Can I still get Canadian citizenship if I give birth in Canada?
In this age of information explosion and even a bit of "anxiety-inducing traffic", if you're reading this, I can probably guess how you're feeling right now-That stone hangs in the air all the time.
Maybe you've just finished scrolling through the Little Red Book and saw someone say "Canadian maternity policy is about to change, as soon as the Conservatives get into power, they're going to abolish citizenship by landing";
Perhaps you have just listened to the presentation of an untrustworthy agent, and the other party scares you that "it will be closed soon", while selling the so-called "internal quota" and "special channels".
Let's open up:A child born in Canada will still have Canadian citizenship on the ground!
I've been in the business of overseas child birth for almost ten years: from helping people order takeout and running hospitals at the Vancouver Moon Center, to working as an independent birth policy advisor, I've personally sent countless "Canadian babies" back to China. I know what you are afraid of:
I'm afraid I've spent two or three hundred thousand dollars.
Fly over there with a big belly.
As a result of an overnight change in policy.
The child didn't get his identity, and he himself was denied a visa and blackmailed.
This article is written for moms and dads who want to have a baby in Canada and be able to give their baby a Canadian identity.
Whether you want to give your child an additional Canadian citizenship, save a way for future education, or simply want to have an additional "lifeboat", I will tell you as thoroughly as possible what I have seen, heard, and stepped into on the front line over the years - in the 2025 in the context of existing laws and policies, what is the Canadian birth really all about.
Who is this article especially for?
- Doubly non-permanent families:Neither parent is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
- Middle-class families with a certain economic base:Can afford to pay for the project, but cannot afford a "major policy thunderstorm";
- Moms who are preparing for or are pregnant:Especially if the due date is 2025 and beyond, I hope to get the timing right.
I'll try not to talk crap and will put:
Latest policy developments,
The logic behind the Citizenship Act,
as well as real-life cases I've come across.
It's all crumbled up into a basis for judgment that you can understand. After reading this, you at least won't have to rummage around piecing together information.
I. 🔎 2025 A small overview of core intelligence on birth in Canada
If you are now short of time, first read this "condensed judgment table", it can help you quickly determine: this road, generally worth it to continue to study.
Note: The following is a comprehensive judgment based on 2025 public information, real project offers and past experience, and does not constitute legal advice or immigration advice, the specific circumstances still need to be combined with your own conditions and the latest official policy at the time.
| Core issues | 2025 status quo approximation | A short review (my attitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Acquisition of nationality | General stabilization in the framework of the current Citizenship Act | As long as the baby is born on Canadian soil and the parents are not diplomatically immune, he or she will generally be recognized as a Canadian citizen. Changing the law is not a matter of words. |
| policy risk | Medium-low | There are controversial voices in society, and the Conservative Party has also made comments on "tightening", but from the perspective of the legislative process, the probability of a sudden "overnight closure" within one to three years is very low, and even if adjustments are made in the future, they will not be made retrospectively. |
| Parenthood | Basic legal "decoupling" from the nationality of the baby. | You are on a tourist visa, a school visa, a work visa, or even if your status has expired, as long as the person is physically in Canada, the result of the child's nationality at birth is the same. Identity and citizenship are two systems. |
| dependent immigrant | Ultra-long term option | There is no such channel as "getting a Maple Leaf Card immediately after the birth of a child". Usually it is possible to reunite the parents only when the child reaches adulthood and has a stable income. It can be seen as an option after 18 years. |
| total cost | Approx. 250,000-500,000 RMB (wide range) | The medical care itself is not the most expensive, what really separates the difference is the length of stay, standard of accommodation, monthly services and whether or not you have insurance. |
| greatest difficulty | Visa and Entry Compliance and Communication | Getting nationality is not legally complicated, but the hard part is: how to make the visa officer and customs believe that you are here to pay for your own expenses, not to gather welfare by using the "honest visa + honest entry" method. |
Second, if you give birth in Canada, must the baby be of Canadian nationality?
This is the first question that comes to mind for almost any family planning to have a child in Canada.
I'll start by giving the short answer under current law in 2025:
Within the framework of the Canadian Citizenship Act currently in force, as long as the baby is in theBirth in Canadian territory/airspace/territorial seaand that the parents are not special persons enjoying diplomatic immunity.
