Grew up here but don't have PR, no study permit, help

[Rob_TO]

EDIT: Note that you can only claim Canadian citizenship through your parents if they become Canadian citizens BEFORE you were born.

Sounds like they moved to Canada after she was born. So I assume they would have applied for PR with her included as dependent, so she would have become PR also. Then again when they applied later for citizenship, logically they would have included her also in the citizenship app.

So she is most likely already a PR (though doesn't know it) or already a citizen.

My parents are the only members of my family who weren't born in Canada and lived in Germany most of their lives, hence why I was born there, before they moved to Canada when I was a baby (to the point that I don't remember that at all) They weren't citizens at the time, but I'm pretty sure they applied after a while as they spent about 15 years here. I never had to take a medical exam or anything as far as I know (maybe because I was a kid)

What documents would I need to legally prove that then? My parents' Canadian passports? I guess they don't care about all the other documents I might have, even government things like driver's licence, school records...?

You need to have a long talk with your parents first, before you start anything. You need to confirm with them exactly when/how they got PR status and then Canadian citizenship, and exactly how you were included on any such applications.

 

[scylla]

Yeah - agreed with the above. We can't be of any further help until you have a detailed discussion with your parents and understand your full history here and what you / your parents have or have not applied for.

 

[angel2014]

Sorry it's going to be pretty long but my situation is a mess.
I'm 20 years old, female, from British Columbia, officially a German citizen.

Basically I was born in Germany so I got German citizenship because I was born there, but half my family is 100% Canadian and I grew up here. I grew up in BC, spoke exclusively English, did everything like a Canadian kid pretty much, and because I was living with Canadian relatives (and my parents) I never realized I wasn't a Canadian citizen. I have no memories of living in Germany, I think I was only a baby at the time. When I was a kid my parents applied for study permits for me etc but I was never aware I had one. My parents moved to Germany (where they're from) when I was 16 but I stayed here with my extended family to finish high school. I graduated in 2016. I applied to go to uni, got into a few, went to a university in Nova Scotia and am still attending. I currently don't have a study permit, because I didn't know I would be considered an international student as I literally grew up here with my Canadian family... So that's problem #1
I have a boyfriend who has dual Canadian-American citizenship, we've been together for 1 year and a half. We live together but with another roommate (friend). We could qualify as common law so he could sponsor me for PR I guess.
Now the problem:
- I guess in the eye of the Canadian government, I'm just a German international student who doesn't have a proper study permit. However I've literally lived here my whole life, I got German citizenship because I was born in Germany, but I don't even speak the language or know anything about the culture! My friends are Canadian, my family that I've lived with is Canadian, etc. So it's kind of a shock to me, because how I feel/how I've always seen myself is not official I guess
- What would be the fastest route to PR for me? Have my boyfriend sponsor me? My uncle/aunt and family here (who I've lived with my entire life, including from age 16-18 without my parents and they were my legal guardians) are Canadian and would definitely be willing to sponsor me but I'm not sure what family class app this would fall under. (can I be a dependent child if I'm 20, living away for school but my family supports me and claims me as dependent on their taxes?)
- Am I going to get in trouble when I apply for a study permit in the meantime? I'm going to apply for a study permit for september, but am I gonna be in trouble for attending uni for 2 years without a study permit (I didn't think I would need one, I was never considered an international student)

I only found out about this a few months ago when I didn't have a Canadian passport, and my parents said well of course not, we never applied for one, you're German. That was kind of a shock because I always assumed I had dual citizenship (even though I've always felt Canadian, as I have 0 ties to German culture/I don't speak German...)

If someone can answer my questions above it would be greatly appreciated! Basically, what's the best route to PR for me (sponsor from BF/family/or maybe there's a program for "fake Canadian" kids like me?)
Am I gonna get in trouble for requesting a study permit for September? I heard you have to show "ties to your home country" but my home country is Canada... I wouldn't even be able to survive in Germany because I don't speak the language, I don't know how to go about finding a place to live there and stuff...

edit: I'll add that my parents were always legally here (work permits, employed, 100% legit), my Canadian family is Canadian-born, me and my older brother were here legally until I was 18 (study permits that our parents applied for). When I was 16, my parents moved to Germany but I was still here on a study permit with my Canadian family as legal guardians. My brother was 18 at the time and decided to go with them because he wanted to live in Europe and he already spoke some German. I guess I became "illegal" between September 2016 and now, because I don't have a study permit.

