GAC/post-secondary/QA

Back

Questions and answers

How do I advise students who are dual citizens of both Canada and the country they are studying in on which passport to use? Is there a general rule around this? Unfortunately, there is not a universal answer to that question. In Canada, we recognize dual citizenship, but many other countries do not. For example, if you are a dual citizen of Canada and Thailand and you are travelling to Thailand, you must enter and exit with the same nationality passport. Recognition and rules vary between countries and that is why it’s important to consult our destination-specific advice for the country in question. This advice would be found under the Entry and exit requirements section.

Is it true that even if the country does recognize dual citizenship, you could be denied Canadian consular services? Yes. Ultimately, Canadians must obey the laws of the country they are visiting, and dual citizens could be subject to local laws that other Canadians travellers are not. So, again, doing the research via destination-specific advice is crucial. The refusal of consular services could be a consideration, but depending on the country, a dual citizen could even be legally required to register for military service or have to pay taxes in that country.