The Next Passport
Great-Grandparent Path · 4 generationsCanadian Citizenship Through Your Great-Grandparent
This page is informational, not legal advice. It describes Canadian citizenship law in general terms, citing publicly available legislation and government sources. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed Canadian immigration lawyer.
Bill C-3 (in force December 15, 2025) removed the first-generation limit that previously blocked multi-generational citizenship claims. In theory, this opens a path for great-grandparent claims: Canadian great-grandparent → grandparent → parent → you. In practice, this is the most complex and uncertain citizenship-by-descent path Canada offers, and IRCC interpretations of multi-generational claims are still evolving.
Each link in the three-link chain requires documented proof: that your great-grandparent was a Canadian citizen, that citizenship passed to your grandparent, that it passed from your grandparent to your parent, and from your parent to you. A break anywhere in the chain — a formal renunciation, a missed transmission date, or an inability to document a link — severs eligibility.
The four-generation chain
Great-Grandparent — born in Canada
The anchor ancestor. Must have been a Canadian citizen.
Grandparent — born outside Canada
Previously the second-to-last generation that could hold citizenship by descent.
Parent — born outside Canada
Previously blocked by the first-generation limit. Bill C-3 now allows transmission here.
You — born outside Canada before December 15, 2025
May qualify under Bill C-3 if the full chain is intact and documented.
What can break the chain
Formal renunciation of Canadian citizenship at any point in the chain severs it permanently. Naturalization as a citizen of another country before 1977 may also have caused automatic loss under the 1947 Citizenship Act — though Bill C-37 (2009) retroactively restored citizenship for those who lost it due to foreign naturalization (not renunciation), an estimated 240,000 Canadians were affected.
An inability to document any link with government-issued vital records is also a practical chain-breaker. IRCC requires long-form birth certificates showing each parent's name. If any record is unavailable — lost, destroyed, or from a jurisdiction with poor vital records — IRCC may request alternative evidence or may be unable to verify the chain.
Birth date cutoff: Bill C-3 only applies to persons born before December 15, 2025. If you were born on or after that date, the first-generation limit is reinstated for your generation and this path does not apply.
Legal basis
- Primary law
- Citizenship Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-29), Section 3(1)(b) — citizenship by birth to a Canadian citizen parent.
- First-generation limit repeal
- Bill C-3 (in force December 15, 2025) — removed the limit for persons born before December 15, 2025.
- Retroactive restoration
- Bill C-37 (S.C. 2008, c. 14), Section 3(1)(f) — restored citizenship for those who lost it through foreign naturalization before 1977 (not renunciation).
- Authority
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Processing time
- approximately 10 months from IRCC receipt (complex multi-generation cases may take longer)
Check your eligibility
The free eligibility check walks through your specific chain — birth dates, citizenship transmission, and documentation gaps.
Check your eligibility →Documents you'll need
Each generation in the chain requires its own set of vital records. IRCC may request additional documents for complex multi-generational claims.
- Great-grandparent's Canadian birth certificate or proof of Canadian citizenship
- Grandparent's long-form birth certificate (showing great-grandparent's name)
- Parent's long-form birth certificate (showing grandparent's name)
- Your long-form birth certificate (showing parent's name)
- Marriage certificates connecting each generation in the chain
- Evidence of no renunciation at each generation (declarations or absence of formal renunciation records)
- Application for a Citizenship Certificate (CIT 0001)
- Document Checklist (CIT 0014)
- Two Canadian citizenship photos meeting IRCC specifications
- $75 CAD processing fee
The Next Passport generates a personalized document checklist based on your specific lineage and tracks completion status for each item.
Also see: the grandparent path
If your grandparent (rather than great-grandparent) was born in Canada, the three-link chain is simpler — one fewer generation to document.
See: Through Your Grandparent →Ready to map out your specific application?
Start your free eligibility check →Not legal advice. This page describes Canadian citizenship law in general terms based on publicly available legislation and government sources. Canadian law can change and IRCC interpretations vary. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed Canadian immigration lawyer. As of .