New rules to apply for Canadian citizenship spark interest from Americans looking to move

A growing number of Americans are looking into their family history, in hopes of proving Canadian ancestry.

Canada and the United States may be next-door neighbours, but even people who live more than 2,000 km from the border are looking into the possibility of Canadian citizenship.

“I live in Florida,” said Chellee Taylor, a resident of the central part of the state who spoke with CTV Atlantic on Tuesday. “The political climate is pretty difficult and stressful.”

Taylor and her husband vacation in Canada fairly often. She had great-great-grandparents who were born in Quebec, so she is trying to find out if that might be enough to qualify for a Canadian passport.

“Being able to apply for citizenship would just open more doors and opportunities for us to find a safe harbour,” Taylor explained.

Taylor isn’t the only American interested in applying after the recent changes to citizenship by descent rules. It’s no longer a one generation only rule, and the change opens a path to a passport for those who can prove they have a direct Canadian grandparent, even a distant ancestor.

“Well, there has been recently a wave of American applicants seeking proof of their Canadian citizenship,” confirmed lawyer and policy analyst Richard Kurland.

Kurland said he has dealt with cases himself and in many instances, the reason behind the requests is simple.

“It may be the Trump trampoline encouraging American citizens to have a Plan B,” the British Columbia-based lawyer said.

Kurland added that many Americans who apply for Canadian citizenship likely share Canadian values, so he sees the situation as a win-win.

“The chances are pretty good that if your parent or grandparent, even a great-grandparent, was born in Canada or had Canadian citizenship - you may be lucky enough to apply for proof of Canadian citizenship,” Kurland said.

As for great-grandparents, Kurland says it doesn’t usually work. “The timeline is just too long,” he said.

Still, Taylor said visits to the Maritimes - including to see her brother, who lives in Cape Breton - have sparked her and her husband’s interest in the way of life there.

“It’s just quieter, slower pace and everyone just seems super easygoing,” she said.

So, she is digging through the family tree for things like old birth certificates to at least find out if they might have some options.

Regardless of the outcome, she and her husband still plan to visit as often as they can.

“So anytime we’re near the border, we’re like, ‘Hey, let’s take a few hours and just cross over and get some Timmies and maybe a new Canadian shirt,’” Taylor said with a laugh.

Kurland says the estimated wait time for proof of citizenship – if one were to apply today – is about 12 months.

He said around 70,400 people worldwide are currently waiting for a decision.

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