Can I sponsor a biological child who was born abroad and is not yet a Canadian citizen?

If your biological child was born outside Canada and is not already a Canadian citizen, you may be able to sponsor them as a dependent child under the federal family class sponsorship program, provided they meet the definition of a dependent child (generally, under 22 years old, without a spouse or common-law partner, or over 22 but continuously financially dependent due to a condition).

First check whether your child may already be a Canadian citizen by descent — children born abroad to a Canadian parent may have acquired citizenship automatically at birth under the Citizenship Act, subject to certain generational limits. If your child is already a citizen, you do not need to sponsor them — they can simply travel to Canada on a Canadian passport or certificate of citizenship.

If your child is not a citizen and qualifies as a dependent, you can include them in a sponsorship application (for example, alongside a spousal sponsorship or as a standalone dependent child sponsorship). They must pass standard admissibility requirements including a medical exam. Confirm citizenship eligibility first before pursuing sponsorship — it may not be necessary.