Naturalisation

I am eligible for naturalisation in a few short months, and I seem to be getting quite different answers on whether I would have to give up my Canadian Citizenship if I become a naturalised British Citizen.

I do not want to give up my Canadian citizenship, but would like to have the advantages that go along with having the British passport that I have earned the right to have.

I was originally here on an Ancestry Visa, and have subesquently received my indefinate leave to remain, and Naturalisation is the next step. Anyone know difinitivly whether I can remain a Canadian Citizen and still be a British Citizen?

I know that the rule are different if I had married a Brit, or if I'd been born to British parents, but nobody seems to have an answer regarding the law for Canadians of British Ancestry.

Any ideas?

Hello,

I don't know told you that you would have to give up your canadian citizenship but they are wrong !!
All the information you need is on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website :
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizen/dualci_e.html

By default you keep your canadian citizenship, you only loose it if you voluntarily apply to renounce it and this need to be approved by a citizenship judge.

So go for it !! (I will apply too soon !)

Joanne :

Joanne,
Thanks for the advice! The British High Comission was one of the places that told me that I would have to give up my Canadian Citizenship! I would never voluntarily give up being a Canadian, so I was a bit worried that this past 4 1/2 years was going to turn out to be a total waste!

A lot of people I've talked to have asked me why I would care, as citizenship seems to be so disposable these days, but I was born a Canadian, I am proud to be a Canadian, and I would like to die as a Canadian! I just happen, due to my career, to live in a country other than Canada - but I won't be away for ever!

Thanks again,
Beverley

Hello

I just received my British citizenship certificate in the post on Saturday (April 23, 2004). I have not given up my Canadian citizenship and have no intention of doing so. I did check out the Canadian gov't website for info on dual nationality just to make sure I wouldn't lose my Canadian citizenship. Maybe the High Commission said you would lose your citizenship because they didn't know the UK also allows dual??

You might want to bear in mind that the process is excruciatingly long though - I applied in May, 2003 but after a few months I asked for my passport back to go on holiday in November 2004. They sent my passport and documents back in October saying that I'd been granted citizenship and I'd have my certificate shortly, but after waiting 6 months I finally had to phone them and ask what's up. They did get the certificate to me within a week though.

Good luck!

Hello everyone! Just wanted to put mu 2 cents in and agree with the rest that you don't lose your Canadian citizenship when you become a Brit! I have both and carry two passports, and am working on a third with US citizenship!

[quote="katsmum"]
You might want to bear in mind that the process is excruciatingly long though - I applied in May, 2003 but after a few months I asked for my passport back to go on holiday in November 2004. They sent my passport and documents back in October saying that I'd been granted citizenship and I'd have my certificate shortly, but after waiting 6 months I finally had to phone them and ask what's up. They did get the certificate to me within a week though.
[/quote]

Funny, my experience was exactly the opposite! I sent off my naturalisation application, and a week later the certificate came back to me in the mail! I gained citizenship through marrying a Brit and living here for the 3 years, which I assume is pretty straightforward. It was a strange day though, my husband opened the mail while I was at work and called me to let me know I was now a Brit! So I went to work Canadian, and came home British. It was a really surreal feeling though, seeing everything with new eyes. I was no longer a 'foreigner' which was creepy but cool...

good luck with your application!

Ooh I think you were very lucky! Even on their website it says that applications for naturalisation take approx. 9 months.

Good luck with your US one - I thought you have to give up other citizenship to become a US citizen.

maybe i was. it was just funny that my naturalisation certificate was dated the same day as my cheque for the fee cleared!

The US allows dual citizenship as well (at least among certain countries), and I think I was actually born American (born to an American mother in Canada), so they can't deprive me! My birth was just never registered with the US way back when, so I just have to fill out some paperwork (apparently). I just want to put that i'm a 'multi-national' on my CV and see how many passports I can collect! 3 before i'm 30 sounds pretty good... think I can try for 6 before i'm 60?