"Grandmother's dream trip at risk over government red tape"

[ddobro2]

I really think it is pretty easy......theoretically. The two types of documents are a proof of U.S. birth (in which case she'd use her birth certificate, which I assume exists somewhere) and a piece of photo I.D. (they don't say that this has to be U.S. ID though, but I'm not sure what kind of Canadian I.D. this woman would have....she obviously doesn't have a passport or a citizenship card).

As far as the renouncing U.S. citizenship possibility, I highly doubt it. True, this is becoming more popular recently, but pretty much for fat cats that want to get out of the tax burder of being a U.S. citizen, even while living abroad, that the IRS puts on them. Moreover, there was a survey in 1991 that asked two thousand U.S. citizens, "What are you willing to do for $10 million?" Only 16% said they'd renounce their U.S. citizenship (by comparison, 25% actually said, sadly, that they'd abandon their families). That's how valuable people see U.S. citizenship as being and I think this was true in 1929 when she crossed the border as a toddler. I don't know this woman's parents, but it seems far fetched they would do this. Not to mention that under the U.S. Immigration & Nationality Act, you cannot renounce citizenship on behalf of a 2-year old (or anyone else under 18). If I were to guess, I'd say that given that this was around the time of the stock market collapse and the onset of the Great Depression, her parents (one of whom may have been Canadian) probably just wanted to leave the U.S. for Canada, which may have seemed relatively economically stable at the time. The U.S. doesn't require you to already have another citizenship upon relinquishing U.S. citizenship, but let's just say they strongly suggest it (in addition to checking if you are of "sound mind") and remind you that stateless individuals are not accorded protection by any government. I really don't know how the U.S. or Canada dealt with dual citizenship before the 1960s.

I wonder if it's that "easy" a fix as getting a US passport. Has anyone who commented researched citizenship and immigration laws of either country dating back 82 years? Although she was born in the US did she (or her parents) relinquish her US citizenship when she immigrated 82 years ago? Was it possible to be a dual citizen back then? I have a feeling that there is more to this and I'm too busy and tired to research it myself. I'll bet PMM knows.

As I've said many times, the average Canadian knows diddley squat about immigration. Speaking as a Canadian born and raised, my first experience with it was somewhat shocking and felt very unCanadian. Normally, when I see a time on a website for a Canadian government service, it's pretty close to accurate. Changes are NOT really the norm and neither is not being able to call anyone and get a straight answer. So while everyone embroiled in immigration knows about changing processing times, it is NOT the sort of thing the average Canadian knows. The family trusted in the system and then went about their daily lives. That's pretty Canadian of them.