travel question

[JoeCanuk 3]

I'm guessing dual citizens of the US and Canada might know the answer to my question. I'm wondering if when I become a citizen I can travel to Canada where I am also a citizen with my US passport. My Canadian passport is expired, I can't find any place in the US that takes Canadian passport photos (different specifications) so I can't renew it, and the US passport will say that I am from Canada. So can I use it and if so, do I say I'm Canadian or American or dual citizen of both? Just wondering if anyone has experience with this. I can't afford two passports right now and I can't afford to travel to Canada right now to get photos taken there.

[Anh map 2,098]

If you enter with a US passport then you are American when in Canada and would be treated as such if you got in a jam.

Re: photos - just take the photos per the guidelines and trim them to the proper size. http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/photos.aspx

[zenaxe 22]

I'm guessing dual citizens of the US and Canada might know the answer to my question. I'm wondering if when I become a citizen I can travel to Canada where I am also a citizen with my US passport. My Canadian passport is expired, I can't find any place in the US that takes Canadian passport photos (different specifications) so I can't renew it, and the US passport will say that I am from Canada. So can I use it and if so, do I say I'm Canadian or American or dual citizen of both? Just wondering if anyone has experience with this. I can't afford two passports right now and I can't afford to travel to Canada right now to get photos taken there.

I'm also a Canadian citizen here and my passport expires at the end of the year. I've read somewhere in here, although it's been two years, about people advising that it's faster to courier to Ottawa than to go to a Canadian consulate. That said, the issue you bring up relates to sizing in pictures. I don't think you can trim or alter the pictures as was suggested but I can't confirm that. I'm going to make some inquiry regarding this. Canada uses metric and a certain size in passport pics and the US uses dimensions for the US. It's a silly thing that has a direct impact on those of us in the middle. I may just get my pictures taken while I'm in Canada later this summer on a visit; unless there is some issue related to timelines and how recent the pictures for passports need to be ie within 90 days etc, or if that's even the case.

If you find anything, do post as will I. There has got to be a way to work through this without a problem...

[Saylin 1,605]

If you need to get pictures with Canadian sizes while in the US, just use this site: http://www.epassportphoto.com/ It's completely free. Just choose 'Canada' from the country drop-down box, and 'Passport' from the photo drop-down box.

I used this site for my IV package at NVC, my medical pictures, and my interview pictures for my CR-1 visa with no issues.

[Doug & Pam 3]

I agree with Saylin on going with free (free is good ), but if you still want to pay you should be able to go to any large chain pharmacy/store (Walgreens, CVS, RiteAid maybe even almart etc) that has the yellow Kodak photo terminal/machine and just tell them you need a passport photo to Canadian specs. When I did my US passport photos at one of these places there was a list of countries and even purposes (passport/visa etc) that it would format the photos for so they should be able to do it if they have the Kodak machine (assume all those Kodak machines have the same software). If the clerk says he does not know or does not think he can, ask him to try and see as it probably is able to format them. As a side note I have had US passport photos done using this same machine in Canada and photos came out formatted for US no problems it even puts lines where the clerk is supposed to cut the photo to get the size right.

Whatever you do... do not go to a "photo/camera" store I have never had any good success with photo shops, pharmacies always do a better job and far cheaper!

[CarolinaGirl 2]

I have only had to do this the opposite way(my US passport was lost and I needed to enter the US). And I was able to enter the US without my passport as a US citizen when I explained the situation. I only had to show my proof of citizenship(birth certificate) and it was no problem. My understanding was that if you have enough to prove your citizenship they would have a hard time denying you entry.

[JillA 2]

Sears does Canada size passport photos, I got mine renewed last year and it was great. Canada actually sent them back because my forehead was shiny, so I went back to Sears and they re-did them at no cost. Just go to Sears and tell them you need Canada sized, it's no big deal.

[zenaxe 22]

Sears does Canada size passport photos, I got mine renewed last year and it was great. Canada actually sent them back because my forehead was shiny, so I went back to Sears and they re-did them at no cost. Just go to Sears and tell them you need Canada sized, it's no big deal.

Good tips for sure. I didn't know Sears did that here. I was planning on visiting Canada for the first time since I moved here....I was going to get pics done in Canada and bring them back, then apply to renew my passport. It's expiring at the end of the year. The passport pics need to be current as in within 12 months according to the Canadian website...

[JoeCanuk 3]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I asked my local Walgreens one time and they said they couldn't do it. Maybe they just didn't know it. Wal Mart couldn't do it either.

xenaxe, I will let you know if I find anything.

So I'm hoping if I can't get it done anywhere (I could try to find a white wall to take my own pic on and use that free site), that I can just use my US passport to enter Canada. After all, I am a Canadian citizen and the passport will say that I am from Canada so they have to let me in right?

[msdelila 1]

I'm guessing dual citizens of the US and Canada might know the answer to my question. I'm wondering if when I become a citizen I can travel to Canada where I am also a citizen with my US passport. My Canadian passport is expired, I can't find any place in the US that takes Canadian passport photos (different specifications) so I can't renew it, and the US passport will say that I am from Canada. So can I use it and if so, do I say I'm Canadian or American or dual citizen of both? Just wondering if anyone has experience with this. I can't afford two passports right now and I can't afford to travel to Canada right now to get photos taken there.

You can get canadian passport photos from online. There is a website/company that takes your photos and cuts them to the size and also stamps the back of the image just like they request in Canada. I had some done locally, they should be able to do any size, and I also once had photos done in New York City.

Try going to a small locally owned photo shop and give them the dimentions.

[dracoasa 0]

I'm guessing dual citizens of the US and Canada might know the answer to my question. I'm wondering if when I become a citizen I can travel to Canada where I am also a citizen with my US passport. My Canadian passport is expired, I can't find any place in the US that takes Canadian passport photos (different specifications) so I can't renew it, and the US passport will say that I am from Canada. So can I use it and if so, do I say I'm Canadian or American or dual citizen of both? Just wondering if anyone has experience with this. I can't afford two passports right now and I can't afford to travel to Canada right now to get photos taken there.

If u go at Walgreens and tell them u want Canadian passport pictures they will do it. They have a software that makes the pictures for different countries (as they are required).