You Won’t Have Canadian Citizenship If you’re in One of These Situations

Certainly, there are a few ways to attain Canadian citizenship, if you’re not too sure, you would wish to get proof of citizenship.  This document offers definitive proof that you are a citizen of Canada and eligible to apply for a Canadian passport. One is not considered a Canadian citizen if they:

• Were born in Canada to a foreign diplomat
• Had their citizenship taken away
• Renounced their Canadian citizenship and never applied to get it back;
• Marry a Canadian citizen;
• Are adopted by a Canadian citizen;
• Have their refugee claim accepted;
• Live in Canada as a permanent resident for many years; or
• Were born outside Canada to Canadian parents on or after April 17, 2009, but neither parent was born or naturalized in Canada.

Though, if any of these circumstances apply to you, there may be the slightest chance for you to immigrate to Canada through any of the immigration programs. Once you are a permanent resident, you will become eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship. Contrariwise, you are likely to be considered Canadian if you deem one of the following points:

• Were born in Canada (except to foreign diplomats);
• Became a citizen because of changes to the Citizenship Act;
• Applied for and received your Canadian citizenship;
• Received Canadian citizenship as a minor when a parent or legal guardian applied for your citizenship;
• Were born outside Canada and at least one of your parents (biological or legal at birth) either was born in Canada or became a naturalized citizen before you were born.

First-Generation Rule

You may be eligible to become a Canadian citizen if you are born outside of Canada and your parent was a first-generation Canadian citizen. Citizens who were born in Canada or naturalized will be considered first-generation Canadians, under the understanding of this rule. Thus, if you were born outside Canada to a first-generation Canadian after April 17, 2009, then you will be eligible to get citizenship. In case, you were born outside Canada before the aforementioned date to a Canadian citizen and did not get the proof of citizenship despite the first-generation rule, you may face difficulty getting the citizenship.

How to Apply for Proof of Citizenship

In order to apply for proof of citizenship, one needs to prove that one of the legal or biological parents during birth was a Canadian citizen. One can submit the application online on the IRCC’s website. Once IRCC receives the application, you will receive an acknowledgment receipt and your application will be reviewed and processed.