Maple News reports that last year Italy tightened its citizenship-by-descent rules, affecting millions, while Canada moved in the opposite direction.
Italy’s policy change, effective March 2025, limits citizenship by descent to two generations. Previously, eligibility extended to anyone descended from a post-1861 Italian citizen.
In December 2025, Canada passed Bill C-3, abolishing the first-generation limit and retroactively restoring citizenship to millions of lost Canadians.
Under the new framework, those born before December 15, 2025 can qualify for Canadian citizenship by descent even if they are several generations removed, provided they can prove an ancestral link to a Canadian citizen. Those born on or after December 15, 2025 may qualify if their Canadian parent—also born abroad—spent at least 1,095 days in Canada prior to the birth or adoption. Applicants who previously pursued interim relief for lost Canadians will be reviewed under the new framework without filing a separate proof-of-citizenship application.
Canadian citizenship grants the right to enter and live in Canada, the right to vote, and the ability to sponsor family members for permanent residence. After obtaining a citizenship certificate, applicants can apply for a Canadian passport. The changes are particularly relevant for Americans, who reside in regions with higher concentrations of eligible descendants, but dual citizenship rules vary by country of origin.
The Bill C-3 overhaul follows a 2023 Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruling that found the old first-generation limit unconstitutional, a decision the federal government did not appeal. Processing times for citizenship certificates are currently around 10 months, and once issued, the certificate enables the passport application process.