Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

Like many on this site I have dual citizenship (UK & Canada) so have the ability to carry both passports when travelling. Now according to the Government Of Canada after the 15th March 2016 if I travel outside of Canada and wish to fly directly back to Canada I will now need a valid Canadian passport. If you are a dual Canadian citizen living/working outside of Canada you will now need a valid Canadian passport if you wish to fly directly back to Canada even if you hold a valid visa exempt passport from the country you hold dual citizenship with.

Why is this well its down to Canada introducing eTA requirements for foreign nationals flying into Canada. Even if I had a valid UK passport along with proof of Canadian citizenship I need to enter on a valid Canadian passport if flying into Canada as I could not apply for eTA using my UK passport.

The EU are not happy about this and are considering introducing their own requirements for Canadians entering the EU. Several groups are making representation to the Govt to delay the implementation of eTA but have not received answers to their questions.

Now if I only have a visa waiver exempt passport (UK) I could still use that passport and apply for ESTA and fly into the USA then enter Canada by a land border crossing. I simply show CBSA the passport and proof of Canadian citizenship and voila Im admitted.

A Canadian citizen has a right of entry into Canada with proof of citizenship or that the CBSA officer believes they are. Does it really matter which passport I chose to enter on Im still a Canadian citizen but apparently not if wishing to fly directly to Canada.

Stay tuned for more developments.

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

Further adding to the confusion, if you are a dual US-Can citizen, or a triple US-Can-UK, you can enter Canada by air on your US passport with proof of Canadian citizenship as US citizens are exempt from eTA... Do you have a source for the EU being "not happy" about eTA? Australia and the US have similar programs and the EU didn't reciprocate then, so why would they now?

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

I don't know if you will be able to read this article which addresses this. I did read it in full but apparently the site only allows one time access to articles. Perhaps go to the main home page and then look for the story which is in the Whats Popular on Embassy most read section on the right hand side of the home page.

Embassy - Canada's Foreign Policy Newspaper

EU turns the screws on Canada over visas | Embassy - Canada's Foreign Policy Newspaper

I have no problem with applying for eTA using a UK passport but the Govt says I can't as Im a Canadian citizen and if found to be lying on the eTA application I could be prosecuted for misrepresentation.

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

FL, let me try this on you.

As a dual citizen, I leave Canada on a one-way ticket to an EU country. On arrival in the EU country I show my EU passport, I stay a few months then book a two-way return ticket EU country to YYZ to EU 30 days out.

On arrival in Canada I show my EU passport stating I am visiting my daughter.... have a nice day.

I stay & do not use the return back to the UK leg

Am I illegal in Canada?

Issues, problems?

.

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

Why do duals need two? What prevents them simply travelling on their Canadian passports?

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

No but after 15 March 2016 you would need eTA if using the EU passport to fly to Canada directly but as a dual citizen you cannot apply for eTA. Now of course you can apply for eTA and lie on the application as the application asks if you have any other citizenship. If discovered later on then you could be charged with misrepresentation under section 127 of IRPA and under section 128 receive the following
128 A person who contravenes a provision of section 126 or 127 is guilty of an offence and liable

(a) on conviction on indictment, to a fine of not more than $100,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years, or to both; or

(b) on summary conviction, to a fine of not more than $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years, or to both

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

This seems stupid.

If you are actually a citizen then surely you have to be allowed to enter? It shouldn't matter which passport you are traveling on.

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

FL, would Canadian PR card holders be exempt, or how would they be handled?

If that's the case, could folks with dual EU/Canadian citizenship give up their Canadian citizenship & swap it for a PR card?

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

It's not hard to imagine perfectly legitimate examples:

- You have to travel at short notice, but your canadian pp is up for renewal.

- You travel to the UK on your british PP and lose your canadian one while there.

- You are a frequent business traveller and your canadian pp is having a chinese visa or whatever put in it while your are travelling to europe.

Etc, etc.

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

Or, you know, just carry two passports.

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

PR card holders are exempt eTA. I wouldn't advocate renouncing Canadian citizenship and then reapplying for PR status just to get a PR card.

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

The problem is not Canada, but the airline, i believe.
They want 0% risk of having to return a passenger to their origin and incur a fine from CBSA.

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

From what FL is saying, it looks like the CBSA doesn't have a system in place for citizens who aren't passport holders. It's a bit of an oversight as this probably applies to a lot of people.

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

Because some stagger their passports renewal so they are not applying for 2 at the same time.
As both are now 10 year passports some prefer to renew one every 5 year interval.

Re: Dual citizens now require 2 valid passports.
 

Not quite. Say Im married to a UK citizen and Im dual citizen and we both live in the UK. We decide to go to Canada. She can apply for eTA using her UK passport.
Being issued an eTA does not guarantee entry into Canada and if refused entry the airline has to take her back and no fine involved. The big fines occur when they let a person fly using a valid passport then on arrival in Canada the person makes a refugee claim having eaten or destroyed the passport they showed the airline.