New Dual Citizen With US Passport

[smy88]

Hi all,

I am a dual US-Canadian citizen. I recently obtained my certificate of Canadian citizenship (by descent) but I only have an American passport. To enter Canada by air, do I need to have a Canadian passport or will it be sufficient to provide my proof of Canadian citizenship?

 

[poushi24]

Hi all,

I am a dual US-Canadian citizen. I recently obtained my certificate of Canadian citizenship (by descent) but I only have an American passport. To enter Canada by air, do I need to have a Canadian passport or will it be sufficient to provide my proof of Canadian citizenship?

To enter by air you need Passport. If you have US passport that will be enough. If you want to apply for passport, proof of Canadian citizenship is needed. proof of Canadian citizenship is not a valid document for air travel.

 

[OttawaBuddy]

Yep, I would of course have to provide my US passport to the airline, but I was wondering, when I reach passport control, if I should show my certificate of citizenship and if that would allow me to enter as a Canadian rather than an American.

You will definitely need Canadian passport to enter Canada as Canadian.
Citizenship certificate will be good once or twice if you cross ground border but not air.

 

[screech339]

You will definitely need Canadian passport to enter Canada as Canadian.
Citizenship certificate will be good once or twice if you cross ground border but not air.

Not entirely true. One can fly using an US passport and greet at the Canadian borders showing US passport with Canadian citizenship. The Canadian side will record US passport with note that you are Canadian entering Canada. They will likely give you a hard time at the border explaining that you are suppose to use Canadian Passport to enter. But they can't deny you to Canada since you proven yourself to be Canadian and have right to enter.

 

[OttawaBuddy]

But they can't deny you to Canada since you proven yourself to be Canadian and have right to enter.

Yes they can't deny. But that's ridiculous, 160 CAD a few days and 10 years no headache at all. Even flying with Citizenship Certificate (letter format) it would be funny and replacing this Certificate is much-much-much longer story compared to Canadian Passport.