Urgent question for Canadian citizens, please?

[skarletohara]

We have a somewhat urgent situation that has arisen in our family.

 

My brother-in-law will be going on his first cruise in 6 weeks. Unbeknownst

to me, he was originally a Canadian citizen (London, Ontario) and later became a citizen in the U.S. He doesn't know where his U.S. citizenship

papers are. He thinks they're in his mother's safety deposit box.

 

If you are traveling to Mexico aboard ship and you're traveling from Canada,

is a passport required OR a birth certificate?? Also, if a birth certificate is

allowed, does it have to be a certified copy or will the original suffice.

My thinking is that if he cannot find his citizenship papers soon, then

 

most surely he has an original birth certificate. Also, who would we contact

in Ontario, which agency, for him to get a certified copy of his BC???

 

If he does find his citizenship papers, then I assume he can go to our

nearest Passport office in San Francisco and pay for an expedited passport.

 

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[lindaann]

Dear Skarlet,

 

I can answer a couple of your questions. The Ontario Government website for birth certificates is http://www.cbs.gov.on.ca/mcbs/english/births.htm

 

As far as I know it is a lengthy process but if you check the website they do have instructions for getting the process expedited.

 

As far as I know Canadian citizens can travel to Mexico without a passport, with other picture identification. You could check the Mexican Embassy website in Ottawa (http://www.embanmexcan.com) to confirm what type of I.D. they require.

 

However in today's political climate I personally would not travel without a passport. There are the new rules regarding passports for Canadian and US travellers coming into effect in the near future so it would certainly be an important consideration for the future.

 

Both Canada and the United States accept dual citizenship so with the right documents he could apply for a Canadian passport as well.

 

Happy Sailing

 

Linda

[skarletohara]

Thank you so much, Linda, for your very helpful and valuable information.

 

Since last posting, I've been on the U.S. State Dept sites, passport sites,

et cet, and of course they do indeed require Citizenship Papers.

My husband is going to his mother's safety deposit box this Saturday to

see if the papers are there. Also, I did find a canadaonline site that

linked me to birth certificates, Ontario, and it stated for $15 they would

expedite it if we fill out the application on line.

 

That's a very good idea about him possibly applying for a Canadian Passport

because of his dual citizenship!

 

Once again,

Thanks immensely,

 

Dana

[mountainhouse]

I got my US citizenship in 1980. They literally told us it would take 2 years to replace the Certificate of Naturalization if it was lost.

 

By the way, I was quite concerned that I had to send it in to get my passport.

[skarletohara]

Good news,

 

My brother-in-law just called. He found his citizenship papers!!!