Flyingscottie

Canada recognises dual citizenship (says it is one of 90 countries who do) and recommends you check with the country you are currently a citizen of if they also do.

This is what UK Immigration say:

"You will not normally lose your British nationality if you become a citizen or national of another country. If you are a British subject otherwise than by connection with the Republic of Ireland you will lose that status on acquiring any other nationality or citizenship."

Can anyone translate??

jimmydean

I think what maybe confusing is the difference between a British Citizen and British Subject
The use of the term "British subject" was discontinued for all persons who fell into these categories, or who had a national citizenship of any other part of the Commonwealth. The category of "British subjects" now includes only those people formerly known as "British subjects without citizenship", and no other.

British citizens are not British subjects under the 1981 Act.

scrubbedexpat005

I think being a "British subject" is different to being a British citizen?

JAJ

Correct. British subject under the British Nationality Act 1981 is a residual category applying only to certain persons from pre-1949 British India or the Republic of Ireland.

AdrianR

Dual citizenship is really no big deal. Basically, you cannot 'hide' in one country behind the passport of another. So, I have dual Mexican and British nationality - in the UK, I am British and must abide by the law as Briton do. In Mexico, I am Mexican and must abide by the laws here as they apply to all other Mexicans.

Swings and roundabouts, really.

Flyingscottie

So as a British Citizen, if I become a citizen of Canada, get a Canadian passport, abide by Canadian laws and duties etc, I can still keep a UK passport too?

I only ask in case in 20 years time we wanted to return (can't think why) and wondered if we would have to 'immigrate' back to our native country if we didn't have a UK passport any more.

That make sense?

el_richo

You keep your British Passport. You don't need to emigrate back into the UK from Canada should you wish to move back.

ninaDGBCA

as a british citizen , even if you get the canadian passport, you are always entitelt to have a brit passport, so do your kids. Even if your brit passport expired for a while and you decide to move back to the uk or kids are born in canada and want to study in the uk, so no worries.

JAJ

Children - not necessarily, if they are born in Canada and the British parent is a British citizen "by descent"

ninaDGBCA

sorry should have mentioned that. just assumed that they were British citizen....yeah it won't work if the parent is a British subject.

iaink

Bare in mind that under current rules if your UK passport expired more than ten years ago then you need to Re-apply (from scratch) , rather then renew it.

Its probably worth the effort and expense to remember to renew a UK passport before it reaches that point, even if a Canadian one is cheaper and more convenient to maintain when living in Canada.

Flyingscottie

Excellent point - thanks!

airbornesapper

My last 10 year UK passport expired in 1999....I have been to the UK plenty of times since.

Decided that if for whatever reason I need a UK passport again at some future point then I can get one; the need however has never arisen, and I doubt it will.

Can't see the point of coughing up when there are no downsides to travelling on a Canadian one.

My ten pence....

iaink

The only downsides I can see are its easier to travel around Europe on a UK passport, and sometimes the entry queue for non EU/ british passports are longer, but really its more a question of the hassle involved if you choose to move back to the UK 15 years from now and your UK passport is lapsed more than ten years...

airbornesapper

I hear you...but as a family, we have never had any hassles, be they immigration line-ups in the UK or while getting into all manner of Euro countries.

However, if I wanted to use free Euro health care (by getting the form stamped at a UK Post Office) then that would be one justification I can think of for getting a UK Passport. We have med cover..so don't need the free UK/Euro option.