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Travelling outside canada without a Canadian passport

scuba ken

Star Member
May 13, 2013
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84
If I leave using my uk passport, what stops me returning to canada with my uk passport ?
im a citizen now, and legally entitled to be here and enter without limit.

Why can’t I use my uk / commonwealth passport for entry ?
 

MrChazz

Hero Member
May 4, 2021
247
225
If I leave using my uk passport, what stops me returning to canada with my uk passport ?
im a citizen now, and legally entitled to be here and enter without limit.

Why can’t I use my uk / commonwealth passport for entry ?
Because the law says oo. If you are a Canadian citizen you must enter using a Canadian passport or other temporary (e.g., emergency) document provided by Canadian authorities. Let Google be your friend on such matters. :)


There is no such thing as a "commonwealth passport" ... only passports issued by various countries in the Commonwealth.
 

Dreamlad

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Jan 11, 2016
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If I leave using my uk passport, what stops me returning to canada with my uk passport ?
im a citizen now, and legally entitled to be here and enter without limit.

Why can’t I use my uk / commonwealth passport for entry ?
What's the difference between UK and Canada?
 

Seym

Champion Member
Nov 6, 2017
1,561
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Well, because British passport holders need an eTA to board a plane to Canada, and an eTA cannot be issued to Canadian citizens...

You're only entitled to enter Canada if you're at a Canadian border, but you have to make it there first... You can enter the country by land or boat using a UK passport and a proof of citizenship, but without a Canadian passport, flying home is out of the equation.
 

akbardxb

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Nov 18, 2013
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If I leave using my uk passport, what stops me returning to canada with my uk passport ?
im a citizen now, and legally entitled to be here and enter without limit.

Why can’t I use my uk / commonwealth passport for entry ?
Having come so far, go on, spend another $160 and get a 10 yr pp. ;)
 

jmomcc

Star Member
May 29, 2014
114
5
I have a random question about this. If and when i have a Canadian passport as well as my Irish one.

Can I enter Ireland using my Irish passport and then enter Canada using the Canadian one on the way back?
 

wksj

Hero Member
Oct 7, 2021
424
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I have a random question about this. If and when i have a Canadian passport as well as my Irish one.

Can I enter Ireland using my Irish passport and then enter Canada using the Canadian one on the way back?
You can switch passports during your travel, but Ireland might have laws that say you are required to use your Irish passport for entering/exiting there, so it is dependent on the country and you should ask them.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
15,989
8,144
I have a random question about this. If and when i have a Canadian passport as well as my Irish one.

Can I enter Ireland using my Irish passport and then enter Canada using the Canadian one on the way back?
Yes - in fact, that's the 'preferred' way for most countries, which often expect or require by law that a citizen will present themselves as a citizen at a border. (Canada does require this - use your Cdn passport at border control to enter Canada)

I do not know whether eg Irish or EU law has anything specific to say on it (eg requires it), but there's nothing wrong with using 'different passports' to enter different countries.

Note, for the most part, it also does not matter whether your ticket is booked with 'the other' passport - what the airlines usually care about is that you show documents that demonstrate you have a right to enter the country (at the check-in counter). And the airlines don't really have a way to enter more than one passport for the ticket - but they just want to confirm that you are you and you will not be sent back on arrival (as it costs them money).

But - can't be excluded that border service gets info from the airline and asks questions, depending on the specifics of the arrival country (eg my impression is USA may have this issue - Canada not at all).

Then this gets even further complicated by the dratted online registration systems, covid requirements and apps like ArriveCan. In practice I've not found this to be a problem but YMMV as you juggle all this stuff.
 
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MrChazz

Hero Member
May 4, 2021
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I have a random question about this. If and when i have a Canadian passport as well as my Irish one.

Can I enter Ireland using my Irish passport and then enter Canada using the Canadian one on the way back?
Hmm. Tough question. Can you enter a country using the passport of that country?
Maybe you should use the Irish passport to enter Canada and the Canadian passport to enter Ireland? Tricky stuff. :)
 

scylla

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If I leave using my uk passport, what stops me returning to canada with my uk passport ?
im a citizen now, and legally entitled to be here and enter without limit.

Why can’t I use my uk / commonwealth passport for entry ?
Because UK passport holders need an eTA to board a plane to fly to Canada and you don't qualify for an eTA as a Canadian citizen. The only document you can use to board a plane is a Canadian passport.

You can certainly enter by land through a US/Canada land border without a Canadian passport. That option is certainly available.
 

jmomcc

Star Member
May 29, 2014
114
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Hmm. Tough question. Can you enter a country using the passport of that country?
Maybe you should use the Irish passport to enter Canada and the Canadian passport to enter Ireland? Tricky stuff. :)
haha, the reason I asked is because you usually only get to put one passport number in for a return flight. But, when you put it like that it does seem obvious lol.