Legally, one is usually recognized directly as a Canadian citizen.
There's no "must have a maple card", "must be legal", "must have paid taxes for years" - -It's "place of birth", not parentage.
This is not an unspoken rule or a "loophole", but one of the basic systems written in the law.
But I also understand very well that at the 2025 point, you're not worried about "is it going to work now", you're worried about it:
- Will there be a sudden tightening?
- Will it "expedite the passage of a bill" to keep doubly non-permanent resident babies out?
So we're going to take this next step and flesh it out a little bit from the dimensions of legal logic and political reality.
III. What is "birthright citizenship"? Canada's territoriality rule in a nutshell.
There are two broad sets of logic in the way nationality is given internationally:
- Seeing Blood: Humanism (Jus Sanguinis)--Look who your mom and dad are;
- Seeing Place: Territorialism (Jus Soli)--Depends on where you were born.
In countries like China, Japan and Germany, it is mainly about the "blood":
If your parents are Chinese, you have Chinese citizenship, it's not that important where you were born.
Canada (and the United States), on the other hand, are typically"Territorialist States"The
In the bluntest terms:
"As long as this child is born on this Canadian soil, Canada recognizes him/her in principle as one of its own."
This rule is clearly stated in section 3(1)(a) of the Citizenship Act.
The article itself has legal language, but translated into human language that we can understand is:
"A person born in Canada is generally considered a Canadian citizen (except in cases of diplomatic immunity)."
It's not in the law:
"Parents must hold PR or citizenship".
Nor does it say "must have a tax record" or "must be legally present".
So, when someone scares you by saying "no passports for doubly non-permanent residents" and "no citizenship", you can calm down: unless the Citizenship Act is formally amended and comes into force after the third reading in the future, the existing rules will remain in force.
Only major exception: a few cases such as diplomats, representatives of international organizations, etc.
For the sake of rigor, we have to make that very small probability exception clear.
If you or your spouse fall into one of the categories below and neither is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident:
- Foreign diplomats in Canada;
- Consular officials accredited by foreign governments;
- High Representatives or specified employees of international organizations, some of whom enjoy diplomatic immunity;
Under current law, then, a child born in Canada in such circumstances does not usually automatically acquire Canadian citizenship.
The reason is also simple: these persons enjoy diplomatic immunity and are considered by law to be "not subject exclusively to Canadian jurisdiction", so their children are not subject to the normal rules of birthright citizenship.
But let's be honest, there is a huge probability that you, who are reading this article, do not fall into this category.
The vast majority of families with tourist visas, school visas, work visas, or whose status has expired but are still in Canada are not included in this exception.
IV. A brief comparison with other birthright citizenship countries, such as the United States
Many families are torn between having a baby in the U.S. and having a baby in Canada, so what is the difference between the two countries?
Same point:
- Both countries are among the representatives of developed countries that are still practicing more complete citizenship on the ground;
- Under the current rules, the nationality of a country is generally acquired by birth in its territory (except for diplomatic immunity).
Differences: mainly in the "difficulty of reforming the law" and the "tax system".
🇺🇸 United States
- Birthright citizenship is written into the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution;
- It is almost "groundbreaking" to change;
- However, the United States has adopted a "global tax on citizens", so as long as you are an American, no matter where you live, you will be involved in tax issues.
🇨🇦 Canada
- Birthright citizenship is written in the Citizenship Act, which is ordinary law, not written dead in the text of the Constitution;
- Theoretically, the ruling party can push for amendments when it has a majority, and the threshold is lower than in the United States;
- However, Canada has adopted the"On a tax resident basis."The logic of taxation is not "nationality-bound global taxation".
That's why:
In terms of long-term stability, it is virtually impossible for U.S. birthright citizenship to be revoked overnight;
In terms of realpolitik possibilities, there are more voices discussing "tightening" in Canada, but the process will be very slow to get off the ground, and there will be a lot of checks and balances in the courts and in public opinion in the middle of the process.
V. The Legal Basis for Citizenship by Birth in Canada: Provisions of the Citizenship Act and Developments in the Revision of the Act (including Bill C-71)
Many moms have similar questions when they have their first consultation:
"Are we drilling?"
"What if one day the government says they won't issue passports?"
