Category Archives: Bill C-71

You Have Your Certificate Of Canadian Citizenship – What Next? Six Options For Newly Recognized Canadians

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John Richardson, J.D. – August 13, 2026

Introduction and purpose

This is the third of a series of posts to help you understand Canadian citizenship by descent. Canada’s Bill C-3 which took effect on December 15, 2025 made major changes to Canada’s citizenship laws. By changing it’s “citizenship by descent” rules, Canada has created an opportunity for many U.S. citizens to be formally recognized as Canadian citizens. This series of posts has been designed to understand Canada’s Bill C-3 (effective December 15, 2025) and understand how and why these changes are so valuable for many U.S. citizens.

A series of posts

The first post focused on Understanding The Citizenship By Descent Provisions Of Bill C-3 – The Canada Citizenship Act. Specifically what factual conditions would result in an indiviudal being a Canadian citizen and therefore entitled to a Certificate of Canadian citizenship? (Note that with the exception of naturalization or direct grant, one would, under Canadian law, be a Canadian citizen from birth. Those born in the United States are U.S. citizens from birth. Hence, many people, recognized as Canadian citizens from birth, would be Canada/U.S. dual citizens from birth.)

Understanding The Citizenship By Descent Provisions Of Bill C-3 – The Canada Citizenship Act

The second post is a discussion of “Canadian Citizenship By Descent – A Search For Proof (To Prove The Truth)”

Canadian Citizenship By Descent – A Search For Proof (To Prove The Truth) – 4 Perspectives

If citizenship cannot be proven, it has no functional or practical existence. Therefore, those seeking a Certificate of Canadian citizenship embark on “a search for proof”. Although the law does not establish a formal deadline to submit the application for a “Certificate of Canadian Citizenship”, I suggest applying as quickly as possible. Laws can and do change!

This third post is to explore why eligibility for a “Certificate of Canadian Citizenshp” matters. What good is it to be a Canadian citizen? What role could Canadian citizenship play in your life. So, you are a Canadian citizen? What do you do with it? How can it benefit you and your descendants? I suggest that (particularly as a U.S. citizen) that there are (at least) six ways that having a Canadian passport could enhance your life.

What does it mean to be a Canadian citizen? What does it mean to move to Canada as a Canadian citizen?

This post is organized in the following Parts.

Part A – Taxation is destiny – moving to another country always has tax implications

Part B – If you move to Canada and renounce U.S. citizenship you may be subject to the U.S. “Exit Tax” rules

Part C – A review of who IS a Canadian citizen and entitled to a Certificate of Canadian citizenship”

Part D – I have my certificate of Canadian citizenship – what do I do with it? How do I turn it into a family heirloom? How can I sponsor my spouse?

Part E – Six specific opportunities Canadian citizenship provides to U.S. citizens

Part F – Renouncing U.S. citizenship and having access to the United States as a Canadian citizen

Conclusion

Appendix A – The 877A U.S. Exit Tax Rules

Appendix B – The 877A “dual citizen from birth” exemption to the Exit Tax Rules

Appendix C – The legislative text of the “dual citizen from birth” exemption to “covered expatriate” status

Here we go …

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Understanding The Citizenship By Descent Provisions Of Bill C-3 – The Canada Citizenship Act

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By John Richardson, J.D. – Toronto, Canada – August 9, 2026

I have organized this post into the following Parts:

Introduction – Explaining the purpose

Part A – Canada’s citizenship by descent law from December 15, 2025 – What the law says

Part B – Understanding the language of Bill C-3 Canada’s citizenship by descent rules

Part C – Parsing the language of Bill C-3: How the legislation compels these conclusions

Part D – A Review: What is the legislative source of these conclusions? How does one get there? – The Text of relevant parts of Bill C-3

Part E – In Summary

Appendix A – Canada Citizenship Act

Appendix B – Canada Justice Minister – Explanation of Bill C-3

Appendix C – Bill C-3 Backgrounder

Appendix D – How To Apply For A Certificate Of Canadian Citizenship

Appendix E – Legislative Summary Of Bill C-3

Appendix F – The Complete Text Of Section 3 Of the Canada Citzenship Act

Introduction – Explaining the purpose

The purpose of this post is narrow. It is to explain how the new “citizenship by descent rules” follow from the text of Section 3(1) of The Canada Citizenship Act.

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-29/page-1.html#docCont

Bill C-3 – Canada’s new citizenship law – Effective December 15, 2025

I am going to be honest. I find it very difficult to read the Canada Citizenship Act and make sense of it. I understand what the commentators say that it says. That’s great. But I feel more comfortable if I can understand the legislation, parse the legislation and understand how the sections fit together.

Bottom line: If somebody asks you:

Q. Where in the Canada Citizenship Act does it specifically say that, if a child is born outside of Canada, after December 14, 2025, to a parent who was a Canadian citizen and that Canadian citizen parent was also born outside of Canada, then that parent is required to have 1095 days of physical presence in Canada prior to the child’s birth in order to transmit citizenship to the child?

A. Well, you better be able to provide an answer.

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Part 4 – Canada Bill – C71 Will Increase Citizenship By Descent Options For US Citizens Seeking Canada/US Dual Citizenship

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Introduction And Summary

This is Part 4 in my “Little Red Dual Citizenship Book” Series. For parts 1 to 5, see the Appendix.

A recent article in the Boston Globe is evidence that more and more Americans are interested in acquiring a second citizenship. Second citizenship can be obtained through naturalization, investment or citizenship by descent. “Citizenship by descent” is citizenship conferred based on one’s relationship – ancestry – to a parent or grandparent. The nature of the ancestral relationship depends on the country. Countries offering citizenship by descent include: Italy, Ireland, Poland, Canada and many other European countries. Citizenship by ancestry is often referred to as “citizenship by descent”. The basic principle is that one acquires citizenship because of a familial relationship to a citizen of that country. Increasing numbers of people are learning that through ancestry, they may be able acquire or document a second citizenship.

An option for “citizenship by descent” that is much closer to home – Canada – will soon be an option for more U.S. citizens than it is under exiting law.

Citizenship By Descent – Equal Treatment And Opportunity For All Canadian Citizens

The precise rules governing citizenship by descent vary from country to country. The rules governing citizenship by descent have many difficulties. Should ANY citizen be able to pass his/her citizenship on to the next generation? Does the physical connection to the country of citizenship matter? Should citizenship by descent rules operate so that acquisition of descent can be available for many generations? These questions were explored in the context of Canada’s Charter of Rights And Freedoms.

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Canada’s new “citizenship by descent” law may benefit many U.S. citizens in unanticipated ways

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Introduction and purpose of this post

In response to a 2023 Canadian court decision the Government of Canada is enacting a new law – Bill C-71. (A good analysis of the court decision is here). Assuming it is enacted, Bill C-71 may create an opportunity for certain U.S. citizens to become Canadian citizens at birth. This will this give them the usual benefits of citizenship (right to live and work in Canada). But, it may also allow them to accumulate wealth in the United States, move to Canada, renounce U.S. citizenship and avoid paying the 877A Exit Tax. Once again, we see the U.S. Tax Code has created a hierarchy of U.S. citizens. Those born with dual citizenship (U.S. and another citizenship) are “preferred U.S. citizens”. Those born with dual citizenship are the Brahmins of the USA and those born with only U.S. citizenship are the “Sudras” of the USA. In the same way that a change in a country’s criminal laws can impact extradition TO the United States, a change in a country’s citizenship laws can facilitate escape FROM the United States.

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