A third of Vermonters can get Canadian passports in wake of citizenship law changes

Around one in three Vermonters now qualifies for Canadian citizenship, following a recent change to Canada's citizenship by descent law.

On December 15, 2025, Canada eliminated its first-generation limit to citizenship by descent. Now, anyone born prior to that date who can trace their lineage back to a Canadian ancestor is legally recognized as a Canadian citizen.

Get a Free Consultation on Applying for Proof of Canadian Citizenship

Approximately 30 percent of Vermont residents have French-Canadian ancestry, according to Ed McGuire, former president of the Vermont Genealogy Library, making Vermont a hot spot for Americans who are now recognized as U.S.-Canadian dual citizens, able to apply for proof of Canadian citizenship and thereby obtain Canadian passports.

Vermonters’ Canadian ancestry stems from the mass migration of French Canadians from the province of Quebec to New England between 1840 and 1930.

By 1860, more than 16,000 French Canadians are estimated to have settled in Vermont — more than double the number of any other New England state, according to Vermont Public.

Today, descendants of those who made that journey are at the forefront of those affected by this new law, even those with only a single French-Canadian ancestor, no matter how many generations removed.

What does this mean for eligible Vermonters?

Vermonters with French Canadian ancestry can now apply for proof of citizenship certificates, claiming Canadian citizenship and the many benefits that come with it.

As U.S.-Canadian dual citizens, they have the rights to enter, live and work in Canada, vote in Canadian elections, or even run for Canadian political office. They also gain access to a Canadian passport, which currently ranks above the US passport on the Henley Passport Index, and will be able to pass on Canadian citizenship by descent to their own children born anywhere in the world—provided they’ve lived in Canada for at least three years.

Canadian passport holders under the age of 35 are also eligible for Canada's youth mobility programs, which allow participants to live and work across many countries, across Europe, South America, Asia, and Oceania.

Since both Canada and the United States permit dual citizenship, eligible Vermonters will enjoy the full rights and privileges of both their U.S. and Canadian citizenships.

U.S.-Canadian dual citizens do not become subject to any additional tax obligations by obtaining their proof of Canadian citizenship or Canadian passport. Unlike the United States, Canada does not apply a worldwide tax on its citizens. For Americans, there are no downsides to claiming Canadian citizenship – only upsides.

Since the law changed in December, demand for documents proving Canadian ancestry has skyrocketed across the United States. There has been a 3,000% increase in requests for vital records proving ancestry reported by Quebec’s national archives, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ).

Lots of Americans applying have no immediate plans to move to Canada. Many are well-off, semi-retired white-collar professionals whose families have been living in the U.S. for generations. For them, Canadian citizenship is a back-up option.

How to apply for proof of Canadian citizenship?

If French has been a first or second language growing up, or a family name – Pelletier, LaFlamme, Martel, Ouellette, and LeClair – is distinctively French Canadian, these are strong indicators someone might be eligible to claim Canadian citizenship.

Those who are interested must collect documentation proving their connection to their French-Canadian ancestor. It could be birth certificates, death certificates, baptism records. Even hospital records or marriage certificates can be essential ties.

Once documentation has been collected, the next step is filling out an application for a proof of Canadian citizenship certificate.

Eligible Vermonters can handle their application themselves, or hire a representative legally authorized by the Canadian government, such as a Canadian immigration lawyer, to handle their applications for them. Quebec-based licensed representatives may confer an advantage in obtaining essential documentation, as the BAnQ prioritizes requests made by Quebec-based residents.

Once a proof of Canadian citizenship application form has been submitted, it is processed by Canada’s citizenship department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. As of the time of writing, processing for this document sits at 10 months.

Those who receive their certificate can then apply for a Canadian passport. Processing time for Canadian passports is currently 10-20 business days, with applicants enjoying a 30-day money-back guarantee on processing time.

Get a Free Consultation on Applying for Proof of Canadian Citizenship