Let's start with a centering word:
"Going to Canada to have a child is not exploiting a loophole under the current law, it's going down the road that's written in black and white."
What exactly does the Canadian Citizenship Act say about "Canadian-born children"?
One of the most central provisions of the Citizenship Act can basically be summarized in one sentence:
"A person born in Canada will generally be considered a Canadian citizen (except for children of persons with diplomatic immunity)."
Additional conditions such as parental status, length of residence, tax records, etc. are usually not added.
It is also this principle of "land, not people" that has made birthright citizenship a very important institutional cornerstone of this land.
Of course, the laws of any country may be adjusted; but until they are adjusted, the existing law is the basis for realistic operation.
Descent vs. place of birth: two very different logics of taking nationality
In order to understand "content", we can compare two lines of thought:
- Pedigreeism (spell Mom and Dad):Examples include China, some European countries; the focus is on the nationality of the parents, where you are born is often less critical.
- Territorialism (patchwork):For example, in Canada and the United States, the focus is on the "land" where the baby is born, and the status of the parents is secondary.
For the average family:
"Descentism" is more like inheriting a nationality from one's parents;
"Territorialism" is more like being given a nationality by the State on its own initiative because of one's place of birth.
This also means that, as long as the current system is in place, the right to citizenship by birthplace is highly stable and "inalienable".
Bill C-71 is changing who's rights? It's not in the cards.
You may have seen it pop up in news headlines in the last year or two:
"Canada to amend Citizenship Act"
"Bill C-71" etc.
Many agents even use this as a scare tactic, saying that "nationality will be tightened".
In fact, according to the current public information, the core direction of Bill C-71 is to fix the problems caused by the "first generation limitation", roughly:
- There used to be a "First Generation Limit": certain Canadian citizens born abroad could not automatically take Canadian citizenship when they had a child overseas;
- The Court found this restriction to be contrary to the spirit of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in some cases;
- The purpose of the new bill is to allow "overseas-born Canadian citizens" with substantial ties to Canada to legally and stably pass on their citizenship to the next generation.
In other words:
Bill C-71 deals primarily with the issue of "Canadians giving birth overseas" rather than "foreigners giving birth in Canada".
Trend-wise, this is a direction of expanding and equalizing the right to nationality, not tightening it.
Of course, the specific content of the bill, the implementation of the rules may continue to adjust over time, and ultimately to the Canadian government's latest official announcement of the text shall prevail, this point in the article also need to remind readers.
Discussion on "abolishing the nationality of doubly non-permanent resident babies" vs. the distance to the real legislative process.
It is true that there has been an ongoing controversy within Canadian society regarding "Birth Tourism":
- Some conservative voters believe that "foreigners are taking advantage";
- The Conservative Party has also repeatedly passed resolutions at its party congresses to "tighten birthright citizenship";
- Occasionally, the media would magnify a few cases of nuisance caused by monthly child care centers, making public opinion more intense.
But there is still a long way to go between that and actually "changing the law":
- The ruling party needs to be motivated to put this on the agenda;
- Proposals need to complete several stages of consideration and voting in the House of Commons and the House of Lords;
- Once the restriction of rights is involved, it will certainly attract strong challenges from human rights organizations and lawyers' groups and enter the judicial review process.
Therefore, by 2025, the discussion on "abolishing the nationality of non-permanent residents on the ground" will be very hot in the court of public opinion, but at the legislative level, it will basically remain at the stage of "proposals and statements".
That's why, we say:
For families already planning or in the process of pregnancy, the more realistic variables are often visa policies and entry criteria, rather than the "instantaneous disappearance" of nationality itself.
Sixth, double non-Canadian children: baby nationality, parents identity in the end how to correspond?
It is these two issues that many families get most confused about:
"The baby is Canadian now, will I get the benefit of the doubt?"
"I don't have a legal status, will I drag my child down?"
Stick that in your head for now:
Under the current system in Canada, there is one system for the nationality of babies and another for parenthood. The two are largely decoupled legally.
Conclusion on citizenship of doubly non-permanent resident babies: born in Canada ≈ generally recognized as Canadian citizens
Taken together with the preceding, we can give this summary (based on the 2025 current law) with some rigor:
Babies born in Canada are usually legally recognized directly as Canadian citizens, as long as the parents are not part of a special group of people who enjoy diplomatic immunity.
