Story perspectives

Canada’s Bill C-3 Triggers 1,480 New Citizens, 56K Backlog

4/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

Canada’s Bill C-3, effective Dec. 15, lets anyone born before that date claim citizenship through a Canadian ancestor.
The rule has sparked a wave of U.S. applications, flooding immigration attorneys.
The fee to apply is 75 Canadian dollars, about $55 USD.
From Dec. 15 to Jan. 31 the agency confirmed 1,480 citizenships by descent.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reports ten-month processing times and a backlog of over 56,000 applications.

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Story summary

Canada’s Bill C-3, effective Dec. 15, lets anyone born before that date claim citizenship through a Canadian ancestor.
The rule has sparked a wave of U.S. applications, flooding immigration attorneys.
The fee to apply is 75 Canadian dollars, about $55 USD.
From Dec. 15 to Jan. 31 the agency confirmed 1,480 citizenships by descent.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reports ten-month processing times and a backlog of over 56,000 applications.