Retaining Ciitizenship

[B.C.]

I was born in the United States, however my father was a Canadian citizen. He has since abandoned the family, may even be dead and I have no way to gather any of his documents that prove he was a Canadian citizen (naturalization papers, birth certificate etc.). The only paper work that I have that connects him to me, is an old U.S. friend of the court order that proves he is my father. It has a social security number that was either given to him here (U.S.), or false, in that I cannot locate even a state that it was drawn out of.

Long story short, I was born, after 1977, to a Canadian parent that I cannot prove was a Canadian citizen. I can prove that he was my father in the States, however, I need to prove that HE was a citizen of Canada in order to retain my potential citizenship.

I will say that, I am a skilled worker (engineering), as is my wife. We could always apply for a work VISA, but that is not guaranteed. Most of my family in the States are dead now and the remaining family that I do have lives in Canada. We want to immigrate, and we want to do it soon.

Somebody, please....please help me.

I have been all over the internet looking for a solution and am being told that I have to 1) Find my father, 2) Apply for a work VISA, or 3) Start a new immigration process. The third, I cannot afford right now. I am an out of work engineer due to the politics and economy of my host country and am looking for a better life closer to my family.

 

[CanV]

If I were you I would contact the nearest Canadian embassy/consulate and see what they say. They will probably provide you with better guidance than any member can offer you here. You could also contact a Canadian immigration lawyer. Seems in your case you will have to prove that your father is a Canadian citizen as a first step, which lawyers can probably do.

Good luck

 

[B.C.]

I contacted the Consulate, they basically gave me the three options above. I guess the only real way is to pay the lawyers to do the work for me, but that is a crap shoot at best. Thank you though, I appreciate the reply. Times are tough and money is tight here. Paying a high dollar amount to a law firm for a 50/50 shot at results is just something that I cannot do right now. I was hoping for an easier way.

 

[Leon]

When it comes to immigration, forget any idea you may have had that it could be easy and fast. Doesn't happen unfortunately.

What have you tried in the ways of finding your father? Google, facebook etc? Do you know where in Canada he came from? Do you know names of any other relatives in Canada who might be able to give info? Have you asked your mother plus relatives of your mother if anybody can remember anything about where he might have come from, was he a born or naturalized Canadian, names of any relatives of his? All this could help find him.

Getting a work visa is not something you go and apply for just like that. You must have a job offer and in most cases they are hard to get. Unless your occupation falls under NAFTA in which case you only need the job offer, the employer will have to show efforts to recruit, paying market wage etc etc and he will not be approved to hire a foreigner unless he proves he really can't find anybody.

Applying for immigration is also not that easy. It used to be pretty easy but now you need a job offer for pretty much any immigration class.

 

[CanV]

Try to contact the provinces' vital records administration offices. This could be be easier if you know the province(s) that your father was born and/or lived in. I am not sure if there is a federal archive for such records. Try to google the websites of these provincial offices. For example the one for Ontario is http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/archival-records/interloan/vsmain.aspx

I am almost positive lawyers will do that as a first step at least. Another thing you can do is contact Canada Revenue Agency and see if they can provide you with any information pertaining to you. I doubt they will provide you with any info pertaining to your father though. But your father might have included you in something when he, if he, filed tax returns and you should be able to request information that pertains to you.

Good luck

 

[Westwood818]

Have you tried your luck on Ancestry.com?