Wow ... let me tell you there are certain way you can apply without passport ( like refugee or h&c ) only if you are eligible to apply. I am refugee and not have passport . I just received my PR medical under spousal sponsorship . As far as I know if u are eligible for PR , they will issue identity document . U cant travel to your home country bt u ll gey PR .
If you need some info about passport read this
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/travel-documents-non-canadians/document-types.html

 

[Rob_TO]

Wow ... let me tell you there are certain way you can apply without passport ( like refugee or h&c ) only if you are eligible to apply. I am refugee and not have passport . I just received my PR medical under spousal sponsorship . As far as I know if u are eligible for PR , they will issue identity document . U cant travel to your home country bt u ll gey PR .
If you need some info about passport read this
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/travel-documents-non-canadians/document-types.html

None of this is relevant to the OPs situation.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Of course I want to stay in Canada... this is my home! I agree no one should become a citizen or PR just for living here for a number of years, if you're an immigrant, but I'm just like any other Canadian kid... EDIT: and ofc my relationship with my boyfriend is genuine. I mean living/growing up in Canada and being in university in a smallish town, the chances of dating a Canadian are so much higher than they are in some other places, just because the city I study in isn't as multicultural as cities like Toronto or Vancouver. Going by that reasoning, people could argue that I'm after getting a green card as well, because he happens to have dual American/Canadian citizenship, but I don't ever plan to live in the US or anything
Apparently I can claim citizenship and apply for a Canadian passport as I might have Canadian citizenship by descent (through my parents who are officially dual citizens) so I wouldn't have to go through the process at all. I would just have to proove my parents are Canadian citizens and did ceclare me on their application, but never applied for me to get a Canadian passport.
The last time I left Canada was in December/January for 10 days to go to the US. I've travelled at least once a year since I was born (no I'm not rich lol but just taking the ferry from Vancouver to Seattle or spending a couple days in the US counts as travelling I guess)

Information you should have provided from the beginning. You stated that your parents were here on work permits, not that they are Canadian citizens.

You are likely either a PR or a Canadian citizen already. You really need to talk to your parents. It sounds like this whole situation could have been avoided if they had simply provided you with correct information.

 

[zardoz]

To answer a few things:
- I do have a social security number, access to healthcare (BC healthcare, as that's my home province and where I permanently reside even though for the past 2 years I've been attending school in Nova Scotia). I have my L (like a BC driver's licence) and my healthcare/service card (from BC)
- I do have a German passport, just no Canadian passport
- My family supports me while I'm in school, I also got a scholarship because of my grades/program I got into. However I'm a 20 year old student, I don't know of any lawyers and I don't think I can afford one.
- I have travelled to the US (to visit friends/my boyfriend's family/on breaks) and a few times to Europe, and I came back with no issue. I've always gone into the Citizen/PR line and was never asked any questions other than the usual "do you have anything to declare?" and having to fill in the declaration card.
- I have only been out of status for 2 years, not knowing I was to be considered an international student.
- I'm not going to apply for H&C, my life is very safe indeed. I don't know what I would do in Germany though, not speaking the language or knowing the school system/culture there. I'm going back home to BC soon and I will get in touch with my MP so we can look at options but my plan is to apply for PR through the common-law partnership (we have a lease agreement showing we lived together and a bunch of proof)

Based on the information so far, I'm going to apply for PR (Inland common law) and pretty much hope my life doesn't change. I mean I've never been treated as an international student, I realize I'm lucky and I could have gotten in a lot of trouble legally, but it's kind of ridiculous to grow up here with Canadian family, be considered Canadian by everyone including myself, but not legally...

What is the very first digit of your SIN?

 

[aubreyy34]

Well my parents are not Canadians, they are German born and raised and came here as adults under work permits. I never said they were Canadian, though maybe they applied to become Canadian at some point.
I am German born but lived here my whole life as a regular Canadian kid

What is the very first digit of your SIN?

