Canadian citizenship for new daughter

[Eric_and_Corinna 0]

hi all...

We're currently in Alaska, but we want to get our dual-citizenship for our baby daughter...anyone have any suggestions for how to go about it? I looked on the Canada immigration page, and it said that the application could take a year? Is that true? Surely there has to be some way to fill out the paperwork while on vacation back home and have it go faster than that!

[trailmix 77]

hi all...

We're currently in Alaska, but we want to get our dual-citizenship for our baby daughter...anyone have any suggestions for how to go about it? I looked on the Canada immigration page, and it said that the application could take a year? Is that true? Surely there has to be some way to fill out the paperwork while on vacation back home and have it go faster than that!

Were you looking at the 'applying for citizenship' information perhaps?

You just need to apply for a certificate of citizenship for her, it won't take a year.

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

Edited May 6, 2009 by trailmix

[Eric_and_Corinna 0]

thanks Trailmix...the page i was looking at was "applying for citizenship" indeed.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter as well!

[rexalite 0]

I have applied for a certificate of Canadian Citizenship for my son, and when I applied a couple months ago, the wait according to the gov't website was 10 months. I don't know if it varies by embassy though - we sent it into Dallas.

Congrats on your baby- they're so much fun!

[neiks 19]

Congrats on your new baby. I just had my son on March 25th and am doing the exact same thing right now.

You will need your baby's birth certificate and then proof of the Canadian parents citizenship - passport or birth certificate.

Trailmix gave you the correct link to the proof of citizenship application. Get the pictures taken, fill out the application and your almost set.

One of the requirements on the application was to provide 2 forms of ID. I have to look into this b/c being an infant they don't have many forms of ID. I was going to inquire if the birth certificate can be considered one form of ID and then using his SSN as the other or if they need 2 forms of ID other than the birth certificate which already needs to be submitted.

Anyways, the card is just the "proof" your daughter is Canadian. Her Canadian citizenship is already assumed through the Canadian parent.

[Earmuffs 1]

Ive never even thought of doing this for my son.. We dont ever plan on living in Canada and if he wants to when he moves out he can pay that $75 haha..

[new orleans bound 0]

ANy of you who have applied for canadian citizenship for your children-has the paper work been approved? How long did you have to wait or are you still waiting. I mailed off my paperwork in January of 2009 and still haven't heard a thing. Starting to get worried now cause I need to get the baby a SIN number ASAP.

[antda 13]

Hi Eric_and_Corinna,

Congratulations on your new American/Canadian baby daughter!

Actually there was another post on the VJ Canada boards about this dual "Canadian/US baby" topic, which you can read more, as some VJ Canadians who are in the same/similar situation has posted about it here too:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...ship+baby+child

Also , from what I've researched before on the Canadian Immigration and Citizenship website, about the new Canadian citizenship laws made in April 2009, this is what I found:

Retaining citizenship

Some citizens born outside Canada (Your Canadian/American Baby) to a parent who was a Canadian (You) at the time of their birth are required to make an application and meet certain requirements to keep (retain) Canadian Citizenship before turning 28 years of age. This is called Retention of Canadian Citizenship.

Retention applies to Canadians born outside Canada after February 14, 1977 to a Canadian parent who was also born outside Canada to a Canadian parent. The Citizenship Act says that this second generation born outside Canada will lose Canadian Citizenship at age 28 unless steps are taken to retain it.

No later than April 17, 2009 the law will change to end the need to retain citizenship for many people. However, people born outside Canada who are subject to the retention rules and who turn 28 before the new law comes into effect must still take action to retain citizenship.

Find out more about the new law and who is affected.

Basically, it says that your Canadian/American baby/child can apply for Canadian citizenship, up until the age of 28, or not be able to have it at all.

You as a Canadian parent can pass on this Canadian citizenship to your baby/child, especially more so that you were born in Canada and can pass this on directly based on that, since they are a "second generation Canadian". Actually, even Canadians born not born in Canada, but were naturalized in Canada (such as in my case), can also pass Canadian citizenship to their baby/child as well.

And based on other's experiences (Wrumug), all you would have to do is apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate card for your baby/child by:

"i made an appointment with CC (Canadian consulate). It only took her about 30 mins to go through my application and to make copy of all the support documents and such as my daughter Social Security Card, my daughter's Birth Certificate, my daughter's immunization record, my citizenship card and my passport. Also you need to pay the fee too. i paid CAD75. She told me that it will take around 8 months to get the thing done."

And after they get this Canadian citizenship certificate card, they can apply for a Canadian passport afterwards too.

As for my (AntandD) situation (which I mentioned on a PM to someone else):

"As for my soon-to-be USC baby/child getting Canadian citizenship, I think I will have to wait awhile for that. I think it is better that they make an informed decision for such when they are older, and can understand for themselves the culture, history, rights/responsibilities, etc. of being a Canadian citizen. I don't want to impose a decsion for them when they are not ready for such yet. And if they choose for themselves to become a Canadian citzen, they can be proud of that choice, and I will support them in any way as a Canadian parent for them to pursue such, at any point in their lives (up until the age of 28, according to law), or not at all. Meanwhile, my family and I will make more trips and visit Canada more often (we live very close to the border), and will use these trips as a good teaching experience for our baby/child to learn more about Canada. And hopefully, they will appreciate, learn from, and enjoy such travels too."

So it is up to you and your family to decide as to whether or not your baby/child wants Canadian citizenship or not, either now or later on or not at all. It's a personal decision, really, and there are advantages and disadvantages to this decision too. So think carefully before making such a choice....

Hope this helps. Good luck on the rest of your baby/child's dual citizenship journey too.

Ant

hi all...

We're currently in Alaska, but we want to get our dual-citizenship for our baby daughter...anyone have any suggestions for how to go about it? I looked on the Canada immigration page, and it said that the application could take a year? Is that true? Surely there has to be some way to fill out the paperwork while on vacation back home and have it go faster than that!

[metals95 1]

I cannot decide whether to apply for our 2 month old US born son. Since the new Citizenship rule came out in April, there are kind of 2 types of Canadians, those whose children can be Canadian (no matter where born) and those who cannot. It will be a long time before this issue comes up for my son and his possible future kids, but it is bound to be addressed again after the conservative government is out.

This article explains the issue pretty well

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigrati...ens-part-1.html

[antda 13]

Oops...Try this link instead:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=162577&hl=

Ant

Actually there was another post on the VJ Canada boards about this dual "Canadian/US baby" topic, which you can read more, as some VJ Canadians who are in the same/similar situation has posted about it here too:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...ship+baby+child

[trailmix 77]

I personally did apply for my Son's NZ citizenship by descent. I personally feel that it is a child's right and a parents responsibility to apply for their child so that they have the opportunity to live there.