Ottawa, Nov. 25 -- Canada approved major changes to its citizenship laws with the passage of Bill C-3, legislation designed to resolve long-standing gaps that prevented some Canadians from passing on citizenship to children born or adopted abroad.

The bill, which received royal assent last week, will grant citizenship to people born before the law takes effect who would have qualified if not for earlier legislative rules or the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent.

The amendments will come into force on a date set by order in council.

The federal government says the approach aims to balance fairness with the principle that citizenship by descent should reflect genuine ties to the country.

"It will provide citizenship to pe...