Giving up one citizenship for another? Is this for real?

[SmoothiesQueen]

Ok I am just going to ask this openly to everyone to see if anyone knows about this. Someone was informing me tonight that my husband as a Jamaican, would have to give up his Jamaican citizenship if he wanted to apply for Canadian citizenship! Obviously as a born and bred Jamaican, he's not to fond of this idea. Is it true that he would have to give up one to obtain the other? And if he doesn't want to can he live his life in Canada as a permanent resident?

Can anyone give me more information on this please!! Rather worrisome!

[Leon]

Canada allows dual so if he has to give up his Jamaican citizenship, it must be the Jamaican citizenship act that has that.  However, looking at http://www.immihelp.com/citizenship/dual-citizenship-recognize-countries.html it seems that they do allow people who gain US citizenship to keep the Jamaican one so I assume the same goes for Canada.

The person who told you this may have been wrong or perhaps they come from another country that does not allow dual and they had to give up their other citizenship or would have to if they wanted to become Canadian.

It is also possible to live in Canada forever on a PR.  He can do almost everything as a PR except he can't vote and there are certain government jobs that would not be open to him.  If he commits a serious crime, he could lose his PR and if he stays outside Canada for more than 1095 days (36 months) in any 5 year period unless he is accompanied by a Canadian citizen spouse, then he could also lose his PR.  That is about it.

[SmoothiesQueen]

Well we wanted to get citizenship for both him and his daughter....so I was thinking we could do that after the required time period. Do you know if their is any regulations for children regarding citizenship?

The person who told me is Canadian born and raised....she stated the law had changed recently. I'm glad to find out she was wrong and they allow duel!!

[Leon]

Well we wanted to get citizenship for both him and his daughter....so I was thinking we could do that after the required time period. Do you know if their is any regulations for children regarding citizenship?

The person who told me is Canadian born and raised....she stated the law had changed recently. I'm glad to find out she was wrong and they allow duel!!

The Canadian citizenship law changed in 2009 but nothing to do with dual.  It makes it harder for people to keep Canadian citizenship though generations of living outside Canada.  With the new law, if you were born outside Canada but have gained citizenship because either of your parents was a Canadian when you were born, you would not have the ability to pass citizenship to your children who are born outside Canada.

As for the daughter, is she being sponsored for PR as well?  She needs to be a PR before she can gain citizenship.  Is she living with him?

The problem is, if she is not living with him and you sponsor her for PR at the same time as him, she will be a PR living outside Canada and will lose her PR after 3 years because of the residency requirements while he will not gain the right to apply for citizenship until after 3 years.  It might work better if he gets his PR first, sponsors her for PR about a year and a half before he plans on applying for citizenship.  Then she should already be a PR by the time he applies and then he can include her in his application.

[Mrs Proper]

Not only that its harder to travel as a pr, cuz I heard my husband with have to get a u.s visa in order to go into the states which is ridiculous!!!

[Leon]

True, being a Canadian PR only gives you the right to live in Canada but does not give you any additional rights to travel without a visa to other countries.

[Mrs Proper]

Leon- do you know if its hard to get a visa when yer a PR. We are suppose to be going to disneyworld 2013 still a bit away and I want hubby to come. Jus wondering what the process is like

[Leon]

Talk to the US embassy about that.  I assume it is easier to get a visa if you are PR than if you are not.  They will have less worries about him overstaying in the US if he is already living in Canada.

[Mrs Proper]

Ok thx, will do!!

[Indigo]

Canada allows dual (and more I think) citizenships. The only problem could be the country you already have citizenship for. Some countries don't allow dual citizenship, or only allow it in certain cases.

The Netherlands (my home country) wants you to give up your foreign citizenship upon gaining Dutch citizenship (my cousin's wife had to do that).
They also want you to give up Dutch citizenship upon gaining another, except when you are gaining citizenship of your spouse's nationality and you live in the country your spouse has citizenship of.

Being Dutch, married to a Canadian, living in Canada, I currently would have the right to keep my Dutch citizenship upon gaining Canadian citizenship. I will qualify in 3 to 4 years. Let's hope the Dutch government hasn't changed the rules by then!

[chelley]

as mentioned, dual Jamaican/Canadian citizenship is fine... there's actually an official stance that says (for many reasons i won't get into) Jamaicans overseas with foreign residency SHOULD claim citizenship to their resident country if/as soon as they are able.. renouncing jamaican citizenship to do so isn't necessary (and if you do, i'm pretty sure you can apply to reinstate)...

the only spot he may run into issues is if he ever has intentions to return to Jamaica to pursue politics...

[SmoothiesQueen]

  @   Leon...no we all live together in Jamaica...although I'm the Canadian. We will all be coming home the same time together..hopefully * crosses fingers* very soon!

And thanks for the replies everyone!!

Ya I know what you mean about politics Chelley!! A good friend of ours is running in the upcoming Jamaican election...and he formerly held Canadian as well and had to go to court and renounce it before he could go into politics!