Can my child keep US passport after citizenship?

[soonerorlater]

Hello everyone,

My daughter is a US citizen by birth, we are applying for Canadian Citizenship for all of us, once we get the citizenship, are we supposed to surrender her US passport? Can we have dual citizenship between USA and Canada?

Please confirm.

 

[zardoz]

Hello everyone,

My daughter is a US citizen by birth, we are applying for Canadian Citizenship for all of us, once we get the citizenship, are we supposed to surrender her US passport? Can we have dual citizenship between USA and Canada?

Please confirm.

Confirmed. "Dual Citizenship" is permitted.

 

[screech339]

As zardoz mentioned it is permitted. However keep in mind that the child must use US passport when entering US. The child cannot use the Canadian Passport when acquired to enter US at least until the child is 18 and renounce US citizenship. Only then can the child use Canada Passport to enter US.

 

[Goldline]

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/dual-citizenship-usa-and-canada-t262466.0.html

 

[notalawyer]

As zardoz mentioned it is permitted. However keep in mind that the child must use US passport when entering US. The child cannot use the Canadian Passport when acquired to enter US at least until the child is 18 and renounce US citizenship. Only then can the child use Canada Passport to enter US.

I am just wondering why you mentioned that the must use US passport to enter US until s/he is 18 years. Do you have any official link to support this? I don't think this is true.

 

[zardoz]

I am just wondering why you mentioned that the must use US passport to enter US until s/he is 18 years. Do you have any official link to support this? I don't think this is true.

http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/english/legal-considerations/us-citizenship-laws-policies/citizenship-and-dual-nationality/dual-nationality.html

Most U.S. nationals, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.

Also http://answers.usa.gov/system/templates/selfservice/USAGov/#!portal/1012/article/3399/Dual-Citizenship

 

[screech339]

I am just wondering why you mentioned that the must use US passport to enter US until s/he is 18 years. Do you have any official link to support this? I don't think this is true.

I have dual US/canadian kids and I must know the rules regarding US immigration rules so they and myself won't get in trouble with the US law. So I don't make stuff up as I go along as you seem to imply.

Read the link zardoz provided. I remember a news article that an dual US/Canadian citizen tried to use his Canadian Passport. He was almost charged with felony. They let him in on condition that he uses his US Passport next time. US Border even registered him as entering US as an American not Canadian. If he were to repeat it, he would be charged.

While US allow dual citizenship they forced you to be only recognized American while in US. They only recognized you as American as far as US is concerned. You may have more citizenship but US won't recognize them.

Screech339

 

[screech339]

Another case whereby the disabled adult was born in US. He had a mental capacity of a 5 year old. The mother couldn't renounce her son's US citizenship on the son's behalf. It cause huge financial drain on the mother as she had to pay fines for not reporting RESP (not US tax exempt) and also pay the taxes on the undeclared account.

 

[notalawyer]

I have dual US/canadian kids and I must know the rules regarding US immigration rules so they and myself won't get in trouble with the US law. So I don't make stuff up as I go along as you seem to imply.

Read the link zardoz provided. I remember a news article that an dual US/Canadian citizen tried to use his Canadian Passport. He was almost charged with felony. They let him in on condition that he uses his US Passport next time. US Border even registered him as entering US as an American not Canadian. If he were to repeat it, he would be charged.

While US allow dual citizenship they forced you to be only recognized American while in US. They only recognized you as American as far as US is concerned. You may have more citizenship but US won't recognize them.

Screech339

Screech, you seemed upset with my question, guess I was not very detailed. I know a kid (way less than 18 years) born in the US now living in Canada and have travelled on Canadian passport to the US many times without any issue (both land and air) with the Canadian parent.

 

[zardoz]

Screech, you seemed upset with my question, guess I was not very detailed. I know a kid (way less than 18 years) born in the US now living in Canada and have travelled on Canadian passport to the US many times without any issue (both land and air) with the Canadian parent.

Maybe this kid doesn't possess a US passport?

 

[notalawyer]

Maybe this kid doesn't possess a US passport?

She has an expired US passport.

 

[alphazip]

I know of a woman who was born in the U.S., but raised in Canada, who doesn't possess a U.S. passport, and enters the U.S. on her Canadian passport. However, she has been told repeatedly that she needs to enter on a U.S. passport. To get a passport, though (and to bring her taxes up to date), she needs a U.S. Social Security number. Recently, she made a trip to a S.S. office in Detroit to apply, and was refused! Since every U.S. citizen has a right to a SSN, whoever refused her didn't know what they were doing.

Anyway, I agree, a U.S. citizen must identify himself/herself as such at the U.S. border and present a U.S. passport.

 

[screech339]

Screech, you seemed upset with my question, guess I was not very detailed. I know a kid (way less than 18 years) born in the US now living in Canada and have travelled on Canadian passport to the US many times without any issue (both land and air) with the Canadian parent.

My apology for appearing harsh to you. I think since they are children, they can cross into the US by land with just their birth certificates. It is possible they entered using their birth certificates. If the US children were able to use their Canadian Passport to enter US, I suspects that the US is only tolerating it since they are minors. To be honest. I am surprised the US border has been tolerating it for that long. Once they turn 18, the US will no longer tolerate it and begin to give them trouble for entering US with Canada Passport.

Screech339

 

[screech339]

I know of a woman who was born in the U.S., but raised in Canada, who doesn't possess a U.S. passport, and enters the U.S. on her Canadian passport. However, she has been told repeatedly that she needs to enter on a U.S. passport. However, to get a passport (and to bring her taxes up to date), she needs a U.S. Social Security number. Recently, she made a trip to a S.S. office in Detroit to apply, and was refused! Since every U.S. citizen has a right to a SSN, whoever refused her didn't know what they were doing.

Has she tried contacting the US embassy / Consulate to resolve this SSN issue? I don't see why the Detroit office denied her SSN but it may be that she doesn't have a US mailing address. I am guessing as to why they would deny her SSN.


Screech339

 

[alphazip]

Has she tried contacting the US embassy / Consulate to resolve this SSN issue? I don't see why the Detroit office denied her SSN but it may be that she doesn't have a US mailing address. I am guessing as to why they would deny her SSN.
Screech339

She's in Windsor, so dealing with an office in Detroit is a lot easier than travelling to Toronto. Not having a U.S. mailing address shouldn't be an issue. She had another appointment to appeal the refusal, so maybe she dealt with someone smarter the second time around.