New Canadian citizenship rules for children born outside of Canada

The amendments to the Citizenship Act mean that only those children who are born offshore to Canadian citizens in the first generation can apply for automatic citizenship. 

Before the changes, those who were born abroad to Canadian citizens in the second and third generations could automatically apply for citizenship.  After April 17, 2009, when the new law comes into effect, the old law will become dormant, even if the person eligible under the old law was born before April 17, 2009. 

This means that all those who are born offshore to Canadian parents who also acquired their citizenship automatically offshore must lodge their applications before April. 

The changes for citizenship-hopefuls will not make the pathway too daunting; children born to Canadian parents abroad will still be able to move to Canada permanently under the new rules and apply for citizenship, however their children will have to obtain Canadian visas to move with them through the Canadian Family Visa class. 

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The Canadian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people apply for Canada visa and immigration services.