Can I have both Indian and Canadian passport for travel to India and back.

[sasn]

I had my citizenship test in last week of october 2010. I am expecting the oath to be sometime in december. However, no confirmation has been sent yet.
I am travelling to India on 24th Dec for a month.

If I get my oath before 24th Dec, I can apply for canadian passport.. and if i show the urgency, i think, they will process in a day or two (My assumption).
So, at this point, i will have both Indian and Canadian passport.

My question is : Will I be able to travel to India and come back with both passports? Or should I return the indian passport and get Indian visa on canadian passport. This might take time.

 

[newtone]

According to Indian rules you cannot have dual citizenship, so if you are going to travel on Canadian passport you need Indian visa

 

[Leon]

Canada doesn't care how many passports you have but you will have to deal with India. Once you get Canadian citizenship and they find out, they might want to take your Indian passport away.

Another problem with having a months vacation planned so close to your exam is that your oath might not be in December, they might call you in January while you are gone. You can postpone but you have no idea when you will get another date for the oath. It may not be any time soon.

 

[sasn]

Thanks Leon and Newtone.

It is very difficult to change the travel plan at this point of time.
Lets say, I take the Oath and collect the citizenship certificate. At that point, I have Indian passport and canadian citizenship certificate. As per my understanding, I cannot use citizenship certificate to travel back to Canada... right ?

In that case, can I apply for travel document from India itself?

By the way, what would be my status, after I get Citizenship Certificate? Will I be PR or Citizen ?

 

[steaky]

After you got citizenship certificate, you are Canadian citizen.

 

[Leon]

Yes, they even take your PR card away at the oath ceremony. If you do get the citizenship before you travel, it would be advisable to get a Canadian passport. You will probably be able to enter Canada with your Indian passport and citizenship certificate but I am sure they will tell you to get a Canadian passport. Then it is a question of how fast India finds out that you have become a Canadian citizen and want to take away your Indian passport.

 

[newtone]

I dont think you can enter Canada with a citizenship certificate, the certificate is only for ceremonial purposes and Citizenship card is used for identity purposes. Unlike PR Card it cannot be used as means of travel. Its better if you get your canadian passport and then get the indian visa on it. If your travel to India is more important than attending the citizenship ceremony then I suggest you postpone the ceremony and meet with a citizenship judge to explain why you skipped the ceremony.....and by the way you need to have a really good excuse to convince the judge for missing the ceremony. Last minute travel, and great deals in airfare wont cut it

 

[Leon]

It is true that a citizenship card is not a travel document but I very much doubt that they would deny you entry if you show up with one and a valid foreign passport. They would likely give you a talking to though and tell you to get a passport. A citizenship card is more than a ceremonial document. It is your proof that you are a Canadian citizen if you were not born in Canada. If you were born in Canada, your birth certificate would be your proof.

 

[sasn]

Thanks Guys. It makes sense not to travel without canadian passport. I looked at the passport canada website and found that they can issue a canadian passport in a day if its urgent. Its the indian visa which is problematic.. i guess, the visitor visa to India takes around 4-5 working days. Moreover, I dont even have a date of oath set yet.

If I skip the ceremony date, Do I have to meet a citizenship judge to explain why I skipped the ceremony?

 

[newtone]

I agree "It is your proof that you are a Canadian citizen if you were not born in Canada" but that still is not a travel document. What are you going to tell the Indian Immigration at the airport during departure when he asks for travel document to Canada (i.e visa or PR card).
Having said that why take a chance when you are not sure, be clear be safe and enjoy your travel.

 

[zombie.raised]

Can you get canadian passport without surrendering the Indian passport and I heard that itself takes 2 weeks.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Thanks Guys. It makes sense not to travel without canadian passport. I looked at the passport canada website and found that they can issue a canadian passport in a day if its urgent. Its the indian visa which is problematic.. i guess, the visitor visa to India takes around 4-5 working days. Moreover, I dont even have a date of oath set yet.

If I skip the ceremony date, Do I have to meet a citizenship judge to explain why I skipped the ceremony?

If you skip th ceremony, you citizenship application will be declared abandoned. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2013/ob476B.asp

 

[Leon]

Can you get canadian passport without surrendering the Indian passport and I heard that itself takes 2 weeks.

It's not Canada that makes you surrender your Indian passport, it's India that forbids you from having more than one citizenship. If you take Canadian citizenship, you will lose your Indian citizenship as soon as the government of India finds out. You can however apply for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) which allows you some rights in India, for example unlimited travel but not all the rights of an Indian citizen.

Once you are a Canadian citizen, you can get your passport in as little as 24 hours if you pay for expedited processing, see http://www.ppt.gc.ca/info/service.aspx?lang=eng&region=Canada#PPTC

 

[johnedm]

if is an offence in Indian law( it clearly says in the passport, if you renew it here) if you are not surrendering your Indian passport after getting any other citizenship

 

[Dejaavu]

The airlines won' let you board because you will need a visa/pr card or Canadian passport to travel to Canada. If somehow you can board the plane without Canadian passport then CBSA will let you in cos you are Canadian citizen after giving you some lecture.