Dual Travel

 

I was asked what I do (being a Dual Citizen of both Canada and the United States) when I travel.

By American Law every American Citizen and American National has to use their US Passport Book, US Passport Card, US Military ID Card or State Enhanced Driver’s License when entering the US.

If you don’t you can be detained at the Border (except at US Preclearance outside the US) and fined and/or go to jail  - especially if its not your first offense.

By Canadian Law every Canadian Citizen has to use their Canadian Passport when entering Canada.

If you don’t you can be detained at the Border and fined and/or go to jail – especially if its not your first offense.

With that said when I travel to any other Country I can use either my Canadian Passport or my American Passport.

According to the 2023 Henley Passport Index Canadians have Visa-Free Access to 187 Countries (ranking it 8^th in the World)

According to the 2023 Henley Passport Index Americans have Visa-Free Access to 186 Countries (ranking it 7^th in the World.)

Some Countries let Americans enter Visa-Free or Visa On Arrival and not Canadians and vice versa so I would use that Passport if I travel there.

Also, as a Canadian Citizen I am also a Commonwealth Citizen meaning I have special rights when I travel to the 14 other Commonwealth Realm (Canada is also a Commonwealth Realm) and the 55 other Member Countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.

So if I travel to the United Kingdom (a Commonwealth Realm) I would use my Canadian Passport and not my American Passport as I would have more rights and privileges than if I used my American Passport.

I have only been a Canadian Citizen since 2009 (when Canada changed its Nationality Laws to give Citizenship back to those that had automatically had it taken from them by the Canadian Government, as my Mother did.

Background: From 1946 (when Canadian Citizenship was created) until 1977 Canada didn’t allow Dual Citizenship.

So anyone who became a Citizen of another Country (as my Grandfather did in the 1960s when he became an American Citizen) and their Minor Children (as my Mother was at the time) had their Canadian Citizenship automatically taken away from them – even though my Mom was born in Canada.

Note: The Canadian Government also automatically took away Canadian Citizenship to any Canadian who lived outside of Canada for 10 years or more – even if they had no other Citizenship.

My Mom was already an American Citizen from Birth (through my Grandmother.)

Even though Canada started allowing Dual Citizenship in 1977 anyone who had their Canadian Citizenship automatically taken from them by the Canadian Government before 1977 didn’t get it back until a new Law was made in 2009 – and then only if you applied for it.

Back to my trip: My Mom and I visited Canada in July 2012. We went from Lubec, Maine to Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada for 1 night – on my Mom’s Birthday.

 When entering Canada (on the FDR Bridge) my Mom and I had to use our Canadian Passports and when we entered the United States the next day we had to use our American Passports.

Note: People on Campobello Island have Dual Citizenship because the closest Hospital is in Lubec, Maine (and access to the rest of Canada is blocked in the Winter.)

Lubec also has the only Gas Station so people from Campobello Island have to have their US and Canadian Passports with them at all times in case they have to cross the bridge and go to get gas or do other errands – Campobello Island is also 1 hour ahead of Maine.

Back to my Trip (Again): After we visited Campobello Island we drove through Maine to the main Canadian Border and again had to use our Canadian Passports to enter Canada. We then spent 2 weeks in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia before returning to the US (where we had to use our American Passports to enter.)