Traveling outside Canada after the Oath Ceremony

[akbardxb]

Hey!
Just wondering which passport did you use to fly out of Canada immediately after the oath ceremony.
Are you from a country which allows dual citizenship?

I am in a similar situation , but perhaps more complicated as India does not allow dual citizenship (I am from India).

Technically, you can arrive in India with your Indian passport and have the right to enter India. Once you are there and have your citizenship certificate, you could apply for a Canadian passport at the High Commission or any of the 4 consulates. The challenges you are likely to face are the cancellation of your passport in India, application for a visa / stay permit / OCI while in India and exiting India once you have all these in place. I don't know of anyone personally who has gone through this process and there does not seem to be any prescribed process anywhere for the what and how.

 

[akbardxb]

Technically, you can arrive in India with your Indian passport and have the right to enter India. Once you are there and have your citizenship certificate, you could apply for a Canadian passport at the High Commission or any of the 4 consulates. The challenges you are likely to face are the cancellation of your passport in India, application for a visa / stay permit / OCI while in India and exiting India once you have all these in place. I don't know of anyone personally who has gone through this process and there does not seem to be any prescribed process anywhere for the what and how.

@footyluv An update for you. I found someone who became a US citizen and surrendered their Indian passport in Indiai. He already had his US passport and went to the regional passport office where they had to submit an affidavit confirming that they did not have a ration card, electoral card or agricultural property in India. He also needed a local guarantor to confirm that the guarantor would be responsible for him while in India. Once this was completed, he had to apply at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office for a visa.

Hope this helps. I'm not aware on how long the process took. The advantage was that he did not have to get the new PP made in India.

 

[footyluv]

@footyluv An update for you. I found someone who became a US citizen and surrendered their Indian passport in Indiai. He already had his US passport and went to the regional passport office where they had to submit an affidavit confirming that they did not have a ration card, electoral card or agricultural property in India. He also needed a local guarantor to confirm that the guarantor would be responsible for him while in India. Once this was completed, he had to apply at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office for a visa.

Hope this helps. I'm not aware on how long the process took. The advantage was that he did not have to get the new PP made in India.

Thanks a lot for these updates @akbardxb .

I might try and apply for Canada passport while in Canada . But am not sure how quick I will be able to get it. Do you have any idea on this? If it takes beyond 2 weeks , I may not be able to stay in Canada that long. Another thing to consider is , I will have to apply for India visa in Canada if I do manage to get Canada passport while in Canada.

So here's how I may attempt to proceed :-

Option 1:-

1.As soon as I receive my oath date , I fly to Canada from India using my Canada PR
2. I complete the oath ceremony and collect the Canada citizenship certificate.
3 Fly to India immediately using my Indian passport.
4.Once in India , apply for India visa/stay permit.
5.Apply for Canada passport at the local Canada consulate.

Option 2:-

1.As soon as I receive my oath date , I fly to Canada from India using my Canada PR
2 . I complete the oath ceremony and collect the Canada citizenship certificate.
3. Apply for Canada passport immediately in Canada.
4. Collect the canada passport & Surrender Indian passport in Canada
5. Apply for Indian visa in Canada.
6. Travel back to India with the indian visa stamped on my Canada passport.

I am worried about the probable timelines especially for option 2.

 

[akbardxb]

Thanks a lot for these updates @akbardxb .

I might try and apply for Canada passport while in Canada . But am not sure how quick I will be able to get it. Do you have any idea on this? If it takes beyond 2 weeks , I may not be able to stay in Canada that long. Another thing to consider is , I will have to apply for India visa in Canada if I do manage to get Canada passport while in Canada.

So here's how I may attempt to proceed :-

Option 1:-

1.As soon as I receive my oath date , I fly to Canada from India using my Canada PR
2. I complete the oath ceremony and collect the Canada citizenship certificate.
3 Fly to India immediately using my Indian passport.
4.Once in India , apply for India visa/stay permit.
5.Apply for Canada passport at the local Canada consulate.

Option 2:-

1.As soon as I receive my oath date , I fly to Canada from India using my Canada PR
2 . I complete the oath ceremony and collect the Canada citizenship certificate.
3. Apply for Canada passport immediately in Canada.
4. Collect the canada passport & Surrender Indian passport in Canada
5. Apply for Indian visa in Canada.
6. Travel back to India with the indian visa stamped on my Canada passport.

