dunno

Hi there...
I am a Canadian citizen and currently live here in the UK with my (British) partner and our two daughters. We are about to return to Canada to live permanently in July. My older daughter has her proof of Canadian citizenship whilst my youngest does not. Does the fact that my youngest doesn't have this impact upon her ability to legally reside in Canada and then access health care after the initial three months of our residency? I have -- perhaps stupidly -- banked on the fact that my daughters are Canadian by descent (1st generation), but i don't want any assumptions to negatively affect them.
Help please?
Thanks in advance...

DandNHill

Surely you are her proof of citizenship officially and you just need to reobtain the correct paperwork?

dunno

Yes that is what i originally thought and when I asked an immigration officer at Ottawa airport (when my partner landed), they advised that the girls would probably need an ETA since they both held British passports and despite one of them having the proof of citizenship.

To confuse me even more, i emailed the high commission in London and they have just stated that we all need to travel on Canadian passports, and that for my youngest i need to apply for citizenship and a limited validity passport at the same time (although that would potentially take 8-10 weeks and our flight leaves in July). I really want to believe the high commission is wrong, but i'm about to go get pictures done just in case and start the process. it is just one more thing I did NOT want to sort out before we left the UK.

Siouxie

Canadian citizens can't apply for or obtain an ETA and yes, due to this a Canadian citizen needs to travel on a Canadian passport.

Dual Canadian citizens need a valid Canadian passport (includes info on how to obtain a passport urgently, provided you have proof of citizenship).

Your alternative, if you don't have proof of her ctizenship, would be to fly to the US and cross the border by private vehicle (car), as no ETA would be required.

MarylandNed

An ESTA would be required for the US trip if travelling on a British passport. Then they would still have the issue of getting past CBSA at the Canadian border. Once it is established that they are going to live in Canada, they would need to produce proof of the youngest child's Canadian citizenship. Who knows if the CBSA officer will accept proof of the parent's status plus the child's birth cert? That's a real risk.

The safe bet is to follow the advice of the Canadian High Commission - submit an application for a citizenship cert and get a limited validity passport at the same time.

MarylandNed

The High Commission is not wrong.

With respect, this is the first thing you should have sorted out. Hopefully you can communicate the urgency of the situation and get the limited validity passport expedited.

dunno

We alreadY booked the flights for the beginning of July. Feel very stupid now and wish I had checked this out properly well before now. Argh

Dorothy

I do hope those flights are changeable.