Millions of Americans may already be Canadian citizens without realising it, after Canada changed its citizenship law in December to allow status to pass down through much older ancestral lines, according to immigration lawyers handling a surge of new cases.
Canada has amended its citizenship rules for decades, usually to correct historic injustices or modernise outdated legislation. Until recently, the principle was strict: citizenship by descent could be passed down only one generation, from a Canadian parent to their child. Grandchildren and those further removed, even with strong family ties, were excluded. The new law, which took effect on 15 December, quietly removed that limit for those born before that date.
