I recently applied for citizenship and already attended a citizenship test. My home country (country X) does not recognize dual citizenship, but at the same time it is not forbidden. Right after I applied a few major politicians and MPs from my country expressed their opinion about citizens that have several passports. They were hinting at some legislation that may soon make possessing a passport of other country a reason for cancellation of country X citizenship.
I am very concerned about this. I have family there, and I wanted to maintain my X citizenship. I was thinking of withdrawing my application and waiting for some time to see if any changes in the nationality law of country X are going to be introduced.
I was wondering if anyone reapplied for citizenship or renewed a PR card after withdrawing a citizenship application. Can you share your experience? Did it cause any delays due to extra checks?
I am NOT an expert.
So far as Canada is concerned, a PR can withdraw an application for citizenship at-will, totally the PR's choice. The PR remains a PR, subject to the PR Residency Obligation, and other PR status limitations (no membership in any criminal organization for example).
That is, this will have zero consequences on the PR's status . . . so far as Canadian law and Canadian authorities are concerned . . . simply still a PR.
If the PR later applies for citizenship again, the former withdrawal of an application may be a factor considered in assessing the new application. No big deal. Hardly any deal at all. Mostly screening to see if the former application suggests there was some gaming the system involved. Worst case scenario, and then only if there are concerns about the truthfulness of the applicant's information, is some requests for additional information or documentation to prove the case. If the previous application was withdrawn simply because the PR changed his or her mind, and the new application is properly done and the information is complete and truthful, should be NO issue at all. No problem.
DUAL citizenship:
Very, very few countries recognize any particular *
STATUS* as dual citizenship. "Dual citizenship" is descriptive, not a status. It is how we commonly refer to someone who has citizenship in more than one country.
But in most countries that we think of as recognizing dual citizenship, what this really means is that the country recognizes its citizens might also be the citizen of some other country. But it has almost NO effect on the citizen's status as a citizen of that country, in that country.
Thus, countries like Canada and the U.S. recognize that citizens of their country oft times also have citizenship in another country as well (or even more), but this has NO effect on the status of the American or Canadian citizen as an American or Canadian citizen.
Thus, the U.S. will treat and approach its citizens as a U.S. citizen regardless what other citizenship the person has.
Canada, likewise, will treat and approach its citizens as a Canadian citizen regardless what other citizenship the person has.
For example, if a Canadian citizen has some documentation or status issues arise while traveling abroad, and say is detained by another government, the Canadian citizen is ordinarily entitled to the assistance of the Canadian embassy for that country. If, however, the Canadian citizen is also a U.S. citizen, and this person runs into trouble in the U.S., the U.S. will not recognize this individual's right to assistance from the Canadian embassy. As far as the U.S. government is concerned, this individual is a U.S. citizen. Period. Even though this person also has Canadian citizenship.
Kind of like owning two cars. You can only drive one at a time.
Restrictions on multiple citizenship or carrying multiple passports:
Some countries have restrictions regarding status in more than one country. Some countries have restrictions on what Travel Documents a person can possess while within its territorial boundaries. These are not the same.
Such things vary widely around the world. They are nation-specific. That is, each country has its own specific laws governing citizenship, status, and passports, and these vary from country to country.
As already noted, for example, Canada has no restrictions on what other citizenship its citizens might have. Canada also does not have any restrictions on the number of Travel Documents a person can possess or carry in Canada.
Canada does not require new citizens to renounce or otherwise cease to have citizenship in another country. (I believe it did until changes in the law in the 70s . . . so some people would have to make an election by a certain age whether they would be a Canadian citizen or the citizen of some other country).
Other countries do. To become a citizen of that country, the new citizen must give up any other citizenship they might have.
There is no impact on a Canadian's citizenship if the Canadian becomes the citizen of another country UNDER CANADIAN law. But if the other country requires the Canadian to give up Canadian citizenship, in order to become a citizen of that country, it is THE LAW OF THAT COUNTRY which requires this.
Likewise going the other direction: EACH COUNTRY HAS AUTHORITY OVER THE STATUS OF INDIVIDUALS FOR PURPOSES OF THAT COUNTRY'S LAWS.
Another country cannot take away a Canadian citizen's status as a Canadian citizen. But it can have laws which impose certain consequences on its own citizens, such as automatically invalidating that person's passport from that country if the person takes up citizenship in another country. Again, this depends on that specific country's laws. And these sorts of laws vary around the world.
A country can also impose restrictions on individuals traveling in that country, citizen or non-citizen. There were (and may still be) countries which made it illegal to carry more than one passport. I am not familiar with how these laws worked in practice or how they were enforced or what the consequences were, but at the least it was my understanding that such countries could and would confiscate any additional passport the traveler was carrying.
That is, there is a difference between laws which restrict having two passports based on prohibiting a person from having citizenship status in any other country in addition to that country, and laws which prohibit the physical possession of more than one passport at a time within that country's geographical jurisdiction. Again, these are not the same. Very different impact.
Which is the LONG, LONG way around to saying that what really matters for you, what impact there will be, depends on what your home country law is and what it might become.
Canadian law and policy will not illuminate much. Canada is fine with you having more than one citizenship.
