Going to Canada to apply for a passport

[sofro88]

So, I am a Canadian citizen, but don't normally reside in Canada. I also hold American citizenship, and have an American passport, but I don't have a Canadian one. For the last few years, I am living and working in a third country (Kosovo) which is actually a bit...underdeveloped...and the postal service isn't reliable at all, and there is no Canadian embassy. I am visiting family in America for a few months before going back to Kosovo in June. I made it one of many goals for my trip to get my Canadian passport finally, so I have collected the necessary documents and have everything together, but I see that while applying from America is possible, there really isn't time anymore for that before I need to go back to Kosovo.

So now my plan is this: I am in Washington State, not far from Vancouver, where there is a Passport Canada office, so I am thinking to go up and apply with an urgent application, since I am willing to pay the fee, and I can show them my upcoming plane ticket for June to Kosovo, and a valid Kosovo Residence Permit to show I actually do normally live there and not here. While probably the crux of the rule is more, getting a passport as one's only passport before travel, it actually doesn't say that anywhere in the rules that I have seen, and I think if I explain that in Kosovo the postal system doesn't function, and that there is no Canadian embassy, and that I don't normally have the opportunity to go to the city which Canada grants jurisdiction over Kosovo to (It's the embassy in Zagreb, Croatia, which isn't close at all, if it were Belgrade maybe I could do that, but I asked and was told I would have to apply in Zagreb?) Does anyone know if that would be a problem? Since an urgent application means you get it the next business day, I was just going to go up to Vancouver and spend the night and collect it the next day, and go back to Washington.

Which that's my other question: To cross the border into Canada, what documentation should I use? I have an American passport, but I see that now Canada requires Canadian citizens to use Canadian documents to enter Canada. I only have a Canadian citizenship certificate, should I use that? Or should I just use the American passport? Or both?

And then: When asked what the purpose of my visit is, can I say I am going to apply for my passport or is that going to arouse suspicions? I can show them my completed application if they wonder about it, and don't mind, just, border guards can be a bit jumpy!

Thanks for the advice in advance!

 

[bellaluna]

If you are an American-Canadian dual citizen with a valid U.S. passport, you don’t need a Canadian passport to fly to Canada. However, you will still need to carry proper identification and meet the basic requirements to enter Canada.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/dual-canadian-citizens.asp

You likely won't be interviewed when entering Canada through an airport. However if you're going by land, you can just show your citizenship certificate and US passport.

 

[picklee]

So, I am a Canadian citizen, but don't normally reside in Canada. I also hold American citizenship, and have an American passport, but I don't have a Canadian one. For the last few years, I am living and working in a third country (Kosovo) which is actually a bit...underdeveloped...and the postal service isn't reliable at all, and there is no Canadian embassy. I am visiting family in America for a few months before going back to Kosovo in June. I made it one of many goals for my trip to get my Canadian passport finally, so I have collected the necessary documents and have everything together, but I see that while applying from America is possible, there really isn't time anymore for that before I need to go back to Kosovo.

So now my plan is this: I am in Washington State, not far from Vancouver, where there is a Passport Canada office, so I am thinking to go up and apply with an urgent application, since I am willing to pay the fee, and I can show them my upcoming plane ticket for June to Kosovo, and a valid Kosovo Residence Permit to show I actually do normally live there and not here. While probably the crux of the rule is more, getting a passport as one's only passport before travel, it actually doesn't say that anywhere in the rules that I have seen, and I think if I explain that in Kosovo the postal system doesn't function, and that there is no Canadian embassy, and that I don't normally have the opportunity to go to the city which Canada grants jurisdiction over Kosovo to (It's the embassy in Zagreb, Croatia, which isn't close at all, if it were Belgrade maybe I could do that, but I asked and was told I would have to apply in Zagreb?) Does anyone know if that would be a problem? Since an urgent application means you get it the next business day, I was just going to go up to Vancouver and spend the night and collect it the next day, and go back to Washington.

Which that's my other question: To cross the border into Canada, what documentation should I use? I have an American passport, but I see that now Canada requires Canadian citizens to use Canadian documents to enter Canada. I only have a Canadian citizenship certificate, should I use that? Or should I just use the American passport? Or both?

And then: When asked what the purpose of my visit is, can I say I am going to apply for my passport or is that going to arouse suspicions? I can show them my completed application if they wonder about it, and don't mind, just, border guards can be a bit jumpy!

Thanks for the advice in advance!

I have experience doing this and it is not as hard as it might initially seem!

I needed passport from Vancouver passport office before going to the U.S. Went in, applied, told them I was leaving by land to the U.S. In X days, and got the passport the next day or a couple days later. You don't need as much evidence as you think. You could tell them all these things about Kosovo (which you should), but know that they are easily appeased.

Going into Canada by land you can bring Canadian citizenship certificate and U.S. passport. You will be fine to say you are going to Canada to apply for your passport (the truth!), and the need will be obvious to the officer if you don't have one!