Want to be a Canadian? It's never been easier.

[pat_k]

Source: Washington Post

Late last year, the Canadian government amended the Citizenship Act to grant Canadian citizenship to a wider pool of people seeking dual citizenship through their family lineage. Before the revised law went into effect on Dec. 15, the country limited Canadian citizenship to the first-generation children of a Canadian parent. Now, all generations who were born outside of Canada and have direct Canadian ancestry can become Canadian citizens, as long as they possess the correct documents and fall within the correct legal provisions.
...
Canada, by comparison, is a breeze, especially for applicants with a Canadian ancestor whose documents don’t require a genealogical deep dive or a Rosetta stone to decipher. Eligible adults can apply online for 75 Canadian dollars (about $50).



Read more: https://wapo.st/4cjy6JB

[PSPS]

1. I wish the UK were as lenient. My grandmother was born in Liverpool but that's not good enough for me.

[pat_k]

8. Dang! I actually qualify for UK (father born in London). My partner qualified for an Irish passport via Grandparent.

Way back when, we both looked into it and planned to get the process going. After my partner died in 2011, I sort of dropped the idea, but I think it is time.

Many people are setting up a "plan B." A friend of mine (naturalized citizen born in Kuwait) and his wife went through the process of becoming permanent residents of Malta. (They live in St. Paul, so fears of being kidnapped for being brown in public have been high). Another acquaintance whose grandfather was born in Greece is in the process of getting Greek citizenship by descent.

[Dave Bowman]

2. Maybe we should build a statue with this text:

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore."

It would be very appropriate, IMHO.

[FarPoint]

4. I guess that will now include me....

My son , born in usa, has duel Canadian? US/ citizenship and so does his wife who was born in Jordan...they live in Edmonton .... Their son was born December 2024 in Canada so he is first generation Canadian now for our family....

Life does get better...opens doors.

[Dave Bowman]

5. From a Canadian: You are very welcome here so come on over. 👍

[LeftInTX]

6. Three of my husband's grandparents were born in Mexico, but he is not eligibile.

If his parents would have pursued citizenship, he would have been eligible, but the thought never crossed their minds, nor do I think they would have been interested.

I have no relations from Canada that I know of. Maybe one that goes back about three hundred years....but I doubt if it counts and I doubt I would be able to obtain the documentation

[pat_k]

11. Other countries that have multigenerational citizenship by descent in Post 10

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143647134#post10

[Wednesdays]

7. I just saw that you can apply for citizenship in Poland

If you had a great-grandparent of Polish citizenship. Especially if your ancestor lived in Poland anytime after 1920.

I might consider it.

[pat_k]

10. Countries that provide multigenerational pathways

Here's what AI (Gemini) had to say on the subject.
Take with whatever grains of salt you apply to all AI.

Several countries, particularly in Europe, offer citizenship by descent extending beyond one generation (grandparents or further), often through jus sanguinis (right of blood) rules. Key nations with generous, potentially multi-generational pathways include Italy, Poland, Hungary, Ireland, and Armenia, allowing descendants to claim citizenship if they can prove an uninterrupted lineage.

Countries with No Generational Limits (or very broad pathways):

Italy: Provides citizenship to descendants of Italian citizens without a limit on generations, provided the ancestor was alive and a citizen after 1861.

Poland: Allows citizenship through grandparents or great-grandparents, provided they left Poland after 1919 and maintained an "unbroken chain".

Hungary: Allows descendants with Hungarian ancestors (parents or grandparents) to claim citizenship, often without a limit on generations, provided they can prove ancestry and demonstrate basic language skills.

Armenia: Citizenship can be granted to those of Armenian descent with few restrictions.

Countries Offering Multi-Generational Pathways (2nd-3rd Gen+):

Ireland: Citizens can pass down citizenship if they have an Irish-born grandparent, or in some cases, via the Foreign Birth Registration.

Germany: If a parent was eligible, you may be as well; it often allows tracing back to grandparents, including restitution for those stripped of citizenship historically.

Spain: Allows grandchildren of Spanish-born citizens to apply under specific laws (such as the 2022 "Grandchildren's Law" ).

Slovakia: Allows for third-generation descent claims.

Croatia: Provides pathways for grandchildren of Croatian citizens who emigrated before 1991.

Portugal/Greece/Romania: Offer descent-based pathways that may extend to grandparents.

Important Notes:

Documentation: These claims require proving citizenship with documents (birth, marriage, death records) of ancestors.

Chain of Citizenship: Many countries, especially Poland and Italy, require that the chain of citizenship was not interrupted (e.g., the ancestor did not naturalize as a citizen of a different country before the next generation was born, or did so at a specific time).

