Claiming Canadian Citizenship Through a Grandparent -or Even a Great-Grandparent

With major changes coming to Canadian citizenship law through Bill C-71 now Bill C-3, getting citizenship through a grandparent is now a reality but many people are wondering What about through a great-grandparent?

Here’s what we know and where things are still uncertain.

Citizenship Through a Grandparent: The Current Situation

Under the old rules, you could only inherit Canadian citizenship if:

• Your parent was a Canadian citizen (by birth or naturalization), and
• You were born outside Canada to that Canadian parent.

If your Canadian connection was only through a grandparent, meaning your parent was not a Canadian citizen at your birth- you had no claim under the old rules. Citizenship could not “skip” a generation.

How Bill C-71 / Bill C-3 Changes This

Bill C-71 removes the “first-generation limit” and will allow citizenship to pass directly to grandchildren born abroad.

Once the law is in effect:

• If your grandparent was Canadian, you may be able to claim citizenship directly even if your parents never obtained it.
• For children born after December 2023, there will be a “substantial connection” test to ensure ties to Canada are maintained.

This marks a significant shift in Canadian citizenship law.

Citizenship Through a Great-Grandparent: Is It Possible?

Bill C-71 (now Bill C-3) does not explicitly grant a right to claim citizenship through a great-grandparent.

That said, in certain situations, it might become possible depending on how the final regulations are written and on your specific family history.

How it could work:

• If your great-grandparent was Canadian,
• And your grandparent either inherited or could have inherited Canadian citizenship,
• Then you may be able to apply as the grandchild of the Canadian citizen (your grandparent)
• Even if your parents were not a Canadian citizen.

But this depends on key factors:

• Whether your grandparent will be recognized as a Canadian citizen under the new rules,
• Whether the “substantial connection” requirement is met, and
• Whether the government chooses to recognize family links where an intermediate generation (your parent) never claimed citizenship.

At this stage, it remains highly speculative. The law is clear about extending citizenship to grandchildren, but extending it further to great-grandchildren will depend entirely on how the new rules are applied in practice and may be very limited.

In Short

• If you have a grandparent was Canadian:
  You may now be eligible to start the process of applying for Canadian citizenship.
• If you have a Canadian is a great-grandparent:
  The situation is more complex. Any potential pathway will depend on whether your grandparent is recognized as having inherited citizenship under the new rules and it’s not assured.

What To Do Now

If you think you may qualify:

• Gather important documents: birth certificates, marriage certificates, and proof of your grandparent’s Canadian Citizenship.
• Trace where each generation was born adn lived.
• Follow our updates closely for the full implementation of Bill C-71, including detailed application instructions.

Canadian citizenship by descent is documentation-heavy. Start preparing your family records early to avoid delays once the new rules are in place.

If you believe you are eligible for Canadian citizenship based on the above information then please get in touch and speak with an expert now.