Canadians with dual citizenships now need Canadian passport to enter country

Canadian citizens with dual citizenships will soon be allowed to fly into Canada only if they have a Canadian passport.

From 30 September, as a final phase of Canada’s move to an electronic screening system to step up border security, holders of dual Canadian citizenships must have a physical Canadian passport when entering the country.

“What is changing is that the Government of Canada is implementing a new electronic system to assist airlines in verifying that all travellers have the appropriate documents to travel to or transit through Canada by air,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada spokesperson Lindsay Wemp was quoted as saying by the Star.

“Air carriers are obligated by law to confirm that all persons seeking to travel to Canada carry both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. A valid Canadian passport satisfies these requirements for Canadian citizens, and is the only acceptable travel document for the purpose of air travel.”

Currently, Canadian citizens – which include returned Maltese migrants and their children – with dual citizenships, can use the passport of the other country to enter Canada by air if they also have a Canadian driver’s licence or Canadian citizenship card.

Under new entry rules, anyone travelling to Canada for study or work, as well as citizens of countries who have visa-free travel to Canada, must submit their biographic, passport and other personal information through the immigration department website for pre-screening. American citizens are exempted.

But dual citizenship holders will be ineligible for entry because they now must carry their Canadian passports.

The Star reported a dual Canadian-Australian citizen, who lives in Manitoba, complaining that the measure for “a money grab with no benefit and huge inconvenience for any of us who live overseas.”

It currently costs $120 for a five-year Canadian adult passport and $160 for one that lasts for 10 years.