SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota: A recent change to Canada's requirements, which has led to a surge in applications from the United States, could allow millions of Americans to qualify for dual Canadian citizenship.
For people like Zack Loud from Minnesota, it came as a surprise that a new law already considers him and his siblings Canadian citizens because their grandmother is from Canada.
He said that he and his wife were already thinking about working abroad, but getting citizenship made Canada a much more attractive option.
Since the law took effect on December 15, immigration lawyers in the U.S. and Canada say they have been very busy with people seeking help with proof-of-citizenship applications. Because of factors like politics, family background, and job opportunities, many Americans are now considering whether this easier process is a good way to obtain dual citizenship.
One lawyer said his office is extremely busy with these cases and has even reduced other work to handle them. Another lawyer said his office went from handling about 200 cases a year to getting more than 20 consultations every day.
Canada has been updating its citizenship laws for many years to address outdated rules and discrimination.
Previously, citizenship could pass only from a parent to a child (one generation). Now, the new law allows people to claim citizenship if they can prove they have a Canadian ancestor, such as a grandparent or even further back.
People born after December 15 must show that their Canadian parent lived in Canada for at least 1,095 days.
Under the new law, descendants of Canadians are already considered citizens, but they need to apply for proof of citizenship to obtain an official certificate. A lawyer estimated that millions of Americans may qualify.
He explained that people are not applying to become citizens – they are applying to confirm a citizenship they already have officially. He compared it to a baby born in Canada who is automatically Canadian even without a birth certificate.
People have different reasons for applying, but many say political issues in the U.S., including immigration policies under Donald Trump, are pushing them to consider dual citizenship.
One woman said she decided to move to Canada after many years of political activism, feeling she had nothing more to give.
The application fee is about 75 Canadian dollars if people already have their documents. But it can become expensive if they need help finding records like birth or marriage certificates. One applicant said she spent about US$6,500 with a lawyer.
Another person applied on her own, using online advice, and said that most people probably don't need a lawyer.
According to Canada's immigration department, it takes about 10 months to process applications, and more than 56,000 people are waiting.
Between December 15 and January 31, about 1,480 people were confirmed as citizens through ancestry. Last year, 24,500 Americans became dual U.S.-Canada citizens.
