Naturalization, Citizenship citizenship

[Sandra_Young]

I am enquiring about citizenship. I was born in 1957 in the U.S. of Canadian parents. My parents were living in the U.S. with a green card.

We moved back to Canada when I was 14 years old. I was then registered as a Canadian Citizen by my father. I have not had a Candidan passport as I was told I would have to give up my U.S. citizenship if I did so.

I have a registration of birth abroad card and a U.S. passport which I re-apply for every 10 years.

My questions are: Can I have both a Canadian and American passport? Is my 16 year old daughter entitled to my American Citizenship? Are there rules around having both passports. I was told I could never vote in a Federal election (in Canada where I reside) or take out a Canadian passport without revoking my US citizenship.

Thanks

 

[NYClex]

The rules at least on the American side have changed.

Since you were born in the United States you are an American citizen. For quite a while now following some Supreme Court decisions the U.S. government accepts dual nationality. As long as you don't explicitly express your desire to give up the American citizenship or join a foreign army or do some obvious activity which is incompatible with your citizenship the American government will not make you lose your American citizenship.

I have no information on how the Canadians view this, though, some countries expect you to give up your former citizenship if you want to become their citizen.

But from what you say, it seems to me you already have both citizenships! Being born of Canadian parents most probably means you have been a Canadian citizen since your birth. So you have been a dual citizen all the time.

The fact that you did not have a passport does not mean that you are not a citizen.

Dual citizenship at birth actually is the most common version of dual citizenship and most countries accept this.

So it seems to me you can go ahead and apply for a Canadian passport, too, if you want to travel. Your American citizenship should be unaffected by this.


About your daughter this seems to be more complicated. The problem is, to automatically confer your American citizenship to her you would have had to live in the United States at least five years, but two of these years after you were 14. Since you write you moved to Canada when you were 14 this could be the problem.

More information to this topic here: http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/residing_abroad.htm

You might want to contact the American Consulate in your area to have your paperwork reviewed in regards to your daughter.