I am worried about the probable timelines especially for option 2.

For Option 1, you have to switch 4/5. IRCC says 4-6 weeks for receipt of certificate, even though I got mine in 1 week.

For Option 2, current estimates range could take anything up to 4-5 months for all steps.

 

[shinydev1988]

Hi everyone,

I’m in a similar situation, after reading this post now I’m thinking I can do the same. In my situation I’m returning to USA, but one question I have is will USA border services let me in after my oath ceremony since my immigration status has changed?

 

[Akga]

Thanks a lot for these updates @akbardxb .

I might try and apply for Canada passport while in Canada . But am not sure how quick I will be able to get it. Do you have any idea on this? If it takes beyond 2 weeks , I may not be able to stay in Canada that long. Another thing to consider is , I will have to apply for India visa in Canada if I do manage to get Canada passport while in Canada.

So here's how I may attempt to proceed :-

Option 1:-

1.As soon as I receive my oath date , I fly to Canada from India using my Canada PR
2. I complete the oath ceremony and collect the Canada citizenship certificate.
3 Fly to India immediately using my Indian passport.
4.Once in India , apply for India visa/stay permit.
5.Apply for Canada passport at the local Canada consulate.

Option 2:-

1.As soon as I receive my oath date , I fly to Canada from India using my Canada PR
2 . I complete the oath ceremony and collect the Canada citizenship certificate.
3. Apply for Canada passport immediately in Canada.
4. Collect the canada passport & Surrender Indian passport in Canada
5. Apply for Indian visa in Canada.
6. Travel back to India with the indian visa stamped on my Canada passport.

I am worried about the probable timelines especially for option 2.

 

[shuttle11]

Hi everyone,

I’m in a similar situation, after reading this post now I’m thinking I can do the same. In my situation I’m returning to USA, but one question I have is will USA border services let me in after my oath ceremony since my immigration status has changed?

Your immigration status will not change in the US if you complete oath in Canada.

 

[keplervisa90]

Your immigration status will not change in the US if you complete oath in Canada.

But India does not allow dual citizenship, can we still use the Indian passport to enter US?

Hi everyone,

I’m in a similar situation, after reading this post now I’m thinking I can do the same. In my situation I’m returning to USA, but one question I have is will USA border services let me in after my oath ceremony since my immigration status has changed?

I am in a similar situation. Can you share your experience if you returned to the US after oath ceremony?

 

[Em W]

I travelled to Canada for my Oath ceremony on Dec 15th, 2021. I gave a Canadian address for them to mail my citizenship certificate (they do not mail citizenship certificate to outside Canada except USA.). I had to cut my PR during the Oath ceremony ( I was not planning to travel back to Canada any time soon). They mailed my certificate in 1 week and my friend mailed it to me overseas using FEDEX. After I got my certificate I made an appointment at the Canadian embassy in Austria and applied for my passport. I had to fill in the "Statuary declaration in lieu of guarantor" form (pptc 132 form) as I could not give an outside Canada guarantor for my application. I got my passport in 1 week after applying. I am so happy that everything worked out for me. All the best for your application.

Congratulations. I know it's been over a year since you applied for your passport overseas, I just want to let you know that a passport guarantor does not need to reside in your country. It can be anyone with a Canadian passport in any country as long as they are over 18, have a Canadian passport and is willing to confirm your identity. If no Canadian guarantor is found, this is where the Occupational guarantor in your country of residence may be used, if that option is also not available and you do not know any Occupational guarantor in your region, then you can sign form PPTC 132.

 

[Hope_goodthing]

Congratulations. I know it's been over a year since you applied for your passport overseas, I just want to let you know that a passport guarantor does not need to reside in your country. It can be anyone with a Canadian passport in any country as long as they are over 18, have a Canadian passport and is willing to confirm your identity. If no Canadian guarantor is found, this is where the Occupational guarantor in your country of residence may be used, if that option is also not available and you do not know any Occupational guarantor in your region, then you can sign form PPTC 132.

Thanks a lot for these updates @akbardxb .

I might try and apply for Canada passport while in Canada . But am not sure how quick I will be able to get it. Do you have any idea on this? If it takes beyond 2 weeks , I may not be able to stay in Canada that long. Another thing to consider is , I will have to apply for India visa in Canada if I do manage to get Canada passport while in Canada.

