Apply for Canadian citizenship: Stateless people

The Citizenship Act includes a first-generation limit to citizenship by descent. This limit generally means someone is not automatically a Canadian citizen if:

• they were born outside Canada, and
• their parent was also born outside Canada to a Canadian parent or adopted outside Canada by a Canadian parent.
  • The grandparent was Canadian.

In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declared that the first-generation limit for many people is unconstitutional.

However, the Court has suspended the declaration until November 20, 2025. This means that the current rules still apply until further notice.

On March 13, 2025, we announced an interim measure that includes:

• a way for those affected by the first-generation limit to be considered for a discretionary grant of citizenship from the minister, and
• priority consideration for people born or adopted on or after December 19, 2023 if their Canadian parent has a substantial connection to Canada.

Find out

• how the first-generation limit affects you
• what you can apply for

Check your next steps