A 2025 change to Canadian law has opened citizenship by descent to potentially millions of people — and Franco-Americans, whose families so often emigrated from Québec to New England, are among those most likely to qualify. Our free Canadian Citizenship by Descent Guide helps you find out whether a path may be open to you.
What changed
On 15 December 2025, Bill C-3 came into force and removed the long-standing “first-generation limit” on citizenship by descent. As a result, many people previously shut out — the so-called “Lost Canadians” and their descendants — may now be Canadian citizens through a Canadian grandparent or great-grandparent. This is a genuinely new and evolving area, and the process has seen real turbulence; we explain the current state plainly and point you to official sources.
What the guide helps you do
- understand whether you may be a Canadian citizen under the new rules;
- see how the law works through the citizenship by descent guide;
- assemble the documents and unbroken records chain a claim requires;
- understand why this overlaps so neatly with French-Canadian genealogy — the same Québec records prove both.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Citizenship law is complex and currently in flux; always confirm your situation with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or a qualified Canadian citizenship lawyer. Wondering about French citizenship instead? Read whether a New France ancestor can make you French first.