If you have the right family history, becoming a Canadian citizen is easier than ever.
Canada recently expanded citizenship to extend citizenship by descent beyond the first generation, according to the government. New Rule C-3, the Citizenship Amendment Act, comes into effect in December.
The government says the goal of the new law is to “extend descent citizenship beyond the first generation in a way that is more inclusive and protects the value of Canadian citizenship.”
“There’s no limit to how many generations you can go back as long as you can prove it,” Cassandra Fultz, a Canadian immigration consultant, told the New York Times. canadian broadcasting corporation (CBC), adding that this comes at a time when many Americans are seeking to obtain a second passport.
In fact, canadian broadcasting corporation According to reports, some Americans have already taken advantage of this new opportunity.
The new law also addresses what the government calls “lost Canadians,” or “people who lost or never gained citizenship due to certain outdated rules in earlier citizenship laws.”
To prove citizenship by descent, Fultz told canadian broadcasting corporation The main documents one will need are a baptismal or birth certificate and a marriage certificate to prove a possible name change.
The government says that in addition to citizenship by descent, adult transplant recipients can become Canadian citizens as long as they are permanent residents, have lived in Canada for three out of five years, paid any necessary income taxes in the country and have sufficient knowledge of English or French.
Having a Canadian passport can go a long way. The country’s passport is currently ranked seventh in the world according to the Henley Passport Index, offering visa-free access to more than 182 destinations. It is tied with Australia, Czech Republic, Latvia, New Zealand, Slovakia and Slovenia. Conversely, the United States currently ranks 10th, with visa-free travel to 179 destinations.
In addition to Canada, several other countries allow people to apply for citizenship based on family history, including Spain, Ireland, Italy and Poland. Other countries allow citizenship by investment, such as Portugal and the Caribbean island of St. Kitts and Nevis.
In the United States, Americans can become dual citizens, but the State Department notes that some countries may not recognize travelers’ U.S. citizenship when traveling internationally, which may result in limited U.S. assistance abroad. Dual U.S. citizens must also use a U.S. passport to enter and exit the United States.
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