travelling after oath without Canadian passports

[msvadi]

We've just received our oath notifications (which obviously makes us very happy). However, we have a trip to the US scheduled a week after the oath ceremony. As a matter of fact, there will be only 4 business days between our oath ceremony and the trip, which makes getting Canadian passports in time for our trip difficult and very costly. The trip was scheduled several months ago and cannot be postponed.

I'm wondering if we can re-enter Canada with our original passports (we are keeping our original citizenship) and Canadian citizenship certificates. Visa is not required (to enter Canada) with our original passports, and we will be travelling by car.

Thanks for you help!

 

[alphazip]

I would think the bigger problem would be getting into the U.S., but if you can do that on your original passports, then you should be able to get back into Canada if travelling by car. Although the citizenship certificate is not a travel document, I used to enter Canada by car all the time, showing my U.S. passport and my Canadian citizenship card. That was before I got a Canadian passport.

 

[msvadi]

Thanks, this is very helpful, since we can enter into the US on our original passports.

Do we get citizenship cards immediately after the oath ceremony?

 

[Msafiri]

1. The Certificate of Citizenship is not valid as a travel document. As per experience of a new citizen family from Egypt who got bounced by Air Canada when trying to board back to Canada from the US, non visitor visa exempt passport holders to Canada, better find some other way to make it to a land border.

2. Certificates of Citizenship are no longer the wallet sized photo ID type. Now you get a legal size letter type document. Details on the certificate take 48 hours from oath to load on to databases for Passport Canada to access and process your Canadian Passport. There is expedited processing but it may not be value for money especially as you are visitor visa exempt to Canada. This would help you board a commercial carrier.

3. Presumably you have US visas? If not then again US CBP doesn't accept Canadian Citizenship certificate as a valid travel document (well for adults anyway)

4. Returning to Canada if you make it to the border won't be an issue. CBSA will confirm your citizenship and process you accordingly.

 

[May2014]

1. The Certificate of Citizenship is not valid as a travel document. As per experience of a new citizen family from Egypt who got bounced by Air Canada when trying to board back to Canada from the US, non visitor visa exempt passport holders to Canada, better find some other way to make it to a land border.

2. Certificates of Citizenship are no longer the wallet sized photo ID type. Now you get a legal size letter type document. Details on the certificate take 48 hours from oath to load on to databases for Passport Canada to access and process your Canadian Passport. There is expedited processing but it may not be value for money especially as you are visitor visa exempt to Canada. This would help you board a commercial carrier.
Yes indeed ... Air Canada refused the boarding of the Egyptian family who had to pay more to cross the boarder to enter Canada via a vehicle !!!!

3. Presumably you have US visas? If not then again US CBP doesn't accept Canadian Citizenship certificate as a valid travel document (well for adults anyway)

4. Returning to Canada if you make it to the border won't be an issue. CBSA will confirm your citizenship and process you accordingly.

 

[bibouna]

If you are from a visa exempted country there shouldn't be any problem to come back to Canada. My advice would be to bring your citizenship certificate with you (just in case)to show it at the border if its necessary .Although it's not a travel document, it can still prove your legal status once you will reach the canadian border.

 

[msvadi]

This is very helpful. Thanks to all who responded.