Interview passed, questions on traveling with dual passports

M

maisflocon

Registered Users (C)
Hi all,

I just passed my interview. Thank you so much for all your help (Bobsmyth, Jackolantern, et al.), I will share my experience in another thread soon.

I have a few questions on traveling with passports that I want to make sure I am doing right.

Right now my passport has a visitor visa to a foreign country and a Canada permanent residence visa (that allows me to enter Canada to activate my PR there). I have been putting off traveling and also activating the Canada PR to finish my citizenship process.

Now that things have come to pass, my questions are:

1) Am I allow to visit a country with my foreign passport, and come back to the states with my US passport? As mentioned, the reason for this is I have already got a visitor visa on my passport a months ago (which hasn't expired yet). Given my travel schedule, I won't have time to reapply either.

2) Am I allow to enter Canada with my foreign passport, then come back to the states by land or air with my US passport? My thought is that I will visit the country first, and then enter Canada to activate my PR (using the foreign passport), then come back to the states by land or air. Do you see a problem with this? or should I enter Canada first (with my Canada PR visa) to activate my PR there, then go visit the country and come back to Canada? On my return trip, I definitely want to drop by Canada first to visit friends and family.

3) Is there a problem activating Canada PR soon after getting US citizenship?

Please help me make sure I am doing things the right way. I apply for Canada PR for family reason so I don't want it to affect my US status in any way as US is where I call my home.
 
maisflocon said:
Hi all,

I just passed my interview. Thank you so much for all your help (Bobsmyth, Jackolantern, et al.), I will share my experience in another thread soon.

I have a few questions on traveling with passports that I want to make sure I am doing right.

Right now my passport has a visitor visa to a foreign country and a Canada permanent residence visa (that allows me to enter Canada to activate my PR there). I have been putting off traveling and also activating the Canada PR to finish my citizenship process.

Now that things have come to pass, my questions are:

1) Am I allow to visit a country with my foreign passport, and come back to the states with my US passport? As mentioned, the reason for this is I have already got a visitor visa on my passport a months ago (which hasn't expired yet). Given my travel schedule, I won't have time to reapply either.

2) Am I allow to enter Canada with my foreign passport, then come back to the states by land or air with my US passport? My thought is that I will visit the country first, and then enter Canada to activate my PR (using the foreign passport), then come back to the states by land or air. Do you see a problem with this? or should I enter Canada first (with my Canada PR visa) to activate my PR there, then go visit the country and come back to Canada? On my return trip, I definitely want to drop by Canada first to visit friends and family.

3) Is there a problem activating Canada PR soon after getting US citizenship?

Please help me make sure I am doing things the right way. I apply for Canada PR for family reason so I don't want it to affect my US status in any way as US is where I call my home.
Click to expand...

I'll do my best to answer your questions, but I hope that others will join in on this. The answer to question #1 is yes, in general you can travel to foreign countries using your existing passport, and re-enter the US using your US passport. The reason I qualify this and say "in general" is that laws in different countries vary in their approach to dual citizenship. Some countries may not recognize it, or some will recognize only the citizenship of the country that has the strongest "claim" on you. You may want to check with the consulate / embassy of the country you are visiting, but in most countries you will probably be fine.

Question 2 is a bit trickier because when you applied to become a PR in Canada, you applied as a citizen of your original country. Now, just as you activate your PR there, you are a US citizen. Canada, by statute, recogniozes multiple citizenships so it is not a problem that you have dual citizenship at this point. However, I am not certain if the fact that you acquired citizenship in the US before you got your PR in Canada is a problem - since you effectively changed some key information on your PR application (just as you would have if you had been married, divorced, arrested etc. during the PR process). My advice is to inquire with a Canadian immigration attorney on this one before you enter Canada and try to acquire PR. Better safe than sorry.

I can't see a problem with #3. You didn't lie on your naturalization application - you were living in the US when you applied, and the fact that you are leaving and going to another country so soon after obtaining US citizenship is not illegal. Many people leave soon after US naturalization, although I would guess that most return to their native countries. I would wait until you naturalize before you do anything, though.
 
1. When you are a US citizen, you must present a US passport to US officials when entering or exiting the US, not your other passport. When you arrive in the other country, you follow whatever that other country's rules are regarding your choice of passport. If you are a citizen of that other country, they probably will expect or require you to use their passport.

