Steve_

So I just got my new passport, and it came with a leaflet that says in part:

So basically, if they ever get ETA working, if you're Canadian you've got to have a Canadian passport to fly back into Canada, because that's the only thing they'll accept at check-in.

Not that this was news necessarily, just thought it was interesting they actually explicit say it in this leaflet.

Also, the cheap bastards didn't give me the remaining time from my old passport on my new one, valid from the date of renewal only.

But on the bright side, it's a proper passport book with a proper hard cover and pages made out of bond paper, unlike the old ones that were made out of toilet paper and paper maché. Also now the same size as a British or US passport.

I get the impression Passport Canada is going to be laying off a ton of people come 2018, because I can't imagine who bothers to apply for a 5-year passport instead of the new 10-year one.

Former Lancastrian

Don't get me started on this

CIC are basically stating that if you are a dual citizen you will only be allowed to fly to Canada directly or via another country using a valid Canadian passport, a Temporary Canadian passport or a Canadian emergency travel document.

A Canadian citizenship card or Certificate of Naturalization issued before January 1, 1947;
 Certificate of Registration of Birth Abroad issued between January 1, 1947, and
February 14, 1977, inclusive; and
 Certificate of Retention of Canadian Citizenship issued between January 1, 1947 and February 14, 1977 inclusive will not be accepted as proof of Canadian citizenship by the airline.

I pity those who travel with 2 x passports and lose their Canadian one abroad as they will need to get the Canadian emergency travel document unless they change their flight and apply for ESTA and fly into the USA on their visa waiver country passport and then drive back to Canada or catch a bus, train or ferry where eTA isn't required.
For those who hold PR status then you better have a valid PR card when flying back as well unless they have a permanent resident travel document or do the ESTA route as described as above.

As for laying off staff well they will still need some staff as children's passports are only valid for 5 years.

The Govt will acknowledge that you have dual citizenship and let you hold another countries passport but will not allow you to fly to Canada using that passport as you have to be a Canadian citizen using a Canadian passport.
They don't care which passport you use if driving, catching a bus, train or ferry back to Canada which makes perfect sense to me

If thinking of taking a vacation outside of Canada and will be flying back to Canada then I suggest
If you are a PR and don't have a PR card then GET ONE.
If you are a dual citizen and don't have a Canadian passport then GET ONE
Those who become PR's and do a landing but then go back without establishing a residence and getting a PR card then you will need to get the permanent resident travel document before going back to Canada to establish residency.

Then again they could change the rules again

orly

If you're boarding a plane in a foreign country, what else besides the passport could you use?

PB65

No real alternative as you need a passport to get into the foreign country in the first place and a passport or emergency travel document issued by an embassy or consulate in lieu of a lost passport to board a plane
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html

scrubbedexpat091

I may not understand it correctly.

But Canada is requiring Canadian citizens to check in before coming back to Canada with their Canadian passport, correct?

So if someone is a dual US/Canadian citizen do they have to present 2 passports at check in as if I recall correctly, the US requires citizens to enter and exit the US on their US passport.


I don't have Canadian citizenship, so I'll just keep using my PR card. I don't fancy having to pay for 2 passports....

Former Lancastrian

If flying into Canada Canadian citizens either sole or dual citizen must show a Canadian passport when flying BACK to Canada. Now if you have dual citizenship with the USA or a PR with a US passport you could use the US passport as US citizens are exempt eTA.
As a PR you can't hold a Canadian passport anyway as you must be a citizen.

scrubbedexpat091

I know PRs cant. I purposely dont get Canadian citizenship as I dont want to deal with 2 passports.

I was curious though for those who do have both and thanks for the clarification.

Former Lancastrian

In your case you wouldn't need to get a Canadian passport as you are also a US citizen and exempt from eTA so you would only need one passport if you decided to get dual citizenship. Having dual citizenship adds the extra layer of not being able to be deported.

Photoplex

* in most cases

Former Lancastrian

I have yet to see a case where a dual citizen with Canadian citizenship has been deported from Canada for any reason other than by obtaining citizenship by misrepresentation. The plan to strip citizenship from dual citizens for terrorism or serious criminal offences was repealed.
Currently once you have obtained citizenship legally it cannot be taken away from you unless the individual renounces it or it was obtained by fraudulent means.

PR's are a different matter as they can be deported in certain cases.

Photoplex

It was repealed? I must have missed that... when did that happen?

Former Lancastrian

Bill C6 was introduced to Parliament in Feb 2016. It is currently making its way through Parliament and then onto the Senate. There is some suggestion that the Senate could vote against this bill but most think it will pass.

Photoplex

Ahh, so it's not repealed yet then...

Former Lancastrian

Not quite but the courts and Govt have basically put a hold on all proceedings.
On Jan. 19, the Federal Court granted a stay in a number of citizenship-revocation cases, arguing that the revocation process “violates the rights to liberty and security of the person in section 7 of the Charter.”
If passed, the bill would automatically reinstate citizenship for Zakaria Amara, a member of the so-called Toronto 18 who planned to bomb downtown Toronto and had his citizenship revoked last fall under the Conservatives’ Bill C-24.

Steve_

Mmm, that's what I thought. You'd have to travel via land from the US.

It's not going to be enough to keep the passport offices open. IIRC, they started doing 10-year passports in 2013 and the only reason I can think of why they kept the 5-year passports as an option was to keep the union happy.

So come 2018 they'll start closing the passport offices as there will be a huge gap in the renewal cycle. The few people with 5-year passports and new applications will only keep the big passport offices open.