The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Ottawa

A law making it easier for children adopted abroad to become Canadian citizens went into effect Sunday, Canada's Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration announced.

Parents formerly had to apply to sponsor the child to come to Canada, then seek permanent resident status for him or her, before finally applying for citizenship, a process that could take up to 18 months.

Now, thanks to the new law, parents can skip the first two steps and seek Canadian citizenship for their adopted child from outside the country, and the child can even obtain a Canadian passport before entering Canada.

"Now, Canadians will apply for their adopted child's citizenship abroad rather than submit sponsorship and permanent resident applications. Parents will save time and have less paperwork as the steps are merged into one," a statement on Citizenship and Immigration Canada's website said.

The streamlined procedure does not apply to international adoptions completed in Canada, it said.

"Canadian families open their hearts to adopt foreign-born children and we want to support them by making it easier for their adopted children to become Canadian citizens," said Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley.

Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced in May 2006, just months after taking power, that his government would streamline the citizenship process for international adoptions, as part of a broader effort to smooth bureaucracy for new immigrants.

Canada has welcomed more than one million immigrants over the past five years.