jerry brewer

Hi
Many thanks for the reply,
For various reasons I had been slow applying for my citizenship,and I recall, a requirement of my current job is needing PR or citizenship.
But I probably will still renew PR card.
cheers
Jerry

onlyme1

We moved to Canada in 2005, my husband and children are British and I am German. My husband and children are planning on applying for Canadian Citizenship in the next few month, PR cards are due to expire in November so will have to renew them as well.
For me the decision is a lot harder, I can’t have due nationality and was happy with renewing my PR card every 5 years. It is not so much loosing my German nationality but the fact that it is a European Passport, what if we ever wanted to move back to Europe once we retire?

Now I found out that to renew my German Passport I would have to travel to Toronto from Winnipeg as every Passport now contains an electronic fingerprint and this can only be taken at the Embassy where you renew your passport, (the Embassy in Winnipeg closed last year). I would also have to show a valid PR card. I now have to decide if I want to travel to Toronto to renew my passport or do I apply to become a Canadian Citizen?

What I am trying to say is that sometimes there is a lot more involved then simply applying for Canadian Citizenship, just because you don't want to go through the hassle of renewing your passport is that really a good enough reason to become Canadian?

Tuppence

I thought they had changed the rules on having to give up your German passport to become a Canadian?

onlyme1

The way I understand it you can ask for special permission to keep your German passport, wanting to vote in Canada and to make it easier to cross the boarder is not good enough. You have to show strong links with Germany e.g. property, bank account, family etc.

Where did you hear that it has changed? That would make me very happy.

woodworm

No it hasn't changed... the same rules you mentioned still apply. I just went through the whole process

Tuppence

Sorry for any confusion. It must have been the fact that it is possible (with certain conditions) that I had heard.

lilybilly101

You are so right, it isn't always straight forwards. I never intended on staying in Canada really. I met my husband here while on holiday and the years just went by. I guess I regret not getting it now but hey ho, I can't wait another year or more to get it. Your situation is very difficult as you would be giving up your passport and your right to live there. If you choose to go back to Europe would be very difficult once you surrender your nationality. It's unfortunate that countries force this.

And Toronto to Winnipeg is a LONG way!!!

BristolUK

When I last entered Canada, the best flight deal I could get was outward with CanadianAffair and return with Zoom. I had separate one way tickets and it was 2004.

At check in leaving the UK I didn't show the return ticket. The one way ticket and lack of PR at that time didn't seem to be a problem for the airline carrying me.

I don't recall showing the return ticket at immigration either. I came to the conclusion I needn't have bothered with the return ticket. Has something changed?

I'm seeing little advantage in applying for citizenship. Is it $200? Same cost as 20 years of PR cards, if one renews it every time?

If one is likely to travel back to the UK and/or Europe, isn't it a little more convenient on a European passport than a Canadian one?

Alan2005

There are many advantages to having a cad passport. Larger job market, voting, travel to the US are the obvious ones.

BristolUK

Yes, I've heard those before. I'm not in the job market - but PR should be just as good shouldn't it? Legally anyway.

I have an extremely low opinion of politics here, so that's no loss.

Now that Canadians need passports for the USA hasn't that advantage disappeared?

BTJ

Well no, since British Citizens have to pay to enter the US and also go through USVISIT procedures (photo, fingerprints etc) I'd say there is a reasonable advantage to a Canadian passport over a British passport. Also a Canadian could apply for a NEXUS card or if in a province that has them, an Enhanced Driver's Licence in order that they would not need a passport for land-based border crossings.

BristolUK

Remembering that the Canadian passport then has to be paid for so a comparison of such fees and frequency is needed.

JAJ

Your post raises a number of questions:

1. If you're German, then your children must also be German,

2. Were you living in Britain before 2005? If so, did you not become a British citizen?

3. Have you not looked into the Beibehaltungsgenehmigung which would allow you to keep your German citizenship upon becoming Canadian:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_nationality_law

onlyme1

What do you mean by "I just went through the whole process?" Did you renew you German passport or did you manage to get dual nationality?
I would love to be able to have dual, would solve a lot of problems but I think my chances are pretty slim. Not lived in Germany since 1995 and my last passport was issued at the embassy in England.

Should have applied for British citizenship when I lived in England.

onlyme1

My children are British as their dad is British, they were born on a British Army base in Germany, legaly this is the same as being born in England. Both have a German and British Birth Certificate. We have never looked into it if they could hold a German and British passport, and maybe now a Canadian. The reason why we went for British is that we did not want them to have to complete the German National Service.

I mostly lived in Germany, apart from a 2 year period. I did not become a British citizen as I could see very little benefit from it when I lived there. The only thing I couldn't do was vote.

Although dual citizenship is restricted under German law, it can be held in limited circumstances:

where a child born to German parents acquires another citizenship at birth (e.g. based on place of birth, or descent from one parent).
where a German citizen acquires a foreign nationality with the permission of the German government
where a naturalized German citizen, or a child born to non-German parents in Germany, obtains permission to keep his foreign nationality

I would have to ask for permission to hold dual nationality, not sure that my reasons would be good enough to be granted permission or that I could proof adequate ties.

Thank you to all for your help.