Travelling to India after Getting Canadian citizenship

[Hopeless_desparate]

I am Indian citizen, living in Montreal with Canadian PR. My oath is due on 22nd Nov 2022. I have travel plans to India on 12th Jan and return by 15th Feb,

I would be able to apply Canadian passport only after I get my Canadian Citizenship certificate which is min 3 weeks (mid Dec since the ceremony is on zoom). This gives me very little time to surrender Indian passport and apply for OCI or in fact apply visa since e-visa for Canadians is discontinued.

I am looking at Consulate General Indian website(vancouver) & it says as follows:

"Indian national who has acquired a foreign citizenship is allowed a grace period of 3 months of acquisition of foreign citizenship within which the Indian passport, if held, may be used for travel to India and back."

Does that mean we can travel on Indian passport (along with Canadian passport) as my travel dates falls under 3 months grace period and return with Canadian passport? My concern is if immigration officer would create an issue on return in India.

i already asked Consulate General India but didn't get any answer.

Does anyone face this issue and experience with similar Situation? Please help.

 

[olios1332]

a different question would be how are you how would you return to Canada?
Pr card is destroyed, you cannot apply for PRTD since you are technically no longer a permanent resident but a citizen...

I am following this post interesting question.

 

[softwaretesting]

I am Indian citizen, living in Montreal with Canadian PR. My oath is due on 22nd Nov 2022. I have travel plans to India on 12th Jan and return by 15th Feb,

I would be able to apply Canadian passport only after I get my Canadian Citizenship certificate which is min 3 weeks (mid Dec since the ceremony is on zoom). This gives me very little time to surrender Indian passport and apply for OCI or in fact apply visa since e-visa for Canadians is discontinued.

I am looking at Consulate General Indian website(vancouver) & it says as follows:

"Indian national who has acquired a foreign citizenship is allowed a grace period of 3 months of acquisition of foreign citizenship within which the Indian passport, if held, may be used for travel to India and back."

Does that mean we can travel on Indian passport (along with Canadian passport) as my travel dates falls under 3 months grace period and return with Canadian passport? My concern is if immigration officer would create an issue on return in India.

i already asked Consulate General India but didn't get any answer.

Does anyone face this issue and experience with similar Situation? Please help.

As per my understanding that 3 months grace period is if you don't have Canadian passport. Regardless, I had read somewhere that you will not be allowed to travel back on Canadian Passport. You will have to surrender passport in India & then get exit visa. Entire process will take approx. 3 months.

You can request to send Citizenship certificate on priority (send ticket along with oath form). My spouse received it within a week. After that you can request for urgent passport (book a refundable ticket for US with travel date in 2 days, in case they don't consider Indian ticket at a later date). Once you receive passport, submit request for surrender certificate & Indian Visa.

 

[Hopeless_desparate]

Thanks for the suggestion, I am trying to reach out to embassy to confirm on their FAQ.

There isnt any oath form, do you mean to request for citizenship certificate urgently during the oath?

 

[Varunaimar]

Thanks for the suggestion, I am trying to reach out to embassy to confirm on their FAQ.

There isnt any oath form, do you mean to request for citizenship certificate urgently during the oath?

Yes thats what he meant.

 

[Hopeless_desparate]

But this is still going to be tight since they have minimum 2 weeks for citizenship certificate. Also, passport surrender and visa wait is minimum 30days(working days) , hence it would be tight.

I'm just wondering if this statement is true on the website https://cgivancouver.gov.in/pdf/FAQs-on-Surrender-and-renunciation-1.pdf
, I can avoid all the hassle :
"Indian national who has acquired a foreign citizenship is allowed a grace period of 3 months of acquisition of foreign citizenship within which the Indian passport, if held, may be used for travel to India and back."

 

[abbas.pasha]

But this is still going to be tight since they have minimum 2 weeks for citizenship certificate. Also, passport surrender and visa wait is minimum 30days(working days) , hence it would be tight.

I'm just wondering if this statement is true on the website https://cgivancouver.gov.in/pdf/FAQs-on-Surrender-and-renunciation-1.pdf
, I can avoid all the hassle :
"Indian national who has acquired a foreign citizenship is allowed a grace period of 3 months of acquisition of foreign citizenship within which the Indian passport, if held, may be used for travel to India and back."