2. No comment

3. It's not a problem to activate Canadian PR after becoming a US citizen. But it could complicate your naturalization if you do it before obtaining US citizenship.
 
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Thanks yummyk and jackolantern. Will the US border be looking for my foreign travel stamp on my US passport? (which I won't have since I am using foreign passport to visit another country)
 
Once you become a US citizen, you must use your US passport anytime you re-enter the US. If your original country allows dual citizenship, it shouldn't be a problem to enter Canada with your foreign passport. I don't think Canada would care what citizenship you have gained since applying, but would be concerned of any citizenship you lost (if original country does not allow dual citizenship).
Activating your LPR status in Canada has no affect on your US citizenship after you become naturalized.
 
maisflocon said:
Thanks yummyk and jackolantern. Will the US border be looking for my foreign travel stamp on my US passport? (which I won't have since I am using foreign passport to visit another country)
Click to expand...

They don't always stamp passports, so don't worry about having stamps.
 
Jackolantern said:
1. When you are a US citizen, you must present a US passport to US officials when entering or exiting the US, not your other passport.
Click to expand...

You will need to present the passport containing the visa to the airline so that they will allow you to travel
 
(1) Assuming you continue to be a citizen of the foreign country, the answer is yes.

(2) I see no issue with that, again assuming your foreign citizenship is still intact.

(3) No. I am assuming you will actually make Canada your home in the next 3 years.

maisflocon said:
1) Am I allow to visit a country with my foreign passport, and come back to the states with my US passport? As mentioned, the reason for this is I have already got a visitor visa on my passport a months ago (which hasn't expired yet). Given my travel schedule, I won't have time to reapply either.

2) Am I allow to enter Canada with my foreign passport, then come back to the states by land or air with my US passport? My thought is that I will visit the country first, and then enter Canada to activate my PR (using the foreign passport), then come back to the states by land or air. Do you see a problem with this? or should I enter Canada first (with my Canada PR visa) to activate my PR there, then go visit the country and come back to Canada? On my return trip, I definitely want to drop by Canada first to visit friends and family.

3) Is there a problem activating Canada PR soon after getting US citizenship?
Click to expand...
 
Dont you have to give up all other passports upon your US oath for citizen ship?? I thought the states do not allow you to have dual citizen ship when you are naturlized, but can obtain others from Canada for example after you get your US citizenship first??
 
Would it be a problem if Canada knows I am trying to enter with a foreign passport from a country that only allows single citizenship? (which means I should have given that up upon getting my US citizenship)
 
maisflocon said:
Would it be a problem if Canada knows I am trying to enter with a foreign passport from a country that only allows single citizenship? (which means I should have given that up upon getting my US citizenship)
Click to expand...

Yes it would since if your country of origin does not accept dual citizenship, you are no longer a citizen of that country and are falsely representing yourself to be one to Canadian authorities.
You wouldn't give up your foreign passport to US authorities, but rather to your country of origin.
 
In your opinion, what should I do? Given my current schedule, there is no way for me to get a US passport in time to get the Canadian PR stamp on it. If I don't get the Canadian PR stamp in time, the whole case is closed and thousands of dollars will go down the drain. Again, my main reason for getting the PR is to be able to visit family in Canada more easily, but I will most likely give it up when my family is with me next year.
 
That means your passport is invalid. You cannot use it. You will need the Canadians to move the immigrant visa to a different passport. Remember, an immigrant visa is issued to an individual, not to his or her citizenship. I also know that CIC officers can make corections/amendments at landing time. I am not too sure if change of citizenship is one of those. I would advise you to call a Canadian consulate and confirm what course of action you need to take. Do not use your immigrant visa without talking to them. The last thing you want is to make a fradulent landing.

maisflocon said:
Would it be a problem if Canada knows I am trying to enter with a foreign passport from a country that only allows single citizenship? (which means I should have given that up upon getting my US citizenship)
Click to expand...
 
Yes but I sponsor my family with Canada PR as well so they can stay in Canada until I bring them to the US. That way, I can tend to them by just driving 2 hours, instead of flying 12 hours.
 
Then call a Canadian consulate and mention to them the scenario of you losing your original citizenship. It should not be a show stopper.
 
You might be safe to use the LPR visa in foreign passport and show US passport to enter. Contact Canadian authorities first to determine how you should proceed.
 
Also keep in mind that pleading allegiance to any other country after becoming US citizen will effectively terminate your US citizenship.
 
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