Canadian? Maybe not

[Potemkin]

Citizen insane

TORONTO*-*Here we go again.

This week we ran the story of Lawrence Connelly, born in 1967 to a Canadian military family based in Germany, who found out this year that he cannot get a passport unless he can prove he’s a citizen — and the DND certificate of birth isn’t proof.

After reading the story, Paul Harman, born in 1952 to a Canadian army family based in Hamburg, Germany, realized he was in the same dilemma as Connelly — with an added wrinkle that made even less sense than Connelly’s Catch 22 situation.

Now retired after running a retail sales company that provided jobs for over 20 individuals, Harman had a series of five passports issued to him over the years prior to new regulations imposed because of 9/11.

The last time he applied for a passport renewal, Harman was rejected unless he could produce a Canadian birth certificate, which he didn’t have. The certificate of birth issued by DND in 1952 wasn’t good enough.

More at link

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/05/25/citizenship-insane

[rb.]

It's called Registration of Birth Abroad. I'm amazed that my parents (Dad in US Navy) were aware of it, but not those serving overseas in the Canadian Forces? I've used mine to re-enter Canada since I was a kid..until the last few years I've needed my passport. (too bad the US doesn't see this as negating my apprent US citizenship)

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/departm...rn_outside.asp

In common with the rules for all children born outside Canada to a Canadian parent between January 1, 1947, and February 14, 1977, in order for a border baby to become a Canadian citizen, the birth had to be registered with citizenship officials. Under the 1947 Canadian Citizenship Act, the child had to be registered within two years of the birth. This period was extended by the 1977 Citizenship Act and those whose birth had not yet been registered could register it between February 15, 1977, and August 14, 2004.

People who were born before February 15, 1977, and whose births were registered between February 15, 1977, and August 14, 2004, were issued a citizenship certificate as proof of Canadian citizenship.

Between 1947 and 1977, when the birth of a child (including border babies) born outside Canada to a Canadian parent was registered, citizenship officials issued a Registration of Birth Abroad (RBA) certificate as proof of Canadian citizenship.]

[rootdiggr]

Mine is the opposite situation, born in Canada while my USAF father was stationed there. I have a Canadian birth certificate, but at age 20 I went through the process to have myself declared a US citizen from birth. Took about 2 years, but I have the certificate.

Of course, now that same certificate (including photograph), issued by the US government, is not considered proof of citizenship. But my Canadian birth certificate along with my social security card is adequate proof for DMV and employment purposes.

Was there ever a bureaucracy that did not complicate things to the point of absurdity?