citizenship certificates for babies born outside Canada to Canadian parents

[toby]

7 May 2011

A month or two ago, I asked about getting Canadian citizenship (or sponsoring for a PR visa) for children born to Canadian-immigrant couples – where one parent is Canadian born, the other a PR. Oddly enough, this question occurs frequently in China among those contemplating emigrating to Canada.

I was told by sages like Leon and Steaky that if the baby is born to a Canadian parent, he/she is immediately a Canadian citizen. But of course it's not that easy. The couple has to apply to the Canadian embassy for a citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) for the baby, get a travel document for the baby, then once in Canada apply for a passport. At least I hope I got that right.

However, I searched on the Beijing website for specific documents required, and could not find anything relevant. I then found the operational manual on the CIC website. It seems that all the parents would need to do is complete the application form, pay the fee, provide proof that one parent was a Canadian citizen at the time of the baby's birth, provide proof that the parents were married at time of birth (marriage certificate), and provide the birth certificate (with certified translation).

However, the application is mailed to CIC in Sydney, not to the embassy abroad. Can anyone confirm this?

There are a few oddities, such as asking the baby-applicant to “provide two pieces of identification”, while no infant is likely to be able to provide these. But no matter.

Am I leaving anything out? No paternity test? It seems too easy.

Thanks.

 

[Canooknic]

From what I can remember when I did it 18 months ago, we sent our boy's birth certificates and their UK passports. We had passports for them as we went to Canada so they could meet my family on their 1st birthday - we were lucky to have them.
We got their Canadian passports from the London office as soon as their citizenship came through. We got them back in about 3-4 weeks.

 

[Leon]

I haven't had personal experience with this but the CIC website says to mail your application to Sydney if you are in Canada but if you are outside Canada mail it to the embassy or visa office where you are, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/proof-how.asp

If you have proof of travel, you can request that they expedite the processing of the citizenship card. I have heard of people getting them in as little as a month instead of a year+ The embassy should however be able to give you a temporary passport for the baby if you haven't received the card yet at the time you want to go to Canada.

 

[steaky]

I had done this several years ago. According to the Hong Kong website, applications for citizenship applications are pre-screened at the Consulate before sent to the CPC in Sydney, NS. The processing time may take up to 14 months for a routine application:

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/hong_kong/citizenship_services_citoyennete/index.aspx?lang=eng&menu_id=17

What I did was, I went to the consulate with the required materials such as birth certificate, fee and photos to the consulate and they provided me a receipt. My original proof, marriage certificate and personal IDs were returned to me almost immediately. Later, I was informed what time the canadian certificate would be available for pickup at the consulate.

Toby, you are the individual (signing the form) who will be providing 2 pieces of your personal ids (not your child!)

As soon as the canadian citizenship certificate came through, you can apply for the baby's passport in any consulate.

 

[toby]

I had done this several years ago. According to the Hong Kong website, applications for citizenship applications are pre-screened at the Consulate before sent to the CPC in Sydney, NS. The processing time may take up to 14 months for a routine application:

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/hong_kong/citizenship_services_citoyennete/index.aspx?lang=eng&menu_id=17

What I did was, I went to the consulate with the required materials such as birth certificate, fee and photos to the consulate and they provided me a receipt. My original proof, marriage certificate and personal IDs were returned to me almost immediately. Later, I was informed what time the canadian certificate would be available for pickup at the consulate.

Toby, you are the individual (signing the form) who will be providing 2 pieces of your personal ids (not your child!)

As soon as the canadian citizenship certificate came through, you can apply for the baby's passport in any consulate.

Ha ha; the form I looked at said to answer the questions as if I were the child, so I assumed that when they asked “me” for 2 pieces of ID, it was the child’s ID they were asking for.

So, Steaky, (1) the parents send the application for a citizenship card for the child to the local embassy, which (2) sends it on to Sydney. (3) Maybe as long as 14 months later Sydney will issue the card, send to the embassy, and then the parents can pick it up. (4) Then the parents can travel with child to Canada and apply for the child’s passport.

If this is correct, that means that the parents cannot emigrate to Canada for more than a year while they wait for the child’s citizenship card to be issued.

 

[steaky]

Yes, it is true. Further reading:

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/hong_kong/passport_services_passeport/children-pass-enfants.aspx?lang=eng

Besides, if the baby has a visa-exempted passport (by birth), it might be possible to emigrate to Canada with the parents as soon as one parent got the PR visa.

