[Xrac]

Hi all, I just finished aquiring my french citizenship as my father was born in france (I have US by birth). I am now considering applying for Canadian as my mother was born in Canada.
I have done "internet" research a little and it appears France, Canada, and the US dont promote multi citizenship but they also dont punish for multiples. I am curious if anyone has done this or maybe might have insight plus or minuses?
I just want to open the option to be a Canadian citizen since you never know.

Thanks Dan.

 

[Bevdeforges]

There is no reason you can't have all three of those citizenships. The only caveat is that the US will insist on your filing US tax forms no matter where you are in the world. Canada and France let you off the hook once you are resident elsewhere.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[Xrac]

Pretty much what I had thought was the case. Thank you Bev! as usual a trove of knowledge.

 

[rynd2it]

Hi all, I just finished aquiring my french citizenship as my father was born in france (I have US by birth). I am now considering applying for Canadian as my mother was born in Canada.
I have done "internet" research a little and it appears France, Canada, and the US dont promote multi citizenship but they also dont punish for multiples. I am curious if anyone has done this or maybe might have insight plus or minuses?
I just want to open the option to be a Canadian citizen since you never know.

Thanks Dan.

My brother has UK, USA and Canada. Basically no government can take away your citizenship of another country, they can only take away the one they gave you - so they all turn a blind eye to it.

 

[Bevdeforges]

My brother has UK, USA and Canada. Basically no government can take away your citizenship of another country, they can only take away the one they gave you - so they all turn a blind eye to it.

There are those governments who will require "proof" that you have surrendered your prior nationality before they will grant you theirs. (Germany leaps to mind here, as I know someone who had to present a certificate of renunciation as part of her dossier to become naturalized as a German citizen.) But no, once they give you a new nationality, they can't do much of anything about the "old" ones.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[koppazee]

My brother has UK, USA and Canada. Basically no government can take away your citizenship of another country, they can only take away the one they gave you - so they all turn a blind eye to it.

And have you ever asked him how he determines which passport to use when? Warm regards!

 

[rynd2it]

And have you ever asked him how he determines which passport to use when? Warm regards!

Oh Yes, because I have two (US and UK). In fact I once flew to Nairobi from LAX via Heathrow on my UK passport as my US one was being updated with new pages. My wife mailed it to me in Nairobi, I flew back to Heathrow on the UK passport then to LAX on my US one. Only question ever asked was by American Airlines when I changed passport numbers on my reservation at Heathrow.

Joys of being a road warrior

 

[koppazee]

Oh Yes, because I have two (US and UK). In fact I once flew to Nairobi from LAX via Heathrow on my UK passport as my US one was being updated with new pages. My wife mailed it to me in Nairobi, I flew back to Heathrow on the UK passport then to LAX on my US one. Only question ever asked was by American Airlines when I changed passport numbers on my reservation at Heathrow.

Joys of being a road warrior

I do recall reading, hearing or seeing something on American Airlines that if you are a US citizen, you must use your US passport but then again, how would they know if you make a reservation using a French passport. Warm regards!

 

[rynd2it]

I do recall reading, hearing or seeing something on American Airlines that if you are a US citizen, you must use your US passport but then again, how would they know if you make a reservation using a French passport. Warm regards!

It was back in 2003 before they tightened up on booking regulations and identity checking, might be harder now. But then, I used the UK passport to leave the US and enter France in 2011

 

[Bevdeforges]

I do recall reading, hearing or seeing something on American Airlines that if you are a US citizen, you must use your US passport but then again, how would they know if you make a reservation using a French passport. Warm regards!

The law in the US is that you must use a US passport to enter the US if you have one (or are entitled to one). The fines can be quite onerous (I've heard $25,000 but was later told that wasn't the case), but enforcement seems to depend on the circumstances and how "obvious" it is that you're actually a US citizen. (I.e. present a foreign passport at the US border and if you have a US birthplace, you may run into problems, or at least questions. If you're a naturalized citizen, it's doubtful they'd notice you "should" be using your US passport, but there's all that extra stuff, like ESTA.)

Most other countries don't seem nearly as fussed about which passport you use to enter the country. Though the lines for the local nationals (or EEA passports in the case of Europe) tend to be much shorter than the lines you have to use if you want to use your US passport, so I've never been tempted to experiment. :boink:

Leaving the country, the passport you use doesn't really matter except if you need to show that you haven't overstayed your visa.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[citlali]

The more nationalities yo have and the more complicated it gets legally, I would not go for the Canadian nationality unless you were planning to be a resident there.
Simple things get complicated and it is difficult to find a good and competent lawyer who knows the laws from the 3 countries. I had questions between French US and Mexican laws and I have yet to meet a lawyer who can help me. Keep it simple.

 

[koppazee]

The law in the US is that you must use a US passport to enter the US if you have one (or are entitled to one). The fines can be quite onerous (I've heard $25,000 but was later told that wasn't the case), but enforcement seems to depend on the circumstances and how "obvious" it is that you're actually a US citizen. (I.e. present a foreign passport at the US border and if you have a US birthplace, you may run into problems, or at least questions. If you're a naturalized citizen, it's doubtful they'd notice you "should" be using your US passport, but there's all that extra stuff, like ESTA.)

Most other countries don't seem nearly as fussed about which passport you use to enter the country. Though the lines for the local nationals (or EEA passports in the case of Europe) tend to be much shorter than the lines you have to use if you want to use your US passport, so I've never been tempted to experiment. :boink:

Leaving the country, the passport you use doesn't really matter except if you need to show that you haven't overstayed your visa.
Cheers,
Bev

I would think that with technology being what it is today, the airlines and US Customs know as much about you when you enter or leave the US that it really isn't worth chancing the use of an alternative passport. The price just is not worth the risk and even if it carries a far less penalty, how many of us can afford any risk? Warm regards!

 

[Bevdeforges]

The situation on leaving a country (particularly the US) is very iffy at this point.

Officially, there is no passport control on leaving the US. If you leave by plane, it's up to the airline to determine whether or not you are eligible to enter the country you are flying to (purely out of self-interest, because if you're denied entry they have to fly you back to where you came from). I normally show my US passport to the airline check-in desk, simply because I would expect they might be looking for some indication of a VWP stamp in my French passport. Once past check-in, I use my French passport because I've found the Air France crew tends to be easier to deal with if they know I'm French. <g>

On leaving France, I normally give them my US passport (at check-in), again so that there is no question about my being registered in ESTA or needing a visa or whatever - but at passport control, I flash my French passport and head for the gate.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[koppazee]

The situation on leaving a country (particularly the US) is very iffy at this point.

Officially, there is no passport control on leaving the US. If you leave by plane, it's up to the airline to determine whether or not you are eligible to enter the country you are flying to (purely out of self-interest, because if you're denied entry they have to fly you back to where you came from). I normally show my US passport to the airline check-in desk, simply because I would expect they might be looking for some indication of a VWP stamp in my French passport. Once past check-in, I use my French passport because I've found the Air France crew tends to be easier to deal with if they know I'm French. <g>

On leaving France, I normally give them my US passport (at check-in), again so that there is no question about my being registered in ESTA or needing a visa or whatever - but at passport control, I flash my French passport and head for the gate.
Cheers,
Bev

What s a VWP stamp? Warm regards!

 

[Bevdeforges]

What s a VWP stamp? Warm regards!

VWP = Visa Waiver Program It's the stamp in the passport "visa" that citizens of certain countries get to visit the US for up to 90 days.
Cheers,
Bev