That sentence covers it:
- Parents are on a tourist visa, school visa, or work visa → all are allowed;
- Parents whose status has expired and who are "illegally staying" → This will not change the outcome of the baby's citizenship (but it will have a negative impact on the parents' future entry into the country and their immigration, which is a different matter).
VII. What are the core rights of Canadian babies?
Many families will ask:
"So what specifically does the baby get more than that dark blue passport for all the money I've spent?"
There are a couple of broad lines to look at:
- Right of entry and residence for life:If the child wants to return to Canada at any time in the future, he or she can just buy a plane ticket to enter the country, and there is no such thing as "visa expiration"; even if the world situation is no longer volatile, the Canadian government is obliged to take back its own citizens.
- Educational Access Advantage:
- K-12: Access to public schools and the local education system, subject to residency requirements;
- University: There is a huge difference in tuition and admission thresholds between international and local students. It is common for international students to pay $60,000 to $70,000 a year, while local students often pay $6,000 to $8,000 a year. In the long run, the difference in university tuition alone is enough to cover the cost of having a child in Canada.
- Eligibility for Medicare and Social Security:As a citizen, the child is eligible to participate in the public healthcare system once he or she meets the residency requirements, and some social benefits, loans, and subsidies are significantly easier to obtain in adulthood than for "internationals."
- Work and development pathways:Adults in Canada to work, entrepreneurship, do not need to take the "work visa → immigration" long chain; want to go to the United States, but also based on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to apply for a TN visa, to enter the U.S. workplace does not need to draw H1B.
- Travel convenience:Canadian passports are currently visa-free or visa-on-arrival for 180+ countries, making it extremely convenient for future study and travel.
Eight: Can doubly non-non-permanent parents rely on their children to "get a Maple Leaf Card immediately"?
Here we directly use the "FAQ form" to take care of the search and the readers:
Q: Can doubly non-non-permanent parents rely on their babies and get a Canadian Maple Leaf Card (PR) quickly within a few years?
A: Not under the current policy.
Explain the general rules as they stand now (simplified version):
- Canada does not currently have any fast-track immigration programs specifically designed for "parents of Canadian minor children";
- Parents who want to get PR through "family reunification" usually have to wait:
- The child is an adult (usually over 18);
- The child has a stable income in Canada that meets the minimum income standards of the sponsoring parent and has a consistent tax record.
Therefore, for most families, this "dependent immigrant card" is more like an option for 15 to 20 years, rather than a "benefit that can be cashed in immediately".
IX. Will the type of visa of the parents affect the outcome of the baby's citizenship?
Simple and brutal conclusion:
The impact on the baby's citizenship outcome is very limited, and the impact on the parents' own future visa records and immigration opportunities is significant.
On the point of the nationality of the child:
It doesn't matter if you have a tourist visa, a school visa, a work visa, or a visa that has expired, the child's place of birth is in Canada → citizenship is generally recognized under the same rules.
On the line of parental future:
With an Honest Visa + Honest Entry + Full Out-of-Pocket Medical Expenses, there is usually no negative record for future visits to Canada;
If you intentionally conceal the "purpose of giving birth" at the visa stage or upon entry into the country, or refuse to pay the medical fees after giving birth, you are likely to be regarded as a "good faith problem" and a "public burden risk" when applying for a visa or entry into the country in the future, leading to frequent refusals. "This may result in frequent refusals.
X. China Perspective: Nationality, Passport, Hukou and Documentation Practices for Biafran Babies in China
Having said that about Canada, let's go back to the more troubling, but more grounded, side of the equation - the Chinese perspective.
Many moms and dads will have two opposite concerns:
"We don't have foreign status, and if our children are born in Canada, will they be treated as foreigners by China?"
"When a child gets a Canadian passport, does China 'disown' him?"
Behind this is in fact a typical problem of "conflict of nationality".
First of all, I would like to emphasize that the following operational experience mainly comes from the current first-tier cities and the summary of real family cases, the specific practices of different cities and different police stations/exit/entry windows may vary, and ultimately, the latest caliber of the local official shall prevail.
Under the Chinese Nationality Act: are doubly non-Chinese babies born in Canada considered Chinese citizens?
