Hi Everyone,

Good luck on your immigration journeys. Anyways, I was wondering if a valid foreign (Canadian) passport is required for US Citizenship, as my passport will expire before (next year) I can apply for US Citizenship (in two years). Should I bother applying for a new foreign passport beforehand, even though I might not need it for travel, as I am not sure if a non-valid passport will affect my US Citizenship application later? Or should I just wait it out until I get US Citizenship for a US Passport?

Any suggestions, ideas, or thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

Ant

If you can apply for citizenship in 2 years and your passport is expiring next year, then yes you will want to have a passport just in case you want to fly to Canada or possibly drive across the border (if implemented next year) before your interview. I actually sent away for my Canadian passport after I had my interview as it was expiring in a few months. So right now I have my Canadian and US passport in the mail...

You don't need any passport for US Citizenship

Hi Warlord (and Everyone Else),

Good luck on your immigration journeys. Thanks for your reply. Good luck in getting both your US and Canadian passports in the mail. Hope you get them soon. Yes, I do know about the flying and the land border crossing passport rules. I just thought that it was manditory that I have a valid passport for the US Citizenship application, that's all. As for my travel plans, I don't think that I'll be travelling to Canada or any other country (I have no reason to go, nor do I have the expenses to go far) anytime before my US Citizenship interview, so I should be ok for now. Lol...I guess I'll have to do all non-American travelling beforehand this year....

By the way, does anyone know how long it takes to get a Canadian passport, just in case of any emergencies (lol..as that's the only one I can get now if ever I do need a passport before US Citizenship)? On an emergency basis, can one apply for a Canadian passport here in-person in the USA at the Canadian Embassy (as I don't really trust Canada Post in terms of mailing my passport application), and how long would that take? Thanks.

Ant




Hi Emo,

Good luck on your immigration journey. Thanks for your reply about not needing a passport for US Citizenship.

Ant

Hey Ant, check out this thread regarding applying for Canadian passports while living in the U.S. I'm sure that you could probably get an emergency one from the Canadian consulate but probably worth it to apply as soon as you can. Not sure what the current waiting time is.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=51873

Oh, I just looked at the application form. You have to mail to Canada but it says this:

Applications for Canadians living in the USA are processed in Canada and passports are delivered by overnight courier. DO NOT mail or bring your application to a Canadian government office in the USA. However, passport applications and related forms are available from these offices.

So you won't have to rely on crappy Canada Post to get it to you. Also, there is a courier address so you also won't have to rely on Canada Post to get it there after it crosses the border.

Hi Misa (and Everyone Else),

Good luck on your immigration journey. Thanks for your reply and for the links to that message post (funny, how that message topic looks familiar). I didn't know that I couldn't apply in-person at a Canadian Embassy, as I just assumed that I could just walk in there and apply for a new Canadian passport. I guess not then. Hmmm...ok, so I'm basically left with the following options:

a) In the USA: Get the observation stamp with the observation/note about my new married name on it (from what I read on another VJ post, this can be done) at the Canadian Embassy here in the USA, in my Canadian passport (which costs about $12 USD) and continue using my current Canadian passport that has my old maiden name on it. Wait until 2 years later to apply for an American passport in my married name (which costs about $90 USD for 10 years).
B ) In the USA: Forget about any stamps or anything. Just use my current Canadian passport in my old maiden last name. Wait until 2 years later to apply for an American passport (which costs about $90 USD for 10 years)
c) In the USA: Mail out my current Canadian passport and apply for a new Canadian passport ($90 CDN for 5 years). Then wait until 2 years later to apply for an American passport in my married name (which costs about $90 USD for 10 years). The only problem with that is that I'm afraid that the application for the Canadian passport will get lost in the mail (yes, even by courier too, as I've had stuff misdirected by courier before and courier is quite costly too) and since I have no other way of getting another Canadian Citizenship card, I wouldn't be able to get a new card if it happens to get lost.
d) In Canada: Make a short day trip to Canada before my passport expires. Apply for a new passport there (about $90 CDN for 5 years). Then wait until 2 years later to apply for an American passport in my married name (which costs about $90 USD for 10 years). The only problem with that is that I rarely go to Canada, and even if I do go, it could cost me and extra $30 in gas, plus an extra 6 hours in traffic for each trip, which is a waste of time and money.

Which option would be the best for me, based on the above listed choices? Any other suggestions, ideas, or thoughts appreciated too. Thanks.

Oh and in case of an emergency, I guess the simple answer would be to: Stay in the USA and Dial 911 (just kidding).

I agree too, Canada Post is crappy and unreliable. USPS is the way to go!

Ant

P.S. By the way, has anyone ever applied for a Canadian passport before "in lieu of a guarrantor"? If so, does that delay the process and by how long will it delay it by?

I think I would still go with option C. At work we send sensitive financial documents to the U.S. through UPS and so far nothing's gone missing. Which courier service did you use that misdirected your mail?

Hi Misa,

Thanks for your reply about option C. I'll think about that option further. Now all I have to figure out is: Where the heck do I find a guarrantor here in the USA?

I'm glad that UPS worked for you when mailing documents from the USA. In answer to your question, I was the one in Canada on the receiving end of the misdirected mail. I don't know which company the sender used in the USA, but I can tell you that I spent two weeks or so chasing Puralator for a package, as they had some policy about not delivering to certain buildings, then they couldn't get a hold of me as my number was unlisted, and then they had to reroute the package from one pickup location to another..Grrr...Luckily I knew about the package beforehand from the sender, tracked it down. and picked it up. And yes, I did eventually get that package in the mail...I also had problems too in Canada with Canada Post, where the mail that I sent was never delivered to the right place and/or not delivered in time....

Ant