So here's how I may attempt to proceed :-

Option 1:-

1.As soon as I receive my oath date , I fly to Canada from India using my Canada PR
2. I complete the oath ceremony and collect the Canada citizenship certificate.
3 Fly to India immediately using my Indian passport.
4.Once in India , apply for India visa/stay permit.
5.Apply for Canada passport at the local Canada consulate.

Option 2:-

1.As soon as I receive my oath date , I fly to Canada from India using my Canada PR
2 . I complete the oath ceremony and collect the Canada citizenship certificate.
3. Apply for Canada passport immediately in Canada.
4. Collect the canada passport & Surrender Indian passport in Canada
5. Apply for Indian visa in Canada.
6. Travel back to India with the indian visa stamped on my Canada passport.

I am worried about the probable timelines especially for option 2.

I'm in similar situation as @footyluv. My wife is in india and got the oath ceremony invite with option to attend virtually outside canada under special circumstances or return to canada for in person.
I'm evaluating the options on how this can be done and need opinion from someone who has been through similar situation.
Below are my questions:
1) In option 1 above is it legal to travel with your indian passport as one is a canandian citizen after receiving the citizenship certificate?
2) Apply for Canadian passport in india and then indian visa/OCI - what is the process here as I couldn't find any online. Do I need to go to e-FRRO and initiate a new VISA application?
3) In option 2 the process is minimum 3-4 months (canadian passport + surrender certificate +Visa/OCI)


In case she gets option to attend virtually what is the process to get Indian visa/OCI. I'm thinking in below lines:
1) Download citizen certificate online
2) Apply for canadian passport
3) Surrender indian passport using passport services
4) apply for indian Visa/OCI at FRRO (surrender certificate + canadian passport required)

Does this sound right or something is missing here.

 

[smash1984]

I'm in similar situation as @footyluv. My wife is in india and got the oath ceremony invite with option to attend virtually outside canada under special circumstances or return to canada for in person.
I'm evaluating the options on how this can be done and need opinion from someone who has been through similar situation.
Below are my questions:
1) In option 1 above is it legal to travel with your indian passport as one is a canandian citizen after receiving the citizenship certificate?
2) Apply for Canadian passport in india and then indian visa/OCI - what is the process here as I couldn't find any online. Do I need to go to e-FRRO and initiate a new VISA application?
3) In option 2 the process is minimum 3-4 months (canadian passport + surrender certificate +Visa/OCI)


In case she gets option to attend virtually what is the process to get Indian visa/OCI. I'm thinking in below lines:
1) Download citizen certificate online
2) Apply for canadian passport
3) Surrender indian passport using passport services
4) apply for indian Visa/OCI at FRRO (surrender certificate + canadian passport required)

Does this sound right or something is missing here.

I am not an indian passport holder but have read on the forum that you can travel on Indian passport up to 3 months after gaining another citizenship. You can search the forum for such answers, there should be plenty.

Also, attending in person may be a good idea because you get the citizenship certificate there and then without any delay. After a couple of days apply for an urgent passport if you can show an urgent need to travel.

 

[chanakyashah]

I'm in similar situation as @footyluv. My wife is in india and got the oath ceremony invite with option to attend virtually outside canada under special circumstances or return to canada for in person.
I'm evaluating the options on how this can be done and need opinion from someone who has been through similar situation.
Below are my questions:
1) In option 1 above is it legal to travel with your indian passport as one is a canandian citizen after receiving the citizenship certificate?
2) Apply for Canadian passport in india and then indian visa/OCI - what is the process here as I couldn't find any online. Do I need to go to e-FRRO and initiate a new VISA application?
3) In option 2 the process is minimum 3-4 months (canadian passport + surrender certificate +Visa/OCI)


In case she gets option to attend virtually what is the process to get Indian visa/OCI. I'm thinking in below lines:
1) Download citizen certificate online
2) Apply for canadian passport
3) Surrender indian passport using passport services
4) apply for indian Visa/OCI at FRRO (surrender certificate + canadian passport required)

Does this sound right or something is missing here.

Hey!!!!

I could throw some light on this as I have done the entire process from India and it was challenging. Don’t mind getting on a call if you like. You can DM me and we can take it from there.
Cheers!
Chanakya