your parents were born in Canada.
Thanks to new interim measures introduced in 2025, individuals with Canadian grandparents but parents born abroad may apply for a discretionary grant of citizenship, opening new opportunities for thousands worldwide.
Who Qualifies for Citizenship Through Grandparents?
1. If Your Parent Was Born in Canada
- Your parent automatically became a Canadian citizen at birth.*
- You can apply directly for a Canadian citizenship certificate.
- Even if your parent has passed away, your right to apply remains valid.
*Some rare exceptions apply.
2. If Your Grandparent Is Canadian but Your Parent Was Born Outside Canada
- The first-generation limit applies—your parent is Canadian by descent, but you are not automatically considered Canadian.
- Under the 2025 interim measures, you may still apply for a discretionary grant of citizenship, provided you can prove your grandparent’s Canadian citizenship.
- Once approved, you’ll receive a citizenship certificate, which allows you to apply for a Canadian passport.
How the Discretionary Grant of Citizenship Works
- You must first apply for a citizenship certificate.
- IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) will review your file.
- If eligible, IRCC will:
- Send a confirmation letter, and
- Invite you to request a discretionary grant of citizenship.
Example Case: Saransh
- Born in the U.S., to a mother also born in the U.S.
- Her grandmother was a Canadian-born citizen.
- Sarah’s mother is Canadian by descent (first generation), but Sarah herself is second generation and not automatically Canadian.
- Under 2025 measures, Sarah can apply for citizenship by proving her grandmother’s status.
Steps to Apply for a Canadian Citizenship Certificate
| Step | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Get Application Package | Includes instruction guide, forms, and checklist |
| 2 | Pay Application Fee | $75 fee, paid online; receipt must be kept |
| 3 | Submit Application | Submission location depends on country of residence |
Applying for a Canadian Passport
Once you receive your citizenship certificate, you can apply for a Canadian passport.
Required Documents:
- Proof of Canadian citizenship (certificate).
- Proof of identity.
- Two passport photos.
Fees: Vary by validity (5-year or 10-year passport).
Why This Matters
- These interim measures offer a path to citizenship for the second generation born abroad, something previously restricted.
- It allows more families with Canadian heritage to reconnect with Canada.
- Successful applicants gain access to the rights and benefits of Canadian citizenship, including international travel with a Canadian passport.
For a consultation about Immigration options, reach out to the CAD IMMIGRATION today!
My grandfather Herbert Lavigueur who is my mother’s father was born in Belle Riviere, Ontario on January 20, 1875. What do I need to prove his citizenship for a Discretionary Grant of Citizenship?
Do I need his birth record from Ontario?
Any information that you can provide me would be helpful. Thank you.
Elaine Calcutt LeClair
Since your grandfather, Herbert Lavigueur, was born in Ontario in 1875, he was a British subject at birth and automatically became a Canadian citizen in 1947 when the first Citizenship Act came into effect.
To prove this for a Discretionary Grant of Citizenship, you will need his Ontario birth record (birth certificate or registration) showing his name, date, and place of birth. If that record is not available, you can use other documents such as a baptism certificate, census record, or other vital records.
You will also need documents that show your family link to him (for example, your mother’s birth record naming him as her father).
Once I get Canadian Citizenship, can my husband and daughters get it because I have it? My daughters are adopted internationally, hopefully that won’t make a difference.
Fantastic to hear! Three of my four grandparents were Canadian. I’d applied for citizenship before but was rejected before this interim rule came out. Now, it appears I quality, so I will resubmit per the instructions. Presumably, a birth record of each grandparent is required–not easy to find for people born around 1905, but I’ll do the research. Yay, Canada!