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Citizenship by Descent -- Proof of Citizenship Application

mstamant92

Newbie
Nov 8, 2020
4
0
Hi all!

I've got 2 questions about the Proof of Citizenship (Application for Citizenship Certificate for Adults and Minors) that you all may be able to help me with. I have already emailed a lawyer about another question I had which was answered without having to pay a fee, but anymore questions and I'll have to pay $$ (which I am fine with if it is necessary, but wanted to see if I could get my questions answered here first).

My situation: I am currently in Toronto on a study visa, but I am a first generation Canadian born in the US in 1992 to a Canadian father who was born in Quebec in 1960 and has retained his Canadian citizenship. My father's parents and their grandparents were all born in Quebec, so there's definitely no issue that I am in fact Canadian by first-generation descent. I've decided I'd like to stay in Canada after I finish school so I am now applying for my Proof of Citizenship. I have all the necessary documents for application: (1) my father's birth certificate (both the original hand-written document, and a re-issued official document from the Quebec government in 2009), (2) my father's current Canadian passport, (3) my US birth certificate that has my father's name on it, and (4) two pieces of ID which show my name and photo.

I have two questions:
(1) My father's given names on his Canadian birth certificate include his first name + 2 middle names (ex: Joe Michael John, + SURNAME). However, his name on my US birth certificate is only his first given name and his surname (ex: Joe + SURNAME). Will the exclusion of his two middle names be an issue? Or is it only an issue if the first name is different on his birth certificate vs. mine? My birth certificate does include his place of birth (Canada) and his date of birth, which all match up with his records so this may help. Also, I don't know if this is relevant but his given name on his Canadian passport does not include his two middle names either (ex: Joe + SURNAME).

(2) As I am filling out the PDF form of the Application for Citizenship Certificate for Adults and Minors, I am unable to fill anything (not even an N/A) for section 8 (Tell us about your grandparents). Is this because the form recognizes my answers in previous sections and has determined I do not need to fill in anything for section 8? I only ask because I have read on other similar threads that leaving anything blank will result in errors. This isn't a serious issue because I will have to print out the form anyway and can simply fill in the section by hand, but would like to know beforehand.

Thanks so much for any advice!
 

hawk39

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2017
685
278
(1) My father's given names on his Canadian birth certificate include his first name + 2 middle names (ex: Joe Michael John, + SURNAME). However, his name on my US birth certificate is only his first given name and his surname (ex: Joe + SURNAME). Will the exclusion of his two middle names be an issue? Or is it only an issue if the first name is different on his birth certificate vs. mine? My birth certificate does include his place of birth (Canada) and his date of birth, which all match up with his records so this may help. Also, I don't know if this is relevant but his given name on his Canadian passport does not include his two middle names either (ex: Joe + SURNAME).
It's really only an issue if the names are different. I think the omission should not be an issue because his Canadian passport also contains the omission. If it is an issue though, your application will be sent to Program Support and you will be asked for an explanation.

(2) As I am filling out the PDF form of the Application for Citizenship Certificate for Adults and Minors, I am unable to fill anything (not even an N/A) for section 8 (Tell us about your grandparents). Is this because the form recognizes my answers in previous sections and has determined I do not need to fill in anything for section 8? I only ask because I have read on other similar threads that leaving anything blank will result in errors. This isn't a serious issue because I will have to print out the form anyway and can simply fill in the section by hand, but would like to know beforehand.
When I did it a few years, I printed the forms and handwrote all of my information (including any N/A's) instead of typing it. Now, you can submit it online directly with document uploads instead of mail it, so it could be a feature of the online application to direct you where to fill in information only when you are required, hence you are no longer being prompted to fill in N/A. If the instructions are still telling you to put N/A in fields where you don't have information to input, then yes, handwrite them in after your printed it out. If it's no longer in the instructions, then you don't have to fill in N/A in blank fields anymore.