 

[toby]

Yes, it is true. Further reading:

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/hong_kong/passport_services_passeport/children-pass-enfants.aspx?lang=eng

Besides, if the baby has a visa-exempted passport (by birth), it might be possible to emigrate to Canada with the parents as soon as one parent got the PR visa.

By “visa exempted passport” you mean, for example, a baby born in Hong Kong, who could gain entry to Canada without a consular visa, right?

But a baby born in mainland China, with a Chinese passport, would need a consular visa, So, even though a baby born to a Canadian parent outside Canada is automatically a Canadian citizen (as Leon said some time ago), getting the actual citizenship card could take as long as 14 months!

What do such parents do? Postpone their landing for 14 months, I guess, or else leave the baby with relatives. Not a very appealing prospect for them..

 

[Leon]

What do such parents do? Postpone their landing for 14 months, I guess, or else leave the baby with relatives. Not a very appealing prospect for them..

Toby, as I stated earlier on this thread as well as on various other threads on the same topic, you can ask for the citizenship card to be expedited if you have proof of travel which means you might be able to get one in as little as a month or two. With a citizenship card, the embassy will issue a passport for your baby without a problem.

If the expedited processing doesn't work out or you don't have proof of travel yet because your wife hasn't gotten her PR visa yet and you don't know when you are going, you can still apply for the citizenship card through the embassy and on the basis of having applied, request a temporary passport for your baby.

 

[toby]

Toby, as I stated earlier on this thread as well as on various other threads on the same topic, you can ask for the citizenship card to be expedited if you have proof of travel which means you might be able to get one in as little as a month or two. With a citizenship card, the embassy will issue a passport for your baby without a problem.

If the expedited processing doesn't work out or you don't have proof of travel yet because your wife hasn't gotten her PR visa yet and you don't know when you are going, you can still apply for the citizenship card through the embassy and on the basis of having applied, request a temporary passport for your baby.

Thanks, Leon. Did you get this wealth of knowledge from (say) the Beijing embassy website? I could not find anything like it.

 

[steaky]

By “visa exempted passport” you mean, for example, a baby born in Hong Kong, who could gain entry to Canada without a consular visa, right?

What do such parents do? Postpone their landing for 14 months, I guess, or else leave the baby with relatives. Not a very appealing prospect for them..

That was one of the reasons why so many Chinese couples want to give birth in that city.

From my link, the Hong Kong website wrote "Following submission of the citizenship application, if travel plans cannot be deferred, you may submit a fully completed passport application along with all supporting documentation as well as your child's proof of travel, itinerary or airline ticket, as supporting documentation to assess the case. As your child does not have citizenship documents, you will need to submit the original proof of Canadian citizenship from one of the parents, the original foreign birth certificate showing both parents' names, original marriage certificate of the parents (optional), and the receipt confirming submission of the citizenship application. Our passport examiners will assess your case and determine the necessity of issuing a limited validity passport to meet your child’s travel needs."

 

[Leon]

Thanks, Leon. Did you get this wealth of knowledge from (say) the Beijing embassy website? I could not find anything like it.

Nope but this is the policy at many other embassies so I am assuming that Beijing, also being a Canadian embassy, has the same policy. If you want to make sure, you should send them an enquiry as to what their policy is in such cases. When they tell you, you can post it here.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Nope but this is the policy at many other embassies so I am assuming that Beijing, also being a Canadian embassy, has the same policy. If you want to make sure, you should send them an enquiry as to what their policy is in such cases. When they tell you, you can post it here.

The OP should read the Operational Bulletin on how CHC is supposed to handle children under 2 and between 2 and 18 with claims to citizenship http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2009/ob154.asp

 

[Leon]

Look here also for a real life experience: http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/baby-born-abroad-while-waiting-on-mothers-immigration-decision-t71179.0.html;msg756794#msg756794 although not in Beijing.

 

[toby]

Hi

The OP should read the Operational Bulletin on how CHC is supposed to handle children under 2 and between 2 and 18 with claims to citizenship http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2009/ob154.asp

Thanks, PMM.

 

[dioncookie]

my 4 year old daughter already got her canadian citizenship certificate, i am now applying a canadian passport for her...my question is .. if family class visa has been granted to me and my 2 children from my filipino partner before...is there any other travel documents needed for my canadian baby girl for her to travel with us to canada aside from her canadian passport ? many thnx and God bless