You can get the certificate, but you have to request for an expedite either by emailing local IRCC office and also discussing during the ceremony with the clerk who reviews your document.
My ceremony was on Sep 13 i got the certificate on Sep 16. Scarborough office. I requested expedite before the ceremony and during the ceremony

 

[Hopeless_desparate]

you have to request for an expedite either by emailing local IRCC office and also discuss

yes i just requested for that but they want proof of medical grounds for it. Do you know if passport surrender and entry visa can be done on the same day or is it sequential? Also do we need an appointment at Ottawa consulate or can I walk in with documents at their office. Im preferring to do it in person given limited time and want to skip BLS(heard they are really not efficient)

 

[abbas.pasha]

yes i just requested for that but they want proof of medical grounds for it. Do you know if passport surrender and entry visa can be done on the same day or is it sequential? Also do we need an appointment at Ottawa consulate or can I walk in with documents at their office. Im preferring to do it in person given limited time and want to skip BLS(heard they are really not efficient)

Yes Surrender and Visa can be done on the same day. I am only aware that this process can be done through BLS. HCI/CGI will not accept
You need to book an appointment with BLS for Passport Surrender and Visa application (2 separate appointments have to be made)
atleast here in Toronto and Brampton BLS has stopped walkin.

 

[Scarbro007]

After my Canada Citizenship Oath, I had to travel India in an emergency and I used my Indian Passport. I dint even had time to apply for Canada Passport. Now I am in India with my Citizenship Certificate & Indian Passport and trying to find ways to get back to Canada. Please suggest me if you know any.

 

[Samoinp]

After my Canada Citizenship Oath, I had to travel India in an emergency and I used my Indian Passport. I dint even had time to apply for Canada Passport. Now I am in India with my Citizenship Certificate & Indian Passport and trying to find ways to get back to Canada. Please suggest me if you know any.

You would need a Travel document to get back to Canada, in your case it would be a passport, try to get in touch with a Canadian consulate in India and get a passport via them. Once that is done, you might have to do some formalities in emigration check in India.

 

[Scarbro007]

You would need a Travel document to get back to Canada, in your case it would be a passport, try to get in touch with a Canadian consulate in India and get a passport via them. Once that is done, you might have to do some formalities in emigration check in India.

Thanks for the reply. I already reached out to Canadian Consulate in India. They advised me that I can apply for passport and once I receive it, I need to apply to Indian Authorities for Indian Exit Visa Stamp. I checked online for apply Indian Exit Visa, and found the need to submit below mandatory documents
1. Photo
2. Passport & Visa
3. Residence Proof
4. Travel ticket
5. FIR (for arrest)
6. Embassy letter
7. NOC
8. Acquittal Paper (arrest)
9. RC/RP

Seems bit complex to approach in my scenario where I entered India with my Indian Passport and No Indian Visa. So wondering if there's any other Travel Document(other than Canada Passort) I can obtain to travel back.

 

[aphermix]

What about travelling to a third country like Qatar or Jamaica which gives Indian Passport holders visa on arrival and contacting the Canada Embassy in that country ? This will give respite from getting an exit visa for India. But you may have to check if the third country will have a problem in exit control. Many countries shouldn't have a problem you entering with one passport and exiting with another. I have been contemplating this thought for a while if I need to go to Indian before I get visa or OCI. Maybe someone with more experience cam chime in.

 

[Samoinp]

Thanks for the reply. I already reached out to Canadian Consulate in India. They advised me that I can apply for passport and once I receive it, I need to apply to Indian Authorities for Indian Exit Visa Stamp. I checked online for apply Indian Exit Visa, and found the need to submit below mandatory documents
1. Photo
2. Passport & Visa
3. Residence Proof
4. Travel ticket
5. FIR (for arrest)
6. Embassy letter
7. NOC
8. Acquittal Paper (arrest)
9. RC/RP

Seems bit complex to approach in my scenario where I entered India with my Indian Passport and No Indian Visa. So wondering if there's any other Travel Document(other than Canada Passort) I can obtain to travel back.

Doubt so, you must have already cut your PR card and PRTD wouldn't be applicable for you. Canadian passport is the only way to go afaik. Once at emigration check, they wouldn't let you go ahead without proof of status in destination country and once you show Canadian passport, they will automatically know about your entry and will request the exit visa.

 

[Samoinp]

What about travelling to a third country like Qatar or Jamaica which gives Indian Passport holders visa on arrival and contacting the Canada Embassy in that country ? This will give respite from getting an exit visa for India. But you may have to check if the third country will have a problem in exit control. Many countries shouldn't have a problem you entering with one passport and exiting with another. I have been contemplating this thought for a while if I need to go to Indian before I get visa or OCI. Maybe someone with more experience cam chime in.

It got a lot simpler since e-visa is back on for Canadians. Once you get Canadian passport, it shouldn't be a concern going forward for any immediate travel.