Bill C-3 aims to amend the Citizenship Act to ensure that citizenship by descent is conferred on all persons born outside Canada before the enactment comes into force, to a parent who was a citizen. It also provides for citizenship by descent for those born after the first generation, provided the parent had a substantial connection to Canada before the birth.

Key provisions include allowing citizenship to be granted to individuals born outside Canada and adopted by a citizen before the enactment comes into force. Additionally, those adopted after this date can also obtain citizenship if the adopting parent had a substantial connection to Canada prior to the adoption.

The bill restores citizenship to individuals who lost it because they did not apply to retain it or because their application was not approved under the former section 8 of the Act.

Finally, it allows certain individuals who become citizens as a result of the enactment to access a simplified process to renounce their citizenship.