The key is this article - article 5 of the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China - which can be reduced to a two-sentence "formula":
- At least one parent is a Chinese citizen and has not "settled in a foreign country": a child born in a foreign country usually still has Chinese nationality;
- (b) One or both parents are Chinese citizens but have "settled in a foreign country" and the child acquires a foreign nationality at birth: the child usually no longer has Chinese nationality.
For the vast majority of "doubly non-permanent resident families" who come to Canada to have children:
You do not have a Canadian Maple Leaf Card and have not settled there permanently;
The child acquired Canadian citizenship under Canadian law;
On the Chinese side, in most cases, they will still be considered Chinese citizens.
That is, in the actual implementation environment of 2025, your child is likely to be in an"Legally China recognizes it, and so does Canada."The state of the art.
Document Combination: Travel Permit vs Passport + Visa, who is suitable for each?
In practice, there are three main routes for return and entry/exit (the following is only a summary of common practice):
1. Canadian passport + Chinese travel authorization (mainstream, recommended model)
- Core logic:The Travel Permit is a document used by "Chinese citizens born abroad" to enter and leave China;
- Benefits:
- After returning to China, you can register as a Chinese citizen, go to public schools, get vaccinations, and participate in health insurance;
- When entering and leaving the country: traveler's permit for exiting China's border control, Canadian passport for entering Canada, the two identities are naturally connected.
2. Canadian passport + Chinese visa (generally not recommended, unless the family has planned thoroughly for "alien status")
- Applying for a Chinese visa is essentially recognizing the child as a foreigner;
- After returning to China: The child stays in China as a "foreigner", is often charged as an international student at public schools, and has to renew his/her residence permit frequently.
3. Attempts to apply for a Chinese passport (very difficult in most cases and a policy risk)
- Theoretically the child is a Chinese citizen under Chinese law, and some will want to bypass the travel permit and go straight to a Chinese passport;
- In reality, embassies and consulates abroad generally prioritize the issuance of travel permits, and are increasingly sensitive to information on dual citizenship situations, making this path more difficult and subject to policy uncertainty.
Overall, most families who want their children to complete their basic education in China while retaining international access for the future choose the dual-track program of "Canadian Passport + Chinese Travel Permit".
Validity, expiration and "one-time permit" issues
Travel permits are usually valid for two years, which makes many parents nervous: "Do we have to fly out every two years and toss the kids to change their permits?"
In fact, this is generally the case:
- If the child stays in China and does not leave the country, the travel permit, even if it expires, has basically no effect on daily life;
- Travel permits are required, mainly when leaving and re-entering China.
So what if your travel permit has expired but you suddenly want to take your child out of the country?
You can go to the immigration office where your household registration is located and apply for a copy of the"One-time Entry and Exit Permit"This document is usually valid for a short period of time for a single round trip; after leaving the country, a new travel permit can be obtained at a Chinese embassy or consulate outside the country, and the new document can be used to return to China.
Therefore, there is no need to "renew the license" specifically for the child to go abroad frequently, you can really have travel plans and then deal with it together.
Will I be asked to "give up my Canadian passport" to get a Chinese hukou?
This is one of the most sensitive and rumor-wrapped issues.
Currently common in first-tier cities (e.g. Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen):
Police stations are usually aware of such cases where the child was born abroad and may hold a passport from abroad; in many places, a form similar to the "Declaration of Nationality Status" is issued, asking parents to declare that "the child has Chinese nationality only".
Will the passport be taken away?
In many real-life cases, police stations will not take away or cut the corners of Canadian passports because they are in charge of household registration and do not directly manage foreign passports; in some places, they may make a note in the system that the child had a foreign nationality or was born abroad.
In a few second- and third-tier cities or at individual windows, it is indeed possible to encounter the statement that "it is required to cancel foreign nationality before applying for a hukou", at which point:
- One approach is to explain that the child has not yet reached the age of majority and does not have full civil capacity, and that it is not appropriate for the parents to renounce the nationality of any State on behalf of the child;
- Another approach is to hold off on the household registration until the policy is clearer or a different window is available for consultation.
Generally speaking, in terms of actual operation, there is a gray area in many regions where "applying for a hukou + retaining a Canadian passport" is compatible. It is just that the practice varies from place to place, so be sure to refer to the latest caliber of the local public security and immigration departments.
