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Question about special authorization to return to Canada without passport

MapleTraveller

Full Member
Jun 22, 2014
36
2
Has anyone here left Canada after citizenship oath but before receiving the Canadian Passport and returned to Canada on the foreign passport using special authorization?

As per this website https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/dual-canadian-citizens-visit-canada.html#findOut there is an option to enter Canada for people who have not been issued a Canadian passport that is valid on the day of travel. I wanted to ask if anyone tried getting this special authorization to see if its an fairly easy process or if its actually difficult to get approved to return like this to Canada?
 

holysp_15

Full Member
Sep 1, 2017
28
13
Canada
NOC Code......
2147
Curious to know about this too, might have some conflicting travels around our potential oath ceremony date.
 

canadian1979

Full Member
Sep 28, 2014
43
3
Visa Office......
Montreal
App. Filed.......
01-05-2015
Doc's Request.
CSQ received 11/08/2015
AOR Received.
28-05-2015
File Transfer...
06-07-2015 ecas status in process as from Aug 14 2015 Decision made 31 Oct 2015
Med's Request
Upfront
Med's Done....
11-04-2015
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
Exempt
VISA ISSUED...
Nov 7 2015
LANDED..........
Nov 18 2015
Interested to know too. Anyone did this before?
 

Dreamlad

Champion Member
Jan 11, 2016
1,267
469
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2171
AOR Received.
08-04-2017
Med's Done....
23-06-2017
Has anyone here left Canada after citizenship oath but before receiving the Canadian Passport and returned to Canada on the foreign passport using special authorization?

As per this website https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/dual-canadian-citizens-visit-canada.html#findOut there is an option to enter Canada for people who have not been issued a Canadian passport that is valid on the day of travel. I wanted to ask if anyone tried getting this special authorization to see if its an fairly easy process or if its actually difficult to get approved to return like this to Canada?
I'd like to try this.
 

Dreamlad

Champion Member
Jan 11, 2016
1,267
469
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2171
AOR Received.
08-04-2017
Med's Done....
23-06-2017
Not trying to discourage, but this application is certain to be stuck in some long process so if you're doing this, do it with a plenty of buffer.
It's common for 2019-2020 applicants. Some ppl applied before me haven't even got test invitation and they ARE inside.
 

Dreamlad

Champion Member
Jan 11, 2016
1,267
469
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2171
AOR Received.
08-04-2017
Med's Done....
23-06-2017
Thanks so much for your response! I wasn’t sure if boarding agents will seek my immigration status upon boarding the plane when leaving Canada.
Canada has no exit control. They don't care about you leaving.
 

phoenixsong

Star Member
Feb 14, 2018
183
115
Canada has no exit control. They don't care about you leaving.
Dreamlad, question about this: I was in vancouver a couple of weeks ago and Air Canada would not let me checkin (to leave Canada, go to US) till I scanned my PR card!

During oath we cut the PR card, so was wondering how do I leave right after and get the cert mailed to my address in US? Hoping to fly in to take oath (no oath letter yet) and leave before I get the cert or passport. Is that possible? I will apply for passport from the US.

Reason is: school for kid, that cant be missed for more than a couple of days.

Anyone else has ideas how to do this?
 
Last edited:

canvis2006

Champion Member
Dec 27, 2009
2,382
309
Toronto
Visa Office......
Paris, France
NOC Code......
FC4 - PGP
App. Filed.......
May 2009
Doc's Request.
March 2012
File Transfer...
Jan. 2013
Med's Request
May 2013
Passport Req..
July 2013
VISA ISSUED...
August 2013
LANDED..........
Sept 2013
Dreamlad, question about this: I was in vancouver a couple of weeks ago and Air Canada would not let me checkin (to leave Canada, go to US) till I scanned my PR card!

During oath we cut the PR card, so was wondering how do I leave right after and get the cert mailed to my address in US? Hoping to fly in to take oath (no oath letter yet) and leave before I get the cert or passport. Is that possible? I will apply for passport from the US.

Reason is: school for kid, that cant be missed for more than a couple of days.

Anyone else has ideas how to do this?
As long as you have a passport and necessary visa/etc for US entry, the airline should let u board……depends on your usa visa/permit

You must carry some sort of proof such as oath ceremony invitation or printout of your status tracker(citizenship) that shows you had oath and became a citizen…..keep that handy.

If don’t wanna fly and not a huge issue, drive across to buffalo or detroit or etc…..easier to drive across land border to get to usa.
Then apply passport from usa if necessary

as long as i can remember, the special authorization to return to canada applies only to countries/passports that do not generally need visas to enter Canada…..
(Example like Germany, Holland, USA, UK etc…..powerful passports)

if you come from a (poor, developing) country that needs visas to enter Canada then u can’t avail that facility (eg Pakistan, India, Somalia, bangladesh, Iraq, Phillipines, etc)…..unless rules changed recently, best to always check ircc website for this!

now for driving to Canada via land border, the CBSA can always verify you in the system to let you in
(Always know your UCI or Client ID number as that comes in handy in such situations)…..or a citizenship certificate number(once u have it).
Once they verify u they let u in, expect some delays due to this.

for the kids school, tell them you’re delayed due to taking oath/citizenship and tell em how long u gonna take. They will understand….just keep em updated.
 

phoenixsong

Star Member
Feb 14, 2018
183
115
As long as you have a passport and necessary visa/etc for US entry, the airline should let u board……depends on your usa visa/permit

You must carry some sort of proof such as oath ceremony invitation or printout of your status tracker(citizenship) that shows you had oath and became a citizen…..keep that handy.

If don’t wanna fly and not a huge issue, drive across to buffalo or detroit or etc…..easier to drive across land border to get to usa.
Then apply passport from usa if necessary

as long as i can remember, the special authorization to return to canada applies only to countries/passports that do not generally need visas to enter Canada…..
(Example like Germany, Holland, USA, UK etc…..powerful passports)

if you come from a (poor, developing) country that needs visas to enter Canada then u can’t avail that facility (eg Pakistan, India, Somalia, bangladesh, Iraq, Phillipines, etc)…..unless rules changed recently, best to always check ircc website for this!

now for driving to Canada via land border, the CBSA can always verify you in the system to let you in
(Always know your UCI or Client ID number as that comes in handy in such situations)…..or a citizenship certificate number(once u have it).
Once they verify u they let u in, expect some delays due to this.

for the kids school, tell them you’re delayed due to taking oath/citizenship and tell em how long u gonna take. They will understand….just keep em updated.
Thank you so much for this detailed info. I will explore all these options. From your message, It looks like it's best to get the Citizenship Certificate before leaving the country.