Turn your family history into Canadian citizenship

If your parent, grandparent or an earlier ancestor was born in Canada, you may qualify for Canadian citizenship and a Canadian passport. Get clear legal guidance from a licensed citizenship and immigration lawyer, and proof of your Canadian heritage from our in-house genealogist.
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Who we help

If you are an American with a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent or another ancestor born in Canada, you may already be a Canadian citizen.

We can help you:

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How it works

1. Consultation

Book a paid consultation with one of our licensed citizenship and immigration lawyers. The lawyer assesses your chances, flags risks and gaps in your documents, and tells you clearly how to proceed.

2. Onboarding and lineage confirmation

If you decide to work with us, our in-house professional genealogist goes to work on your file, finding the baptismal, census and historical records that confirm your Canadian lineage. From there, we handle your file until a decision is made: forms, documents and mailing, except correspondence raising criminality, misrepresentation or fraud. The genealogy research is included in our Proof of Canadian Citizenship flat fee.

3. Build your case

With confirmed genealogical evidence, we prepare a complete application with legal submission letters explaining why it should be approved. We handle filing fees, registered mail, and all administrative details.

4. Submit and support

Processing typically takes about 33 months. If approved, you receive a Canadian citizenship certificate and can enjoy the full rights of a Canadian citizen, including the ability to travel on a Canadian passport.

After we submit your application, we keep helping you until IRCC makes a decision. Read our promise to clients.

Transparent, flat-fee pricing

Start with a paid consultation with one of our licensed citizenship and immigration lawyers. We review your situation, assess your eligibility and give you a clear legal strategy.

Our consultation process

*Our consultation credit applies to the fixed, flat fee legal services found here.

Claim the Canadian citizenship you inherited

Don’t let missing records or a complex application process stop you from claiming your Canadian citizenship. Book a consultation with one of our lawyers today for honest legal advice on your citizenship by descent and how to proceed.

Why choose Marin Immigration Law

Work directly with your lawyer
Your file is never delegated to a junior clerk, an external consultant, or an automated system. You work directly with Cédric Marin and an associate lawyer (Chanelle Rosenbaum, Harleen Kaur Chadha, Michaël Delagrée or Agnès Chaudron) from the first call to the decision. Before filing, a third lawyer who has not worked on your file reviews the application, and Cédric conducts the final review and signs off.

Professional genealogist
Our in-house professional genealogist works on every citizenship by descent case to confirm the Canadian lineage, find original-source documents and present them so officers can verify them easily. This is included in your flat fee, not an add-on.

Insider experience
Cédric knows how immigration decisions are made from the inside. He clerked at the Federal Court under Justice Mosley and served as a decision-maker at the Immigration and Refugee Board. That experience, and a team of five lawyers reviewing each other's work, shapes every application we file. We have also been featured for our work in the media.

What sets us apart

Meet the Team

Agnès Chaudron, avocate en citoyenneté et immigration chez Marin Immigration Law

Agnès Chaudron

Avocate canadienne en citoyenneté et en immigration (BA, M.Sc., JD)
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Cédric Marin, fondateur et avocat en citoyenneté et immigration chez Marin Immigration Law

Cédric Marin

Avocat canadien en citoyenneté et en immigration (LL.L., JD, LL.M.)
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Chanelle Rosenbaum, avocate en citoyenneté et immigration chez Marin Immigration Law

Chanelle Rosenbaum

Avocate canadienne en citoyenneté et en immigration (BA, LL.B. (Hons), GPLLM)
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Harleen Kaur Chadha, avocate en citoyenneté et immigration chez Marin Immigration Law

Harleen Kaur Chadha

Avocate canadienne en citoyenneté et en immigration (BA, LL.B. (Hons), LL.M.)
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Katherine Wilson-Smith

Katherine Wilson-Smith

Assistante de recherche (étudiante à la maîtrise, BA (Cantab))
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Kendra Gaede, généalogiste professionnelle interne chez Marin Immigration Law

Kendra Gaede

Généalogiste (PLCGS, BJ, BFA)
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Magali Goblot, assistante de recherche chez Marin Immigration Law

Magali Goblot

Assistante de recherche (étudiante au BCL/JD, BA spécialisé)
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Michaël Delagrée, avocat bilingue en citoyenneté et immigration chez Marin Immigration Law

Michaël Delagrée

Avocat canadien en citoyenneté et en immigration (LL.L., JD)
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What our clients say

Real reviews from real clients, straight from Google and Trustpilot.

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Frequently asked questions

How far back can my Canadian ancestor be?

Bill C-3 removed the previous first-generation limit, meaning you can now claim citizenship even if your Canadian ancestor is your great-great-great-grandparent. It also addressed maternal discrimination and retention requirements. Our consultation will determine whether your specific lineage qualifies under current law.

What if I don't have documents proving my ancestor was Canadian?

That is exactly why we have a professional genealogist on staff. She will locate baptismal records, census entries, and historical documents to confirm the lineage. Our approach is to take the time needed to build a thorough, well-documented file instead of just submitting what you have on hand.

What happens if my application is refused?

You remain a U.S. citizen. An unsuccessful citizenship application has no negative impact on your immigration status, your ability to visit Canada, or any future applications you might make (barring fraud, etc). If a flat fee application we prepared is returned as incomplete, for example a missing document, we correct and resubmit it at no additional legal cost, on the terms set out in your legal services agreement. The downside is limited. Read our promise to clients (terms apply).

How long does the whole process take?

Building your application from scratch usually takes 1 to 8 weeks from the day you retain us, and sometimes up to 12: obtaining every Canadian and American vital record in your line and preparing the legal submissions. The exact time depends on the complexity of your lineage and how quickly archives and vital statistics offices respond. We prioritize completeness and giving your application the best chance of success, rather than rushing to file. Once submitted, IRCC's published processing time for proof of citizenship is about 33 months, with roughly 136,000 people waiting for a decision (IRCC figures, last updated September 3, 2026). Timelines change month to month, and urgent processing is available in qualifying situations.

Can I buy property in Canada with Canadian citizenship?

Yes. Canadian citizens are not subject to the foreign buyer restrictions that apply to non-citizens. Dual citizenship also provides unrestricted access to live and work in Canada.

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