This year’s citizenship week celebration in Canada (spanning April 12–18) is the first to include millions of Americans, who were granted Canadian citizenship four months ago.
Canada’s new citizenship rules recognize anyone born abroad with a Canadian ancestor—no matter how many generations removed—as a Canadian citizen, for all births and adoptions prior to December 15, 2025.
Get a Free Consultation on Applying for Proof of Canadian Citizenship
The law offered a lifeline to Susan, a Vermont-based researcher who had felt increasingly alienated in her own homeland following Trump’s first presidential win.
She’d considered moving to Canada years ago, but found she had slim chances of making it through Canada’s highly competitive process for selecting permanent residents. She’d all but given up.
When the news broke last December, she’d jumped at the opportunity to gain official recognition as an American-Canadian dual citizen, having realized at once that she was eligible upon reading the Canadian government’s press release.
An amateur genealogist, she had traced her family lineage back 50 generations —including to the British royal line and to Charlemagne. She knew that her grandmother’s maiden name (Forrest, originally “La Forêt”) came from Quebecois ancestors, with at least four generations of Canadian descent.
With her family tree already mapped out, it took Susan only a few weeks to gather the required documents and engage Cohen Immigration Law to handle her application.
With her application in the mail to Canada’s immigration department, she’s expecting to receive her proof of Canadian citizenship certificate this fall.
Susan’s connection to Canada had begun when she grew up reading Anne of Green Gables, and was deepened when she honeymooned in the province of Prince Edward Island with her husband Tom.
This summer, she and Tom plan to attend the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Their trip in June may be the last time Susan seeks entry to Canada as a visitor. Already, going to Canada feels like going home.
Claiming dual citizenship with Canada through ancestry
Susan’s not alone.
Today, millions of Americans across the United States qualify for Canadian citizenship based on ancestry, and many are applying so they can get Canadian passports.
Do you have a Canadian ancestor somewhere in your family tree?
If you’re not sure and haven’t mapped your geneology, start by looking for signs of potential Canadian ancestry, such as family roots in New England, or a last name suggesting Canadian origin.
After identifying your ancestors, you can validate whether you’re a Canadian citizen using CanadaVisa’s citizenship by descent calculator.
If you qualify, you can obtain your proof of citizenship certificate by submitting an application to Canada’s citizenship and immigration department.
The application requires providing documentation (e.g., birth certificates, baptismal records, marriage certificates) that demonstrates your descent from a Canadian ancestor.
Once you receive this certificate, you can apply for a Canadian passport.
If you hold both U.S. and Canadian citizenship, you’ll enjoy the full rights and privileges afforded to citizens of each country.
Acquiring Canadian citizenship will not expose you to any tax obligations. Unlike the United States, Canada imposes no tax obligations on the basis of citizenship.
To check if you’re eligible, visit CanadaVisa’s citizenship by descent calculator.
Get a Free Consultation on Applying for Proof of Canadian Citizenship
*Susan’s story reflects the real-life experience of a New Englander for whom Canadian citizenship offered a balm to cultural and political alienation. Pseudonyms have been used, and some details have been changed to maintain client confidentiality and to provide narrative continuity.