If your parent or grandparent was a Canadian citizen, then it is quite likely that you have citizenship by descent—even if you were born outside Canada.
If you do have citizenship by descent, then you’ll be able to apply for a Canadian passport, but must first get your proof of citizenship.
In some cases, your proof of citizenship application might require applying for a discretionary grant of citizenship, if you’re affected by the first-generation limit (FGL) and covered under the Canadian federal government’s interim measures.
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This article will cover
- How to determine whether you may be a Canadian citizen by descent;
- Lost Canadians who qualify for discretionary citizenship grants under the current interim measures;
- How to apply for proof of citizenship (Canadian citizenship certificate); and
- How to apply for a Canadian passport.
Who has citizenship by descent?
If your parent or grandparent was a Canadian, you may have gained Canadian citizenship automatically at your birth or adoption, even if you were born outside Canada.
This way of gaining citizenship is known as citizenship by descent, and happens automatically.
As a Canadian citizen, you have a right to enter Canada, with or without a Canadian passport.
But having a Canadian passport makes entering Canada much easier.
To determine if you may have citizenship by descent, use the Canadian federal government’s “Am I a Canadian?” tool.
If you are a Canadian citizen by descent, you can apply for a passport as soon as you’ve obtained your proof of citizenship.
If your parent was a Canadian citizen by descent, it’s possible that you may be affected by the FGL, in which case you are not already a Canadian citizen, but you might be able to apply for a discretionary grant of citizenship under the interim measures.
Who is affected by the FGL and eligible for discretionary grants of citizenship?
As a result of the FGL to citizenship by descent, thousands of people have become lost Canadians: individuals considered to be entitled to Canadian citizenship who have either lost or have not been able to acquire or retain their citizenship due to certain provisions in the Citizenship Act.
Under interim measures introduced in March of 2025, you can apply for a discretionary grant of Citizenship if you fall into one of the following four groups of lost Canadians:
- Situation 1: You were born or adopted before December 19, 2023, and are affected by the FGL.
- Situation 2: You were born or adopted on or after December 19, 2023, and have a Canadian parent who had accumulated at least 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada prior to your birth or adoption.
- Situation 3: You were born before April 1, 1949, and continue to be impacted by the FGL.
- Situation 4: You were formerly a Canadian citizen, and lost your status after failing to comply with retention requirements (under the former section 8 of the Citizenship Act).
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How to apply for proof of citizenship
The method (online or by mail) in which you are expected to submit your citizenship certificate application depends on your unique set of circumstances.
To help determine which is right for you, you can answer a few questions on IRCC’s “How to apply” webpage. Start by selecting “Get a citizenship certificate for the first time” from the dropdown menu when asked what you would like to do.
The application process typically involves the following steps.
Step 1: Getting the application package, which consists of the instruction guide, document checklist, and necessary forms.
Step 2: Gathering and attaching the necessary documentation detailed in the document checklist, including the following:
- The application form (CIT 0001);
- Two valid identification documents with your name and date of birth, with one of these showing a picture of you;
- One (online applications) or two (paper applications) identical photos of yourself,
- Translations for any documents not in English or French, along with affidavits from the translator(s);
- A signed and dated use of a representative form (IMM 5476), if applicable;
- Any additional documents relevant to your personal situation.
Step 3: Pay the $75 non-refundable citizenship certificate fee and keep a copy of the receipt to include in the application (mandatory), and another for your records (recommended).
This fee can be made either online or directly to the Canadian embassy, high commission, or consulate where you are planning to submit your application (only for those who have no internet access or are living outside Canada and the US).
Step 4: Submit your application.
If you apply by paper from within Canada or the US, you will receive an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) by email or mail (if you did not provide an email address)
All others who applied by paper will receive their AOR by email (if you provided one) or from the location of submission.
Those who applied by paper will get their AOR through their online account.
The current processing time for proof of citizenship is five months. The processing times is not guaranteed; it may be longer for those who have a complex case requiring Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to request more documents or details, or those who fall under certain scenarios outlined by IRCC.
IRCC also provides urgent processing of citizenship certificate applications, but you need to apply for this and include a letter of explanation and supporting documentation.
When you have successfully obtained your citizenship certificate, you can then apply for a Canadian passport.
How to apply for a Canadian passport
Those wishing to apply for a Canadian passport can do so by mail or at a Service Canada location.
Before submitting a passport application, ensure you have a guarantor (who is a Canadian citizen) and two references who agree to your using their information in your application and to being contacted by IRCC.
Regardless of whether you opt to apply through mail or in-person, you are required to provide the following documents when submitting a passport application:.
- The application form (PPTC 153);
- Your Canadian citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship);
- Proof of identity, such as your driver’s license or your foreign passport; and
- Two identical passport photos.
Your guarantor will be required to sign the application form, one of your passport photos, and all supporting identity documents.
In the application, you can select whether you want a five-year passport ($120) or a 10-year passport ($160).
When submitting your application, you can select whether you need your passport within 10 to 20 business days (the typical processing time), two to nine business days, or by the end of the next business day (for emergencies only).
Unless you paid for pick-up service, your passport will be sent to you by mail, which takes around five business days.
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