Find out what you can apply for: Changes to the first-generation limit on citizenship

The first-generation limit on citizenship generally means that someone isn’t automatically a Canadian citizen if

they were born outside Canada
their parent was also born abroad to a Canadian parent (the grandparent was a Canadian), and
they don’t have another Canadian parent who
- was born in Canada, or
- became a naturalized citizen(opens in a new tab) before they were born

In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declared that the first-generation limit for many individuals is unconstitutional.

The Court has suspended this declaration until December 19, 2024. This means that the current rules still apply until further notice.

Answer a few questions to

check if the first-generation limit affects you
learn how to do 1 of the following:
- apply for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship) through the urgent or regular process, or
- apply to become a Canadian citizen

1. Do both of these conditions apply to you?

You were born outside Canada.
Your parent was also born abroad to a Canadian parent.
- Your grandparent was a Canadian.

Yes
2. Do you have another parent who meets 1 of these conditions?

Your other parent is a Canadian who
- was born in Canada, or
- became a naturalized citizen before you were born
About naturalized citizens

A naturalized citizen is someone who successfully applied to become a Canadian citizen. They usually need to become permanent residents before applying.
- Yes
- No
  3. Do any of these apply to you?
  
  At the time of your birth, your Canadian parent was employed outside Canada as a crown servant
  
  At the time of your Canadian parent’s birth or adoption, your Canadian grandparent was employed outside Canada as a crown servant
  
  About crown servants
  
  A crown servant is a person employed with the
  
  Canadian Armed Forces
  
  Canadian federal public administration, or
  
  public service of a province or territory
  
  This doesn’t include locally engaged people (foreign citizens hired in their own countries by the Canadian government to support Canadian offices abroad).
  - Yes
  - No
    
    4. Do you need a citizenship certificate urgently for any of the reasons below?
    
    to help avoid situations of potential harm or hardship due to factors such as
    
    race
    
    religion
    
    nationality
    
    sexual orientation
    
    gender identity or expression, or
    
    membership in particular groups
    
    to move your minor child (under 18) to Canada and they
    
    were born outside Canada, and
    
    have a Canadian parent
    
    to help with a case of statelessness
    
    to travel because of death or serious illness in the family, and you’re unable to get a passport in your other nationality
    
    to give up (renounce) foreign citizenship by a certain date
    
    for employment or education, specifically to:
    
    apply for a job
    
    avoid losing a current job
    
    attend a school, college or university
    
    to access social benefits like
    
    a pension
    
    health care
    
    a social insurance number
    
    Yes
    
    No
  - I don't know
- I don't know
No
I don’t know

The first-generation limit doesn’t apply to you

You said

you weren’t born outside Canada
your parent wasn’t born abroad to a Canadian parent, or
both of the above

Based on your answers, the first-generation limit on citizenship doesn’t apply to you.

If you believe you’re a citizen

To find out for sure, you can apply for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship).

We’ll review your application to check if you’re already a Canadian citizen.
If you’re a citizen, you’ll get a citizenship certificate.

Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate(opens in a new tab)

If you know you’re not a citizen

If you’re not a citizen, you can apply for Canadian citizenship.

Depending on your situation, you can

apply for citizenship(opens in a new tab)
- This includes application for stateless people born to a Canadian parent(opens in a new tab)
  - outside Canada and
  - on or after April 17, 2009
apply to resume your citizenship(opens in a new tab) if you previously gave it up (renounced it)
apply for citizenship for your adopted child (or adult adoptee)(opens in a new tab) if
- you’re a Canadian citizen and
- your adopted child was born outside Canada

If your application is successful, you’ll get a Canadian citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship).

We need more information

You said that you don’t know if

you were born outside Canada
your parent was born abroad to a Canadian parent, or
both of the above

Based on your answers, this online tool can’t tell you if the first-generation limit on citizenship applies to you.

To find out for sure if you’re a Canadian citizen, you can apply for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship).

We’ll review your application to check if you’re already a Canadian citizen.
If you’re a citizen, you’ll get a citizenship certificate.

Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate (opens in a new tab)

The first-generation limit doesn’t apply to you

You said

you were born outside Canada
your parent was also born abroad to a Canadian parent, and
your Canadian parent or grandparent was a crown servant employed outside Canada

You may already be a Canadian citizen. To know for sure, you can apply for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship).

Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate(opens in a new tab)

The first-generation limit doesn’t apply to you

You said

you were born outside Canada
your parent was also born abroad to a Canadian parent, and
you have another parent who
- was born in Canada, or
- became a naturalized citizen before you were born

You may already be a Canadian citizen. To know for sure, you can apply for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship).

Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate(opens in a new tab)

We need more information

You said

you were born outside Canada
your parent was also born abroad to a Canadian parent, and
you don’t know if your other parent
- was born in Canada, or
- became a naturalized citizen before you were born

Based on your answers, this online tool can’t tell you if the first-generation limit on citizenship applies to you.

To find out for sure if you’re a Canadian citizen, you can apply for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship).

We’ll review your application to check if you’re already a Canadian citizen.
If you’re a citizen, you’ll get a citizenship certificate.

Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate (opens in a new tab)

We need more information

You said

you were born outside Canada
your parent was also born abroad to a Canadian parent
you don’t have another parent who
- was born in Canada, or
- became a naturalized citizen before you were born
you don’t know if your parent or grandparent was a crown servant

Based on your answers, this online tool can’t tell you if the first-generation limit on citizenship applies to you.

To find out for sure if you’re a Canadian citizen, you can apply for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship).

We’ll review your application to check if you’re already a Canadian citizen.
If you’re a citizen, you’ll get a citizenship certificate.

Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate (opens in a new tab)

You can apply urgently for a citizenship certificate

You said

you were born outside Canada
your parent was also born abroad to a Canadian parent
you don’t have another parent who
- was born in Canada, or
- became a naturalized citizen before you were born
neither your parent nor your grandparent were crown servants
you have a valid reason to apply urgently for a citizenship certificate

Based on your answers

the first-generation limit may apply to you
you can apply urgently for a citizenship certificate

After we receive your application, we’ll review it to check if it qualifies for urgent processing.

If your application qualifies for urgent processing, you’ll get the following information:

a notice that the first-generation limit is still in effect
the option to ask for a discretionary grant of citizenship
- This means you may become a Canadian citizen at the Minister’s discretion.
instructions to apply for the grant

If your application doesn’t qualify for urgent processing, we’ll let you know and keep your application for regular processing(opens in a new tab) .

How to apply for urgent processing(opens in a new tab)

You may apply for a citizenship certificate (regular processing)

You said

you were born outside Canada
your parent was also born abroad to a Canadian parent
neither your parent nor your grandparent was a crown servant
you need a citizenship certificate, but not urgently

Based on your answers

the first-generation limit may apply to you
you may not qualify for urgent application for a citizenship certificate

You have 2 options:

Option 1: Apply for a citizenship certificate now

You can still apply for a citizenship certificate under the regular process.

Processing times(opens in a new tab) may be longer than normal.

Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate(opens in a new tab)

Option 2: Wait for the first-generation limit to change

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice declared that the first-generation limit for many individuals is unconstitutional. The Court has suspended this declaration until December 19, 2024, which means that the current rules still apply.

You may wait until the first-generation limit no longer applies before applying for a certificate. By that time, you may be a Canadian citizen.

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Date modified:: 2024-08-06

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Find out what you can apply for: Changes to the first-generation limit on citizenship

The first-generation limit doesn’t apply to you

If you believe you’re a citizen

If you know you’re not a citizen

We need more information

The first-generation limit doesn’t apply to you

The first-generation limit doesn’t apply to you

We need more information

We need more information

You can apply urgently for a citizenship certificate

You may apply for a citizenship certificate (regular processing)

Option 1: Apply for a citizenship certificate now

Option 2: Wait for the first-generation limit to change

Page details