Determining citizenship by descent: updated interpretation of the term "parent" under subs

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada published updated instructions regarding the interpretation of the term parent in the context of determining citizenship by descent under subsection 3(1) of the Citizenship Act ,to include children born abroad in the first generation who have a legal parent–child relationship at birth but no biological link to the Canadian parent.

The updated interpretation allows applicants who may have otherwise been refused for lack of biological linkage to their Canadian parent/parents to be approved based on a legal parent–child connection at birth.