How to make the "same person" connection when the English birth name vs Chinese hukou name are different?
This is a big pitfall that many families find out about later in life.
Typical situation:
The Canadian birth certificate says David Zhang;
When I went back to China, I wrote Zhang Wei in my household registration.
In the long run, this may cause trouble when applying to study abroad, transferring property, inheriting property, or even emigrating.
Recommended Practice:
- When you do the birth paper certification and translation in Canada, you synchronize the pinyin of your Chinese name, for example:David Wei ZhangIt corresponds to "Zhang Wei";
- When you bring it back to your home country for third-level certification or Hague certification, you should clarify the correspondence between the Chinese and English names on the translated documents;
- If this is not done at the time, it is possible to have the "same person notarized" in China, but the process will be more complicated and costly.
XI. The complete timeline and hands-on process of giving birth in Canada
After looking at the system and the documents, let's pull the whole process into a timeline so you know roughly what to prepare for each step.
Pre-departure: How to prepare for an "Honest Visa"?
In 2025, Canadian visa approvals will remain rigorous and the system's cross-checking capabilities will grow.
I usually only suggest one path for families who are planning to go for a baby:Honest visa + sufficient proof of ability to pay for your own expenses.
In the visa interpretation letter, the logical closure can be constructed in this way:
- Clearly written:"Planning to travel to Canada for a short period of time and to complete labor and delivery there at their own expense";
- Attached:Contacted doctors/hospitals for appointment intentions (even if it's an email record);
- Proof of financial resources:It is recommended to have proof of sufficient liquidity to cover living expenses + medical expenses;
- Return binding:Property in the country, stable job, family relations, etc., show that you have good reasons to return to the country on time and will not be stranded.
Canadian law does not prohibit foreigners from paying for their own medical care, the key is to convince the visa officer that you will not be "taking advantage of free benefits" or "hacking in Canada".
Honest Entry: How do I answer the question, "Are you here to have a baby?"
After getting the visa, you get off the plane in Vancouver (YVR) and Toronto (YYZ) and are confronted with questioning by the CBSA (Border Services Agency).
The general dialog style could look like this (example only):
Q: What are you doing in Canada?
A: Traveling and visiting family while completing labor and delivery here at your own expense.
Q: Is the cost enough?
A: Here is our proof of funds, enough to cover full medical expenses and cost of living, and will not apply for public benefits.
Q: Will you stay and not go after giving birth?
A: Our work and family are in China, and we will return to China as planned after our child is born and documents are issued.
There are only two points of emphasis:
- No lies:Being found to have a serious discrepancy between the purpose and the visa/verbal statement makes it very easy to leave a "question of integrity" on the record under the current system;
- Prepare evidence in advance:Have your money, booking records, and return plans ready to convince customs that you are "self-funded medical + short stay".
Pregnancy and childbirth: cities, hospitals, doctors and cost structures
- City Choice:
- Vancouver and the surrounding area (especially Richmond): large Chinese population, sophisticated resources, lowest language and living adjustment costs;
- Toronto: Medical resources are plentiful, but winters are harsh, so consider your physical state when living there in late pregnancy.
- Hospitals and the physician system:It is common practice to identify an obstetrician (OB) and go to whichever hospital the doctor is affiliated with; most births in Canada are done in public hospitals, and the out-of-pocket costs are borne by the individual.
- Fee Structure (range is for reference only, actual is based on hospital bill)
- Doctor's fees: roughly a few thousand Canadian dollars for a normal delivery, a little more for a cesarean;
- Hospital fees: doubly non-permanent resident pregnant women are generally billed as "non-resident self-pay", and the hospital will charge a deposit, the exact amount of which may vary greatly depending on the province and the hospital, and is more or less refundable.
It is recommended that you always check with the specific hospital or agency for the latest prices and charges before making a decision, and do not rely entirely on old experiences on the internet.
List of Postpartum Documents: Birth Certificate, Canadian Passport, etc., step by step
After the baby is born, the "documentation war" begins. The general process is as follows:
- Birth Registration:The hospital will provide forms or online links that are the basis for all the documents that follow.
- Birth Certificate (Long Form is recommended):The long version of the birth paper contains information about the parents and will be used for subsequent passports, authentication, schooling, and household registration.
