Story perspectives

Canada’s Bill C-3 Triggers US Citizenship Rush, Fees Soar

4/26/2026

Summary

Story summary

Canada’s Bill C-3, Dec 15 2025, lets anyone with a Canadian ancestor claim citizenship, sparking a surge of U.S. applications and a 10-month processing time with a backlog of 56,000 cases.
The $75 CAD fee rises to several thousand dollars because applicants hire lawyers Amandeep Hayer in Vancouver and Nicholas Berning in Bellingham.
Applicants cite uncertainty under U.S. President Donald Trump, heritage and job prospects, viewing the passport as insurance rather than a move.

History

Historical Context

In 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act, ending national-origin quotas and imposing a 120,000-per-year limit on Western-Hemisphere immigration. The law’s family-reunification focus reshaped U.S. demographics, prompting later policy debates. Echoing that shift, Canada’s Bill C-3, enacted December 15 2025, now spurs a comparable surge of cross-border applicants.

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Story summary

Canada’s Bill C-3, Dec 15 2025, lets anyone with a Canadian ancestor claim citizenship, sparking a surge of U.S. applications and a 10-month processing time with a backlog of 56,000 cases.
The $75 CAD fee rises to several thousand dollars because applicants hire lawyers Amandeep Hayer in Vancouver and Nicholas Berning in Bellingham.
Applicants cite uncertainty under U.S. President Donald Trump, heritage and job prospects, viewing the passport as insurance rather than a move.

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