Big citizenship win: Canada fixes ‘Lost Canadians’ issue, benefits Indian-origin families

The reform follows the coming into force of Bill C-3, An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act (2025), which took effect on Monday and addresses long-standing issues faced by so-called “Lost Canadians”.

Under the amended law, individuals born before December 15, 2025, who would have been Canadian citizens but for the “first-generation limit” or other outdated provisions in earlier legislation, are now eligible for citizenship and may apply for proof of status, according to the Canadian government’s website.

The changes also mean that a Canadian parent who was born or adopted outside Canada can now pass on citizenship to a child born or adopted abroad, either now or in the future. To qualify, the parent must demonstrate that they spent at least three years in Canada before the child’s birth or adoption.

The government said the new framework aims to strike a balance between fairness and clarity for Canadian families living abroad, while reinforcing the principle that citizenship by descent should be based on meaningful and demonstrated ties to Canada.

Who are ‘Lost Canadians’?

According to the Canadian government, the term “Lost Canadians” refers to people who lost or never acquired Canadian citizenship because of outdated or discriminatory provisions in earlier versions of the Citizenship Act.

For Indian-origin families—many of whom maintain transnational ties between Canada and India—the changes bring long-awaited certainty, restoring citizenship rights for affected individuals and providing clearer rules for future generations, The Times of India reported.