Lost Canadians - Lost Citizenship

Lost Citizenship

Some types of persons who would not have Canadian citizenship under the 1947 citizenship laws included the following:

1. Someone whose father became a citizen of another country while he was a child.
2. Someone born in another country who did not live in Canada on his 24th birthday.
3. A "war bride" who was never naturalized.
4. A war bride's child who never was naturalized.
5. A second-generation born-abroad Canadian who didn't assert citizenship by his 28th birthday.
6. An unregistered "border baby" - a person with Canadian parents who were born in U.S. hospitals and not registered.
7. In certain circumstances, having a connection to Canada involving descent through a woman rather than a man.
8. Someone born out of wedlock.
9. A "war brat" - a person born to a military service member outside of Canada.
10. A woman who married a non-Canadian before 1947.
11. A child of a woman who married a non-Canadian before 1947, regardless of whether that child was born or lived in Canada.
12. A person who took citizenship of another country before 1977.

In most cases, the Lost Canadians were never aware that they weren't citizens until they applied for government pensions or attempted to receive healthcare.