Canadian Certificate of Identity

[SKguy]

Hello,

I'm in the process of applying for certificate of identity, is this document accepted to travel to the US and europe? i'm aware i still have to apply for a visa. anyone with previous traveling experience with it?

Thanks!

 

[Son-of-A-Gun]

Hello,

I'm in the process of applying for certificate of identity, is this document accepted to travel to the US and europe? i'm aware i still have to apply for a visa. anyone with previous traveling experience with it?

Thanks!

Hi,
You'll find all answers to your questions here, under "Travel documents for non-Canadian", from determining your eligibility to checking processing times:

http: // www .cic.gc.ca /english/passport/travel-documents/index.asp (remove unecessary spaces)

For the lazy:

The Canadian Certificate of Identity is an international travel document issued by Passport Canada to a permanent resident of Canada who is not yet a Canadian citizen, is stateless, or is otherwise unable to obtain a national passport or travel document. It is a biometric document with a grey cover. The validity period of the travel document is determined by the issuing office.

Eligibility
The applicant must either be stateless, or be unable to obtain a national passport

Use
The Certificate of Identity may be used for travel to all countries/territories specified in the travel document, apart from the bearer's country of citizenship if he/she is not stateless.

The holder of a Canadian Certificate of Identity issued by virtue of his/her statelessness and legally resident in Canada can enter Slovenia visa-free for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. These two visa exemptions do not apply to those who hold a Certificate of Identity because they have been unable to obtain a national passport, rather than being stateless.

In theory, there is a visa exemption for Germany if the Certificate of Identity has been issued in accordance with the rules in the Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. However, because Canada is not a signatory to the Convention, in practice there is no such visa exemption.

 

[SKguy]

Thanks for the reply, I did receive the document and found out that a few European countries do not recognize or do not know what the document is. My recommendation unless you are sure you can use it for something specific the document is not worth the money

 

[Matt-NL]

Hi guys,
I am waiting for my PPR (AOR 12 October, PNP Inland) in Canada. I came to Canada with a "special passport" (not a regular one) because I was working at a public university in my county and therefore I had a public-servant status. My Canadian TRV is on this passport. Now I have the following problem: CIC asks a regular passport to stamp the Permanent Resident Visa. As mentioned above, however, I don't have a regular passport. I cannot receive a regular passport from my country, because after a military coup attempt my country doesn't issue any passport to me because of political reasons. It is impossible to get a regular passport for me at least several years until the political situation is normalized. I intend to write a letter of explanation to CIC and hope they apply PR visa on my special passport. However, if they cannot do this exemption, can I apply for a Canadian Certificate of Identity? According to official info permanent residents can get a Certificate of Identity if they are unable to receive passport from their country. Now my case is almost the same. When my passport request comes and CIC does not stick the PR visa on the passport I have, can I apply for this Certificate of Identity? Am I considered as a permanent resident in this case? PLEASE HELP ME!

 

[SKguy]

Unfortunately you can not apply for Certificate of Identity. You have to be permanent resident before you can apply for certificate of identity. My understanding is that no exceptions are granted for not having regular passport cases. I almost lost my status in Canada because of a similar issue. I would recommend you contact a lawyer about your issue. It sounds like you will have to apply as either refugee or humanitarian basis, but i would ask a lawyer rather than anyone else

 

[Matt-NL]

Unfortunately you can not apply for Certificate of Identity. You have to be permanent resident before you can apply for certificate of identity. My understanding is that no exceptions are granted for not having regular passport cases. I almost lost my status in Canada because of a similar issue. I would recommend you contact a lawyer about your issue. It sounds like you will have to apply as either refugee or humanitarian basis, but i would ask a lawyer rather than anyone else

Can you please explain what you experienced, my friend?
It would be very helpful.
Thanks.

 

[stanadyne114]

Hello,

I'm in the process of applying for certificate of identity, is this document accepted to travel to the US and europe? i'm aware i still have to apply for a visa. anyone with previous traveling experience with it?

Thanks!

Hi

Hope you're well. Can you please tell us if you had applied for a Travel Document and did u receive a Certificate of Identity or a Travel Document? I spoke to Passport CANADA and they said that I am entitled to Certificate of Identity as I recently got my PR status and PR Card under protected person category. pls if you can reply. Thank you

 

[SKguy]

Hi

Hope you're well. Can you please tell us if you had applied for a Travel Document and did u receive a Certificate of Identity or a Travel Document? I spoke to Passport CANADA and they said that I am entitled to Certificate of Identity as I recently got my PR status and PR Card under protected person category. pls if you can reply. Thank you

If you recieved your PR under protected person you will be applying for refugee travel document. Its a better document than the Certificate of Identity which is given to people who become PR in ways other than refugee claim. I have had no luck traveling anywhere with the Certificate of Identity document since no country accepts it. I'm not sure why they even issue it

 

[SKguy]

Can you please explain what you experienced, my friend?
It would be very helpful.
Thanks.

I received the document and after emailing multiple embassys, it sounds like the Netherlands are the only ones who might be willing to allow me to apply for a visa. I'm not sure if the visa they would grant at that point is Schengen because France and Germany do not recognize the Certificate of Identity. Also the US has no information on their website regarding it so I have been stuck in a limbo

 

[Roy2015]

Hope this helps you...Did you email the US Embassy to check if you can apply for a US Visa using the Certification of Identity (COI)....to my knowledge you will have to apply for an American Visa using your COI. Are you still awaiting your hearing.....

 

[enriqueP]

Hello,

I am in the process of getting a COI. I contacted the Dominican embassy and they said idly is a valid document. I am just concerned the airport staff or airline member will give me a hard time. Any advise regarding the use of this document? You mentioned “no country accepts it”. What did you mean by that? I thank you for your help.

 

[Canada514]

Hello,

I am in the process of getting a COI. I contacted the Dominican embassy and they said idly is a valid document. I am just concerned the airport staff or airline member will give me a hard time. Any advise regarding the use of this document? You mentioned “no country accepts it”. What did you mean by that? I thank you for your help.

Dominican embassy accepts it or not?

 

[Canada514]

I received the document and after emailing multiple embassys, it sounds like the Netherlands are the only ones who might be willing to allow me to apply for a visa. I'm not sure if the visa they would grant at that point is Schengen because France and Germany do not recognize the Certificate of Identity. Also the US has no information on their website regarding it so I have been stuck in a limbo

Did you ask Cuba or Dominican embassy if they accept it or not

 

[SKguy]

Hope this helps you...Did you email the US Embassy to check if you can apply for a US Visa using the Certification of Identity (COI)....to my knowledge you will have to apply for an American Visa using your COI. Are you still awaiting your hearing.....

As far as I remember Cuba does not accept it. I could never find an answer about using the COI for US visa. But I think it is possible to get a US visa using the COI

 

[Canada514]

Hey guys
I heard that you can travel to cuba by only the PR card+ valid passport
And I think the COI is considered as a passport?
Any recommendations plz
I'm waiting my COI and I plan to travel this summer.