[requester]

Record

Archived: June 2, 2025 10:25:44 AM

From: Immigration Representatives / Représentants immigration (RCC)

Sent: [requester]

To:

Ce: Immigration Representatives / Représentanis immigration IRCC)

Subject: [requester]

Importance: Normal

Sensitivity: None

Good day,

Thank you for contacting the Immigration Representatives Mailbox

Please note that this mailbox is intended for general guidance and does not provide responses to case-specific

inquiries. If you have case specific questions about a file, you are encouraged to submit a Webform at:

http://www irce.canada.ca/english/contacts /web-form.asp

A Canadian parent may choose between two streams that are available for adoptive parents to bring their adopted

child to Canada: the immigration process or the citizenship process.

The citizenship process allows adoptive parents who are Canadian citizens to apply directly for Canadian citizenship for

their adopted child under section 5.1 of the Citizenship [requester] application is a two part process. Part 1 confirms the

Canadian citizenship of at least one adoptive parent and their eligibility to pass citizenship onto an adopted child. Part

2is an assessment of the adoption to ensure it meets the requirements of section 5.1 of the Citizenship [requester] are

unable to provide processing times for this application type, as processing times vary by complexity of the application.

In some instances, it can take several years to receive a decision on the application. It is important to note that the

first generation limit to citizenship by descent applies to the adopted person’s children if these children are born

outside of Canada

The immigration process may be used for adoptions that were finalized in the child’s country of habitual residence. If

the adoption was finalized when the adoptive parent and the child were habitually residing in the same country, the

child may be included on their parent’s immigration application or later sponsored as a member of the family class. A

Canadian citizen or permanent resident may also choose to sponsor their spouse or partner and include their

dependant child on the application, if eligible

For processing times, see Check processing times

Canada is party to the 1993 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of

intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention). The provinces and territories are responsible for the adoption process in

Canada, as they have exclusive constitutional responsibility over adoption and child welfare issues

Under the Hague Convention, “habitual residence” is key to determining whether an adoption should be processed as

an intercountry or domestic adoption, and whether the Hague Convention applies. It is important to note that

nationality has no bearing on this determination. If the prospective adoptive parent(s) and the child habitually reside in

the same country, it is considered a domestic adoption. If the prospective adoptive parent(s) and the child habitually

reside in different countries, it is considered an intercountry adoption and requires the involvement of the Canadian

provincial or territorial Central Authority for adoption. If this is the case, please advise the client to contact their

provincial or territorial Central Authority for adoption for further information: Adoption authorities - Canada.ca, 0056s