Getting a Canadian Passport for your US-Born Cannuck

Obtaining proof of Canadian citizenship for US born child

Everyone once in a while one of my friends mentions the need or desire to get a Canadian passport for their child especially given that our kids are mostly approaching less than a decade from draft age. Note this option is only available to your kids if you are Canadian (sorry). I found the process paperwork-unwieldy so am posting this for friends to try and save them some time.

Note: This is what you have to do based on my experience. Hopefully I don't need a liability disclaimer here. Forms may have changed so your experience may be different but hopefully this will be helpful to you.

Your child is Canadian if they were born after 1977 to a parent who was a Canadian citizen at the time even if the birth took place outside of Canada:

In order to prove your child’s citizenship you must get a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship which takes at least 10 months once you’ve gone through the unwieldy paperwork process. You will need to put together the following items:

1) Completed Application for a Citizenship Certificate from Outside Canada for child: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/citizen/CIT0006E.pdf

2) Photos of child to specification
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/citizen/CIT0021E.pdf

3) Canadian parent’s immigration doc (This is your green card.)

4) Canadian parent’s birth certificate

5) Money order for $65 (check that this is current)

6) Parents’ marriage certificate

7) Child’s certificate of live birth

PDF version of Application for Citizenship Certificate forms and more information on applying for Canadian citizenship from outside of Canada can be found at:

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

Obtaining a Canadian Passport

Once you have the Certificate of Canadian Citizenship you can then apply for a passport. General information on the process is here: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/form/index.aspx

Here is a link to the Passport Application fro Children under 16 living abroad: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/form/pdfs/pptc042.pdf

Canadian Passport Application requirements checklist

To ensure timely processing of your application, please be sure to submit all the necessary documents with your application. To obtain a passport, you must:

1. Complete and sign all pages of the application form.

2. Provide two identical passport photos taken within the last 12 months. Specs here: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/photos.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA

3. Have the application form and one photo signed by an eligible guarantor. Info on guarantors here: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/section2.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA

4. Provide original proof of Canadian citizenship (the one that just took ten months to arrive ;)

5. Provide any previous Canadian travel document issued to you within the last five years such as a passport, a certificate of identity or a travel document. (probably none)

6. **Provide at least one document to support your identity with your current name and signature, such as a driver's licence, a provincial health care card, an old age security card, etc. (for a child only the Proof of Canadian citizenship is required)**

If you submit original supporting documents, they will be returned to you. If you are submitting photocopies, your guarantor must sign and date the photocopies to indicate that the originals have been seen.

7. Place of birth: Your place of birth must be provided on the application form. If you do not wish the place of birth to appear in the passport, submit a written request. Be sure to contact the consulate or embassy of every country you plan to visit to ensure that you will be admitted if the passport does not include your place of birth.

8. For United States residents: If you were accepted into the United States as a permanent resident before February 15, 1977, you must indicate on your application form the number and date of issue of your Alien Registration Card (green or pink card). Include a copy of this card with your application form.

9. Pay the appropriate passport fee: Check here: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/section6.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA

Other Information

For information about the status of your application, to find out how long it takes to process your application for a citizenship certificate, or to get information on other citizenship issues, please contact:

Website
The CIC website at www.cic.gc.ca contains information on CIC’s programs and services.

CIC Call Centre
The CIC Call Centre has an automated voice response system that can provide answers to general citizenship questions 24 hours a day. By using a touch-tone telephone, you can order an application kit and check the status of your application.

If you want to speak to an agent, contact the CIC Call Centre during normal business hours across Canada (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. your local time) and press “0”.

For all areas in Canada: 1-888-242-2100 (toll-free).

If you are hearing impaired and you use a text telephone, you can access the TTY service at 1-888-576-8502 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. your local time.

If you are outside Canada, contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate responsible for the region in which you live.