Canadian citizenship
Compare citizenship by birth, descent and naturalisation, and explore the travel access a Canadian passport provides.
Multiple citizenships permitted✓ Yes
Notes & source
Canada permits multiple citizenships. The other country’s acquisition and loss rules still apply.
Citizenship rulesWhere a Canadian passport can take you
Data and sources
Compare paths to citizenship
Checked 14 October 2026| Path | Available? | Who qualifies | Residence requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth in Canada | Yes, generally | People born in Canada | No later residence requirement |
| Ancestry / descent | Yes, subject to transmission rules | People with a Canadian parent; some older family lines | Depends on birth date and parent’s status |
| Adult naturalisation | Yes | Eligible permanent residents | 1,095 qualifying days in the preceding 5 years |
| Marriage to a Canadian | No separate citizenship route | Spouses follow the ordinary citizenship requirements | No reduced citizenship residence period |
| Citizenship for minor children | Yes | Eligible children under 18 | Depends on the child’s application category |
| International adoption | Yes, by application | Qualifying adopted children of Canadian citizens | Direct grant can avoid prior permanent residence |
| Resuming former citizenship | Yes, if eligible | Former citizens who qualify to resume | Normally 365 days as a permanent resident in 2 years |
Yes, generally
Birth in Canada
- Citizenship is generally acquired at birth. A provincial or territorial birth certificate usually proves it.
- The diplomatic exception can affect children born to foreign officials; birth in Canada should not be treated as unconditional in those cases.
Requirements & source
Yes, subject to transmission rules
Ancestry / descent
- Born abroad before 15 December 2025: the 2025 changes expanded recognition beyond the former first-generation limit. Trace citizenship through each generation; an ancestor’s Canadian connection alone is not proof.
- For later births abroad beyond the first generation, the transmitting Canadian parent generally needs 1,095 cumulative days in Canada before the child’s birth. This is the parent’s connection test, not the child’s naturalisation period.
- Apply for a citizenship certificate to confirm an existing entitlement. Adoption uses a separate grant process.
Requirements & source
Yes
Adult naturalisation
- Meet permanent-resident status and physical-presence requirements; file taxes for three years within the five-year period if required.
- Eligible pre-permanent-residence days count at half value, up to 365 credited days. Language evidence and a citizenship test normally apply at ages 18–54. Prohibitions and the oath also apply.
Requirements & source
Yes
Citizenship for minor children
- A permanent-resident child with a Canadian parent or a parent applying concurrently can use the minor 5(2) route, without the adult physical-presence requirement.
- Other minor applications use different requirements. Children are not automatically naturalised when their parents become citizens.
Requirements & source
Yes, by application
International adoption
- A qualifying adoption can lead to a direct citizenship grant. At least one adoptive parent must satisfy the citizenship and transmission rules; the adoption must meet the legal safeguards.
- Alternatively, immigration sponsorship may lead to permanent residence and later a citizenship grant. Adoption abroad does not automatically confer citizenship.
Requirements & source
Yes, if eligible
Resuming former citizenship
- The ordinary route requires permanent residence after loss of citizenship, the specified presence period and required tax filing for the preceding year. Revocation, a removal order or prohibitions can prevent eligibility.
- Check whether a legislative change already restored citizenship before applying to resume it. Separate rules apply to eligible Canadian Armed Forces members.