Americans accounted for nearly half of all new Canadian citizenship approvals granted under Canada‘s expanded citizenship-by-descent law, underscoring growing interest in second passports and backup residency options among U.S. nationals.
A total of 4,075 individuals from all over the world were granted Canadian citizenship between December 15, 2025 and March 31, 2026 under citizenship by descent provisions in Bill C-3.
The figures offer one of the clearest signs yet of growing American interest in dual citizenship, second passports and overseas “Plan B” options amid political polarization and economic uncertainty.
Prior to Bill C-3, citizenship by descent was generally limited to the first generation born outside Canada.
After the Supreme Court ruled that restriction unconstitutional, the federal government expanded eligibility, allowing many descendants of Canadians previously excluded from citizenship to apply.
The change has suddenly made thousands of Americans eligible through family connections that previously did not qualify—creating a rush of applications from people seeking to formalize their ties to Canada or secure an additional citizenship option.
Of all the applications approved in the first three months of the year, the vast majority—1,955—came from Americans able to trace their lineage from Canadian ancestors. Approvals for proof of citizenship by descent were up by more than 1,000 per month this year overall, according to The Japan Times, compared with just 275 additional approvals in December 2025, before the new provisions came into effect.
No other nationality came close. The American figure was more than double the number granted to applicants born in Mexico, which ranked second with 900 approvals, followed by Bolivia with 195 and the United Kingdom with 140.
During that same period between December 15, 2025 and March 31, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) also approved citizenship certificates for 13,310 people who qualified under the previous first-generation rules, including 6,135 born in the U.S., 945 born in Mexico and 720 born in the U.K.
The Rise of the Second Passport and the ‘AmerExit’ Dream
The surge in applications reflects a mix of motivations, ranging from family heritage and identity to concerns about the future of life in the United States.
“The documents themselves tell this story of your line of descent,” Bryan V., a Michigan resident, previously told Newsweek. “It is as much a journey of your past and where you came from and everybody before you as it is about tracking down documents.”
But many applicants are also seeking a “Plan B” in case the country they call home, the U.S., should become somewhat hostile to their family or harder to live in, for whatever reason.
Laurel, who preferred to keep her last name anonymous, told Newsweek that they were applying for a Canadian citizenship certificate so that their transgender daughter could have a passport that reflects her gender.
The growing interest in Canadian citizenship mirrors a broader trend of Americans exploring life abroad, while wealthier U.S. nationals increasingly seek second residencies and “golden visas” to diversify their portfolio as political and economic uncertainty persists.
A November Gallup survey found that 1 in 5 Americans would have liked to emigrate in 2024, including 40 percent of women aged 15 to 44—a 400 percent increase on a similar poll taken 10 years earlier.
On Reddit, the “AmerExit” subreddit counts over 200,000 members and is filled with posts from users thinking of leaving the U.S., asking for advice to do so, or telling the tale of their move abroad.
And immigration lawyers and consultants working across the world have spoken of rising interest among Americans for dual citizenship—the ability to be a citizen of two (or more) countries—and “backup” passports.
Some who have already left the country told Newsweek they were actively escaping an antagonistic administration.
Others said they fled gun violence and the threat of more-frequent, more-severe wildfires at home in the U.S. while embracing a safer, more-relaxed lifestyle in Europe.
With Americans already accounting for nearly half of approvals issued under the expanded citizenship-by-descent rules, immigration experts expect demand for Canadian citizenship certificates to remain elevated throughout 2026 and beyond.
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