Dual citizen applying PR

[ChipmunkBean]

Hello, I am a dual citizen and will be sponsored (outland spousal) in the near future. I plan to apply using the passport that has a longer period of validity instead of another one that is going to expire in 2025. However in most situations I will be travelling by expiring one. So I have got some questions regarding the dual passport situation:

- Should I include the photo pages from both passports in the application?

- When I receive the PPR, can I present both passports? I checked some related posts here and they are all saying just one passport should be presented.

- When I got the PR card, can I use any of the two passports together with the PR card to enter Canada?

The most straight-forward solution is to renew the expiring one but it's not that easy in my case. I'm sorry if the above sounds weird. Thank you so much in advance!

 

[armoured]

1- Should I include the photo pages from both passports in the application?

2- When I receive the PPR, can I present both passports? I checked some related posts here and they are all saying just one passport should be presented.

3- When I got the PR card, can I use any of the two passports together with the PR card to enter Canada?

The most straight-forward solution is to renew the expiring one but it's not that easy in my case. I'm sorry if the above sounds weird. Thank you so much in advance!

1 - Yes. I believe you will put one as your 'main' citizenship. It's basically up to you which one. There are not many implications to this really. However I would suggest that you make sure that the one that is directly linked is one for which you have a valid passport at all times (until you acquire Canadian citizenship).

2 - No, just one. I believe it should/must be the one you put first. I don't know if IRCC actually cares about this, just administratively they're not really tracking two different ones. (I believe the other is there mainly for background check purposes)

3 - Basically, yes. Note however: getting on an airplane and being admitted to Canada at a port of entry are two different things.

At a port of entry (airport or land border): if they can identify you as a PR (either valid PR card or an expired one AND some (any) identification that lets them link "you" (the PR) and "you" the traveller), they 'shall' admit you. Usually the PR / individual number (called UCI), some photo identification and first/last name/DOB matching between these will be enough. (That is, border officers look it up on their computer, and in principle, doesn't matter which passport or technically even if you don't have a valid passport). [That said it is ALWAYS preferable to travel with a valid PR card and - if possible - a valid passport and ideally the same country passport that's linked. If there's a problem at the port of entry, it is you who will have the issues.]

Getting on an airplane is the rub: first, you need a valid passport to get on a plane almost anywhere these days. And to get on a plane to Canada, you will need the valid PR card (small exception is US citizens). And while technically there is no requirement for the PR card-noted nationality (only one - on the front and back) and the passport to match, the airlines have the final say (because they are paranoid about getting fined). [Note, it mostly doesn't matter which nationality is used to book your airplane ticket - the main thing for airlines is that they can see that the person carrying the PR card will be allowed to enter Canada. Dual citizens are not rare these days, so they're used to that issue.]

So again: will be much easier if the passport you use to get PR status - and is noted on the PR card - is the one you can always have valid.

 

[ChipmunkBean]

1 - Yes. I believe you will put one as your 'main' citizenship. It's basically up to you which one. There are not many implications to this really. However I would suggest that you make sure that the one that is directly linked is one for which you have a valid passport at all times (until you acquire Canadian citizenship).

2 - No, just one. I believe it should/must be the one you put first. I don't know if IRCC actually cares about this, just administratively they're not really tracking two different ones. (I believe the other is there mainly for background check purposes)

3 - Basically, yes. Note however: getting on an airplane and being admitted to Canada at a port of entry are two different things.

At a port of entry (airport or land border): if they can identify you as a PR (either valid PR card or an expired one AND some (any) identification that lets them link "you" (the PR) and "you" the traveller), they 'shall' admit you. Usually the PR / individual number (called UCI), some photo identification and first/last name/DOB matching between these will be enough. (That is, border officers look it up on their computer, and in principle, doesn't matter which passport or technically even if you don't have a valid passport). [That said it is ALWAYS preferable to travel with a valid PR card and - if possible - a valid passport and ideally the same country passport that's linked. If there's a problem at the port of entry, it is you who will have the issues.]

Getting on an airplane is the rub: first, you need a valid passport to get on a plane almost anywhere these days. And to get on a plane to Canada, you will need the valid PR card (small exception is US citizens). And while technically there is no requirement for the PR card-noted nationality (only one - on the front and back) and the passport to match, the airlines have the final say (because they are paranoid about getting fined). [Note, it mostly doesn't matter which nationality is used to book your airplane ticket - the main thing for airlines is that they can see that the person carrying the PR card will be allowed to enter Canada. Dual citizens are not rare these days, so they're used to that issue.]

So again: will be much easier if the passport you use to get PR status - and is noted on the PR card - is the one you can always have valid.

Thank you so much for your detailed response!

Sorry, I would like to have one more question. If I am already in Canada with my PR card and I am not travelling around internationally, do I need to have my passport together in order to prove my identity on a daily basis? Thank you!

 

[Cassiano]

Thank you so much for your detailed response!

Sorry, I would like to have one more question. If I am already in Canada with my PR card and I am not travelling around internationally, do I need to have my passport together in order to prove my identity on a daily basis? Thank you!

within Canada, you only need your province driver's licence, you don't need any passport neither canada's permanent resident card

 

[armoured]

Thank you so much for your detailed response!

Sorry, I would like to have one more question. If I am already in Canada with my PR card and I am not travelling around internationally, do I need to have my passport together in order to prove my identity on a daily basis? Thank you!

If in Canada, with a PR card and other normal local identification (driver's license, health card, etc), you'd certainly not be asked for passport on a daily basis. In fact, extremely infrequently.

Apart from foreign travel, the only thing I can think of is interactions with IRCC.

(I admit I don't know about airplane travel within Canada)

 

[armoured]

within Canada, you only need your province driver's licence, you don't need any passport neither canada's permanent resident card

Yes, I should underline, I didn't mean to imply one needs PR card on a daily basis. Infrequent at most. Things like driver's license are the most commonly asked for / used.

 

[lossada]

If in Canada, with a PR card and other normal local identification (driver's license, health card, etc), you'd certainly not be asked for passport on a daily basis. In fact, extremely infrequently.

Apart from foreign travel, the only thing I can think of is interactions with IRCC.

(I admit I don't know about airplane travel within Canada)

for domestic flights, just provincial driver's licence
international flights, passport, and any visa if it is required
returning to Canada, PR Card and passport

 

[ChipmunkBean]

Thank you so much everyone