- Canadian passport:Go to a passport agency with birth papers, parental ID, etc., with the option to expedite; a qualified Guarantor is required, which can usually be resolved through a monthly center or local resources.
- Other optional documents:
- Social Insurance Number (SIN): to facilitate the opening of banks, purchase of education funds, etc. in the future;
- Health card (varies by province): Most doubly non-permanent resident families do not immediately meet the residency requirement for public health care during their short stay and usually do not deliberately apply for one to avoid disputes about "taking advantage of benefits".
- Prepare for certification before leaving Canada:Translation and (Hague/Consular) certification of birth papers; vaccination records, etc. to facilitate interfacing with the local vaccination system upon return.
It is recommended that you make a checklist in advance and follow it after production to avoid omissions.
XII. What does Canadian citizenship mean for a child's life?
Many parents are doing the math in their minds the moment they pay, "Is this trip worth it?"
From a long-term perspective, the value of Canadian citizenship falls along three main lines: education, development pathways, and tax and mobility.
Educational Pathways: The Wide Gap Between Local vs International Students
The focus is not on "whether or not you can go to a prestigious school," but rather:
- Admission Threshold:Top universities tend to have different quotas and assessment systems for local and international students, and local students will be under considerably less pressure to compete in certain specialties;
- Tuition costs:The tuition fee for international students at top universities can be as high as $60,000 to $70,000 a year, while local students only need $6,000 to $8,000 for the same major; the difference in price over the four years is huge, and is enough to offset the investment of going to Canada to give birth to a child.
Working and settling down as an adult: a lot less traveled!
Nowadays, international students, almost all of them have to go:
Study Abroad → Graduate Worker Visa (PGWP) → Saving Work Experience → Splitting Express Entry Score → Queuing for Invitation
Any failure in this path could force them to "pack up and go home".
Children who are Canadian citizens, on the other hand, are not on that path at all:
- Direct entry into the world of work as a citizen of the country;
- No need to worry about the expiration of the work visa, no need for employer sponsorship;
- There is more room for options to move to the US, Europe or back to your home country.
The Gold in Canadian Passports: Balancing Visas and Taxes
From the perspective of passport use: Canadian passports are currently visa-free or visa-on-arrival for most developed countries, making travel extremely convenient; in the North American region, more flexible access to the United States for work is possible through TN visas, for example.
A key point from a tax perspective is:Canada's tax system is based on "tax residency" and not on "nationality" per se.
That is to say: if the child lives in China for a long time after adulthood and does not constitute a tax resident of Canada, generally does not involve the problem of paying taxes to Canada; this point is significantly different from the U.S. system of "Citizenship Global Taxation", which is one of the reasons why many families prefer to "Canadian children "This is one of the reasons why many families prefer to have children in Canada.
XIII. Dual citizenship and choice of status: long-term planning between the two sets of rules in China and Canada
Many families are in a state of "de facto dual citizenship" when the children are minors;
But children will always grow up and face choices in the future including:
- Continuing to maintain a "low-key double" status;
- More on one side (e.g. predominantly Canadian, staying in China on a long term visa);
- Or, in extreme cases, choose to renounce the nationality of one of the parties.
Without expanding on all the extremes, a few points of principle will be emphasized:
- Canada officially recognizes and allows multiple citizenship;
- Chinese law does not recognize dual citizenship, but the reality of management is more "based on Chinese passport / identity documents for management", as long as not in sensitive positions, high-profile "show dual", many families have been in a kind of gray coexistence state;
- Within China, Chinese institutions usually only recognize you as a Chinese citizen; within Canada, Canadian institutions only recognize you as a Canadian citizen.
Most of the professions that really require children to make an "either/or" choice in adulthood are those that involve strong single-nationality requirements, such as political trials, civil service, or the military.
If the situation of "renouncing one's nationality" does arise in the future, the procedure is usually not complicated, but the key is to realize that it is an irreversible choice and to make a full assessment before making a decision.
XIV. Will Canadian birthright citizenship be tightened?
This is the "sword of Damocles" hanging over all families.
Looking at the political environment in 2025:
- The debate over Birth Tourism is real and may be amplified during election season;
- There are also voices within the Conservative Party and other political parties that want to "tighten birthright citizenship";
But at the level of real legislation and implementation, the road is neither fast nor easy.
