Potentially millions of Americans suddenly have a much easier path to Canadian citizenship, prompting a rush of people to explore their ancestry and file paperwork seeking dual citizenship. For people like Zack Loud of Farmington, Minnesota, it was a surprise to learn that under a new law, Canada already considered him and his siblings citizens because their grandmother is Canadian. "My wife and I were already talking about potentially looking at jobs outside the country, but citizenship pushed Canada way up on our list," he said. Since the new law took effect on Dec. 15, immigration lawyers in the US and Canada say they've been overwhelmed by clients seeking help submitting proof-of-citizenship applications, per the AP.
Driven by politics, family heritage, job opportunities, and other factors, thousands of Americans are exploring whether the easier process makes now the right time to gain dual citizenship. Immigration attorney Nicholas Berning said his practice is "pretty much flooded with this." Canada has been changing its citizenship laws for decades, whether to update historic interpretations of law or to address discrimination issues. Previously, Canadian citizenship by descent could only be passed down to one generation, from a parent to a child. That changed when Canadian Bill C-3 took effect on Dec. 15, opening up citizenship to anyone born before that date who could prove they have a direct Canadian ancestor—a grandparent, great-grandparent, or even more distant ancestor.
Those born on or after Dec. 15 need to show that their parent met a residency requirement of 1,095 days. Under the new law, descendants of Canadians already are considered citizens, but they must provide proof to obtain a certificate of citizenship. For those with documentation ready at hand, the proof-of-citizenship application fee is a relatively inexpensive $55—but costs will climb for those seeking help from an attorney or genealogist. The website for the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada office, which processes applications, says processing times for a certificate is around 10 months, with more than 56,000 people awaiting a decision.
Last year, 24,500 Americans gained dual US-Canada citizenship. American applicants have varied motivations, but many say US President Trump's immigration crackdown and other controversies have led them to seek dual citizenship. Michelle Cunha, of Bedford, Massachusetts, said she decided to move to Canada after reflecting on decades of political activism and deciding she had "nothing left to give." "I put in my best effort for 30 years," she said. "I have done everything that I possibly can to make the United States what it promises the world to be, a place of freedom, a place of equality. But clearly we're not there and we're not going to get there anytime soon." More here on what (current) Canadians think about all this.
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