Restrictions: Some countries, like Italy, have considered reforms to tighten these rules, making it essential to act quickly.

Disclaimer

Citizenship laws are subject to change. Always check the official website of the country's embassy or consulate for the most current information.

[LeftInTX]

12. I'm 1/2 Armenian, but I really don't want to move there.

It's not much better than here right now.

You are eligible for Mexican citizenship if your parents were citizens, but since my husbands parents were born in the US and never pursued their right to Mexican citizenship, he is no more eligible than you or I.

[chowder66]

15. The Italy information is outdated. They tightened their restrictions to a parent or grandparent and there are

caveats to that as well.

[Rhiannon12866]

19. Both of my maternal grandparents came from Poland, but in 1912. My grandmother was 15

He became a citizen after fighting in WWI, but she didn't become one till much later, I remember being told that her first vote was for LBJ. My mother was fluent, but she never passed that on, except for several choice words.

And my paternal great grandparents came from Ireland, my grandfather was their eldest son. As for my Dad's mother, who I was closest to, her ancestors were Dutch, came to these shores in the 1600s, so there's not a lot of hope there. *sigh*

[OnlinePoker]

13. Matty Cash, fullback for Aston Villa FC, was born in the UK but has played on the Polish National Team

He holds a Polish passport. His mother was born in the UK of Polish parents so he's eligible that way.

[caraher]

26. I have a Polish grandparent

His birth certificate was issued by the Austro-Hungarian Empire though... which I guess is why 1920 is mentioned. Great grandparents on my mother's side were all Polish.

On my dad's side we have Canadian ancestors, but that's a longer walk...

[bluestarone]

9. Any other time, i would love to go to Canada. BUT

My fight is right here. One way or another i'm staying to see all this through. November election and days, weeks, months after We win or lose legally or we fight. That's it!

[Lemon Lyman]

14. THIS

Me & mine are going to stay here, and we're going to kick their rw asses!

[chowder66]

16. This is cool! I'm Canadian/American or will soon be (in however many years it takes me to do this).

My mom called me today and said she was going to do it and when I last read up on this, she was the only one who could do it, but they obviously opened it up beyond that and now me, my brother, his kids, his grandkids my other brothers kids and grandkids all get to do this if we provide all the documents.

Wheeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

I doubt I will move there but I will certainly visit and then who knows....?

I feel like it's a huge gift for all the work I've done over the years on our Canadian/Cornish genealogy. I've been working on it again while watching Poldark so it's a big bonus!!

[pat_k]

20. Woohooo!

Glad the news applies to you!!

I qualify for UK citizenship by descent (father born in London). I have no plans to move either, but like the idea of having a UK passport. I considered starting the process quite awhile ago, but didn't follow through.

With the UK it was a much better deal before Brexit because the right to work extended to the whole EU.

Oh well. Can't have it all!

[chowder66]

22. I wish I could qualify for the UK. I do have a 1st cousin there - she's there through marriage but we do

have a ton of UK heritage unfortunately it's too distant for me to qualify.

One of my Canadian ancestors, my 2 x great grandfather is from Cornwall and emigrated with his parents to Canada (after the tin and copper mines were depleted) then married my Canadian 2 x great grandmother. Based on several family names in Poldark, I think I should get automatic UK citizenship. LOL.

[Buddyzbuddy]

17. Can't I just claim to be Canadian if I bring a note from my mom, a?

Sorry Mexico, I need to be somewhere with colder weather, a.


Think it'll work?

[pat_k]

21. Yeah no for sure!

[cstanleytech]

18. Unfortunately I'm screwed as I don't have any qualifying relatives not to , mention no money to escape even if I did.

😔

[Crowman2009]

23. You think that's bad, my ancestors were revolutionaries whose weren't on good terms with their loyalist brothers...

...who moved to Canada afterwars.

[cstanleytech]

24. Well at least they got an early start moving 😂

[Cadfael]

25. I have to figure out

how to lay my hands on birth certificate type information (or I understand baptismal records can sometimes work) for my maternal great grandfather - 5 generations before that had all lived in Canada everywhere I look in my grandfather’s family and I think it would benefit my adult children as well by making it much easier for them to claim citizenship should they want (I know my daughter is thrilled by the idea, my 74 year old husband is somewhat bemused by the though)

[chowder66]

27. If you want me to take a look for you

Send me a private email. I’ve done a lot of research in Canada for my ancestors. I’ve also been doing some digging on what is needed. So far it looks like they want good color copies of documents, not originals. It is recommended that if birth certificates are old (like mine is) then you should request a new copy but other documents can be submitted if they are digitally good and can be printed. I have a lot more to learn though.

They don’t want the new birth certificate. They just want a good copy of it.