Can my child who was born outside Canada be a Canadian citizen?

A child born outside Canada may acquire Canadian citizenship by descent if a parent is a Canadian citizen at the time of the child's birth. This is a federal rule under the Citizenship Act, and the specific rules about which generations can transmit citizenship by descent have changed over the years.

The current rules limit citizenship by descent to the first generation born abroad. This means that if your parent was born a Canadian citizen but became one through descent themselves (i.e., was also born outside Canada), citizenship may not automatically pass to you. The generational limit was introduced by federal law to prevent indefinite transmission of citizenship to people with no real connection to Canada.

If your child qualifies as a Canadian citizen by descent, you can apply to IRCC for a citizenship certificate, which is the official document confirming their citizenship. A citizenship certificate is distinct from a passport — it proves citizenship status. To apply, you need to provide evidence of the parent's Canadian citizenship, the child's birth registration, and proof of the parent-child relationship. A lawyer can help you assess whether the generational limit applies and what documents to gather.