Canada Modernizes Citizenship-by-Descent: Inclusive Pathways for Indian-Origin Families

Canada is modernizing its Citizenship Act following the royal assent of Bill C-3, impacting many Indian-origin families. The bill addresses the first-generation limit to citizenship by descent, providing citizenship to children born or adopted abroad to Canadian parents, aligning with modern family dynamics.

Canada is taking significant steps to modernize its Citizenship Act after the legislative approval of Bill C-3, aimed at addressing the implications of the first-generation citizenship limit. This legislative change is particularly meaningful for many Indian-origin families affected by outdated citizenship rules.

The new law, once enacted, will offer Canadian citizenship to children born or adopted outside Canada to Canadian parents, even if those parents were born abroad. The Canadian government emphasizes that this reform will bring equity to families and adapt the citizenship framework to the realities of contemporary, globally mobile families.

Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, stated that Bill C-3 will rectify long-standing discrepancies in citizenship laws, offering clarity and inclusivity. The Ontario Superior Court's prior ruling already deemed certain clauses unconstitutional, aligning with the government's assessment of the law's restrictive impacts.

(With inputs from agencies.)