Roughly what can be expected:
Even if there is a tightening direction in the future, the odds are that it will be:
- After a longer discussion and legislative process;
- Setting a clear effective date and transition period;
- The principle of "non-retroactivity" has been followed to a large extent to protect the acquired rights of citizens who have already been born.
Therefore, for families who are already pregnant, or plan to complete the program in 1-3 years:
The more real risk lies in the tightening of visa processing and more detailed questioning at entry rather than the "sudden invalidation" of a child's nationality.
XV. Portrait of suitable/unsuitable families for having children in Canada
This last paragraph is more of a "friendly conversation" with you.
Taking out about 300,000-500,000 RMB will not affect the basic quality of life of the family and there is no need to "pony up";There is a clear plan for the internationalization of education:
There is already a high probability that you are not going to let your child go down the high school road;Ability to accept policy and process uncertainty:
Understand that this is a "long term plan" and not an "instant change" gamble.
If that money is borrowed and pressed on the family's lifeblood, it puts the pressure on the child instead;High-risk pregnancies and inability to take risks:
NICUs (Neonatal Intensive Care Units) in Canada are extremely expensive and can easily become a "billable disaster" without adequate insurance;High dependence on domestic institutions:
For example, positions where both parties are institutionalized, civil servants, and where there are stringent political vetting requirements need to be carefully assessed for long-term impact.
FAQ:
Q1: Is it possible that a child born in Canada is not a Canadian citizen?
The main exception under the current law is:
One or both parents are diplomats or members of a specified international organization with diplomatic immunity and neither parent is a Canadian citizen or PR.
Families with ordinary tourist visas, school visas, work visas, or even expired status are generally excluded from this exception.
Q2: If the hospital bill is not settled, will it affect the child's passport or the parent's ability to re-enter the country later?
Looking at actual cases:
Passports can mostly still be applied for as normal in the program;
However, hospitals and collection agencies have the right to collect debts, and delinquent fees may enter the credit system and affect parents' future visa or entry applications;
In serious cases, it may be difficult for parents to regain their visas for many years.
In any case, it is not advisable to go into this with a "renegade" mentality, which is not the same thing as "does the child get citizenship or not", but it can be very detrimental to your and your child's future options.
Q3: Can a doubly non-native parent get fast-tracked status in a few years because the baby is a Canadian citizen?
There is currently no such shortcut;
The family reunification category of immigration is usually not operable until the children have reached adulthood, have a stable income, and meet the sponsorship requirements.
Q4: Can I still fly to Canada in late pregnancy? What do the airlines and customs think?
Airlines usually have requirements on the week of pregnancy, e.g. a doctor's certificate is required after 32 weeks and may refuse to carry passengers after 36 weeks, depending on the airline's terms and conditions;
Customs is more interested in: whether you are honest about the purpose, whether you have enough money to pay for yourself, and whether you have a clear plan for your return trip.
As long as you are medically cleared to fly, have sufficient information, and are honest, you will not normally be refused entry because of a "big belly".
Q5: If birthright citizenship is really tightened in the future, will it have a big impact on babies born or to be born now?
In the light of modern principles of the rule of law, significant changes in rights will normally be grandfathered;
In other words, once a baby has acquired citizenship under the current law, even if the system is adjusted in the future, it will generally be protected through "grandfather clauses" and other forms of protection.
Conclusion:
Having a child in Canada is not a "pay today, turn tomorrow" lottery.
More accurately, it's a copy:
Spreading out risk, time costs, and uncertainty in household decisions;
It is a long-term configuration that buys in advance the "educational path, international mobility, and identity options" for the next few decades.
In the not-so-calm world of 2025, preparing your child with an extra identity is a bit like putting an extra lifeboat at sea - the
You'll probably never use it in your life.
But you know that even if one day the storm is really rough, the child can have more and better options.
Above, are all for a family that can normally give birth to all the interpretation of the family, and for those who are older, or can not have children and want to have a child family, Canadian surrogacy from the baby, but also the same can get Canadian citizenship, the specific surrogacy strategy can be referred to:2025 Canadian Surrogacy Laws, Prices ExplainedThe article.








WeChat Consulting
WhatsApp Consulting
