How to Prove Dual Citizenship to customs when corssing the Boarder.

[daveanddual]

I will be crossing the border in a couple of weeks to attend university. As far as I know I have all the documentation needed to prove that I'm a dual citizen of the US and Canada. I have a birth certificate issued from Service New Brunswick.

What I'm concerned about is this from the cic.gc.ca documentation/proof of citizenship portion of the website "We will accept these documents as proof of citizenship: Birth certificates from a Canadian province or territory, unless
when you were born, neither of your parents was a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada"

What documentation will I need to prove that my parents were permanent residents of Canada? My father insists that he has SIN cards somewhere and a stamped passport. Will that be enough? Will customs/boarder patrol have all that information on record? Will I have to file some kind of proof, pay a fee, and wait to get verification of their permanent residency status before I can cross the border permanently?

I have a SIN card that doesn't have an expiration date on it. I also had no issues applying to the university I'm attending. They didn't make me apply as an international student even though I applied in the US. My concern is that I get to the boarder/customs and they give me a hard time since documentation requirements seem to change on a whim in today's post 9/11 world.

Any information that could be provided is greatly appreciated!

 

[foodie69]

Not sure what the issue is here.. all the you need is a passport, Canadian and or American. If you study in the US then as an American you have no problem. If you study in Canada you have no issues either, being Canadian.

 

[daveanddual]

Thanks for the reply! I haven't lived in Canada since I was kid, and I only lived there for 8 years. My concern is that customs may want proof that my parents, who are American but were living in Canada when for 3.5 years before I was born, may want proof that they were permanent residents to prove that I'm a dual citizen. I don't know what documentation they would require to prove that they were permanent residents.

 

[foodie69]

No..all that matters is your status in Canada. Are you a citizen? Yes or No?

 

[daveanddual]

I was born in Canada but my parents are American. My concern is that when I cross the border the immigration agent will ask for proof that my parents were permanent residents. I have a SIN card that doesn't start with a 9 or have an expiration date, and have a Canadian birth certificate. I haven't lived in Canada since I was 8 though (I'm in my 30's).

This is what has me concerned: cic.gc.ca documentation/proof of citizenship portion of the website "We will accept these documents as proof of citizenship: Birth certificates from a Canadian province or territory, unless
when you were born, neither of your parents was a Canadian citizen OR A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF CANADA"

I'm concerned an immigration agent will ask for proof that my parents were permanent residents, in which case I have no idea what documentation they will need.

Will that information be on file for the immigration agent i.e., when my parents lived in Canada and for how long? Will the immigration agent need SIN cards from my parents, a stamped passport, or a permanent residency card (I was born in the 80's so I don't even know if they had PR cards then)?

I would try to look for this information myself but it isn't available and there's no way to contact the border patrol to find out for yourself. Do you know how to get a hold of a live agent?

 

[foodie69]

Listen carefully.. You are Canadian!!! You area citizen of Canada. Get a Canadian passport and you can come and live here for as long as you like. You can work, study, whatever...

It has nothing to do with your parents..immigration could not care less. Ok?

 

[mf4361]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/proof-eligibility.asp

Get a certificate for someone born in Canada

A provincial or territorial birth certificate should be enough to prove Canadian citizenship. We list what other documents we accept as proof of Canadian citizenship. However, you may still apply for a citizenship certificate.

The reason is Canada, like many other North/South American countries still has birthright citizenship (Jus Soil is the legal word). Meaning if you were born in Canadian soil, you are automatically Canadian.

Nobody will question your citizenship if you have birth cert

 

[Alurra71]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/proof-eligibility.asp

Get a certificate for someone born in Canada

A provincial or territorial birth certificate should be enough to prove Canadian citizenship. We list what other documents we accept as proof of Canadian citizenship. However, you may still apply for a citizenship certificate.

The reason is Canada, like many other North/South American countries still has birthright citizenship (Jus Soil is the legal word). Meaning if you were born in Canadian soil, you are automatically Canadian.

Nobody will question your citizenship if you have birth cert

...unless of course your parents were diplomats, in which case, all bets are off ...

Likely though, since your parents are American they were not here on a diplomatic mission when you were born.

 

[mf4361]

...unless of course your parents were diplomats, in which case, all bets are off ...

Likely though, since your parents are American they were not here on a diplomatic mission when you were born.

Oh yea I forgot about that