Why does that matter? It's 7.

 

[scylla]

Well my parents are not Canadians, they are German born and raised and came here as adults under work permits. I never said they were Canadian, though maybe they applied to become Canadian at some point.
I am German born but lived here my whole life as a regular Canadian kid



Why does that matter? It's 7.

Temporary SINs begin with 9. If you have a SIN that begins with a different number - that would indicate you at some point became a PR or citizen. You really (REALLY) need to speak to your parents to clear all of this up. We really can't help you until you have the full story from them.

 

[zardoz]

Well my parents are not Canadians, they are German born and raised and came here as adults under work permits. I never said they were Canadian, though maybe they applied to become Canadian at some point.
I am German born but lived here my whole life as a regular Canadian kid



Why does that matter? It's 7.

If it's 7, it's a permanent SIN, not a temporary one. Therefore you are definitely still in status as you must be either a PR or a citizen. Also, that number is only issued by BC and Yukon.

Geography
The first digit of a SIN usually identifies the province in which it was registered, as listed below. However, the government has found it necessary in the past to supply certain regions with SIN numbers assigned to other regions.

1: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador
2–3: Quebec
4–5: Ontario (excluding Northwestern Ontario), and overseas forces
6: Northwestern Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut
7: British Columbia and Yukon
8: Used exclusively for the BN (Business Number) assigned to business owners and corporations
9: Temporary resident
0: CRA-assigned Individual Tax Numbers, Temporary Tax Numbers or Adoption Tax Numbers

 

[aubreyy34]

I asked my parents, waiting for them to text me back. Well I've always had the same SIN number since I was a kid so... (I have a SIN card, apparently they started giving letters instead in the last few years, but I still have my original card from when I was a kid)

edit Alright so that's what I thought! I'm a citizen, just never had a Canadian passport. I guess I'll apply for one

 

[Rob_TO]

Well my parents are not Canadians, they are German born and raised and came here as adults under work permits. I never said they were Canadian, though maybe they applied to become Canadian at some point.
I am German born but lived here my whole life as a regular Canadian kid

If they applied for Canadian citizenship at any point and it was granted, then they are Canadian even if they hold dual citizenship with Germany Saying they are not Canadian if they hold Canadian passports, will just confuse people.

If they came under a work visa they would have needed to apply for and become PRs first, and then later on applied for citizenship. You need to see exactly what they did, and how you were included in any PR or citizenship app they did.

 

[carolbb23]

I do not know this poster story is getting more confusing

 

[aubreyy34]

Alright it's all good. I'm Canadian (legally) I will simply apply for a passport because I've never had a Canadian passport (but I was considered Canadian anyway, you don't need to have a passport) I already have everything else as far as Canadian documents go (even a "Canadian SIN number" starting with 7 because I'm from BC)
My parents are German, but my family is Canadian and I was declared as a dependent Canadian child. I guess this post can be closed then

 

[Rob_TO]

Alright it's all good. I'm Canadian (legally) I will simply apply for a passport because I've never had a Canadian passport (but I was considered Canadian anyway, you don't need to have a passport) I already have everything else as far as Canadian documents go (even a "Canadian SIN number" starting with 7 because I'm from BC)
My parents are German, but my family is Canadian and I was declared as a dependent Canadian child. I guess this post can be closed then

None of what you just said makes any sense. Your family in Canada has nothing to do with your citizenship. The only people that matter here are your parents. Did you talk to your parents and find out exactly when they applied for Canadian citizenship, and to ensure you also got citizenship at that same time?? What documents exactly do you have to show you are Canadian?

Having a SIN starting with 7 is also given to permanent residents, not just citizens.

 

[carolbb23]

None of what you just said makes any sense. Your family in Canada has nothing to do with your citizenship. The only people that matter here are your parents. Did you talk to your parents and find out exactly when they applied for Canadian citizenship, and to ensure you also got citizenship at that same time?? What documents exactly do you have to show you are Canadian?

Having a SIN starting with 7 is also given to permanent residents, not just citizens.

getting more confusing