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Citizenship Rules for Canadians

Citizenship Rules for Canadians

Canadian citizenship can be restored or granted to citizens who have lost or never received citizenship.

These new rules restrict Canadian citizenship to the first generation born to Canadian parents living outside Canada. You can also find a Canadian citizenship lawyer by navigating this link.

Top 60 Most Asked Questions during a Visa Interview - SchengenVisaInfo.com

This allows those who were adopted from outside Canada by Canadian parents between January 1, 1947, and February 14, 1977, to apply for citizenship without the need to undergo an immigration process.

Many people were unsure about their citizenship status in Canada because of the previous citizenship rules. People living in Canada that were not Canadian citizens or who had Canadian grandparents must apply to keep or retain their Canadian citizenship. They have to be able to stay for one year or prove that they have a strong connection to Canada. Many of these people didn't realize they were Canadian citizens.

This is made easier by the new law, which grants citizenship to only the first generation of Canadian citizens without having to apply for citizenship. The idea was that the first generation to be born outside Canada would at minimum know their parent’s citizenship status. Canada can better preserve the value of citizenship by limiting the right to citizenship to those born outside of Canada.

The new law doesn't force children of Canadian parents to become citizens. They are given this privilege at birth, but they can renounce it at any time. Adults who were affected by 2009's changes in the citizenship law have an easy and free way of renouncing their rights. This process is used when the individual in question was a citizen or resident of another country prior to the law's implementation and wishes to continue being a citizen of that country. 

If the country they reside in allows dual citizenship, they may want to keep both citizenships.

Consult a Canadian lawyer if you're unsure if you were affected by changes to Canada's citizenship rules. These lawyers are familiar with the changes and can help you to determine your citizenship status. A Canadian lawyer can help you file the necessary paperwork to revoke your newly-awarded citizenship.