anyone know the requirements for returning to canada? my son’s passport is good for another 4.5 months, and we’ll be going back to canada for good at the end of july. does he need 6 months validity on his canadian passport to be able to enter canada (to stay)?
hoping 3 months is sufficient, but thinking it won’t be. just another way to get you to renew the passport before the (terribly short) 5 years expiry date, and pay some more $$$.
thanks in advance.
I would say no, he wouldn’t, because he is a Canadian passport holder returning to his “native” country, but my assumption is based on logic; logic doesn’t always apply when dealing with Canadian immigration officers, though. A call to the CTOT might be in order.
EDIT: A quick search turned up the following: A Certificate of Canadian Citizenship is not a travel document. A Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel and identification document available to Canadians for the purpose of international travel. Canadian citizens returning to Canada who present other documents, such as a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship, birth certificate, provincial driver’s license, or foreign passport, instead of a Canadian passport, may face delays or be denied boarding by transport companies.
Doesn’t mention anything about 6 months, but I’d check this site further to see if they have an email address that you can enquire at: voyage.gc.ca/main/return_canada-en.asp
citizen k is correct.
Last April I was refused a visa-free entry into Taiwan because I had only 4.5 months left on my passport. I called the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei to discuss my options. During the conversation I asked if there would be any difficulty in returning to Canada and was advised that there would not be.
thanks - we did it anyways, as we had gotten the pics done and the guarantor …
incidentally, in and out of the building in 15 minutes today. compared to the 2 hour minimum wait of a few years back, i was impressed.
the Citizenship card would have done it.
yet, really it’s better safe than sorry. I would have renewed the passport anyway, money scam that it is.
It never hinders to have another impressive shiny piece of ID.
Especially going thru VCR. airport.
It’s long been a matter of fact that only the swine of the swine amongst the blue meanies that are Customs are sent to that sector. Folks that have something to prove, one way or another.
I’m gonna have to go thru that port in late July.
It’ll be late at night, so I might be ok.
I’ll try and hold my tongue this time. Yet twelve hours or more on a plane is not good for the soul, by any means.
[quote=“TheGingerMan”]the Citizenship card would have done it.
yet, really it’s better safe than sorry. I would have renewed the passport anyway, money scam that it is.
It never hinders to have another impressive shiny piece of ID.
Especially going thru VCR. airport.
It’s long been a matter of fact that only the swine of the swine amongst the blue meanies that are Customs are sent to that sector. Folks that have something to prove, one way or another.
I’m gonna have to go thru that port in late July.
It’ll be late at night, so I might be ok.
I’ll try and hold my tongue this time. Yet twelve hours or more on a plane is not good for the soul, by any means.[/quote]
I’ve never had a problem with Canadian customs or any other customs (yet - knock on wood); however, I find the US customs officers (in general) to be obnoxious and rude and appear to have a stick up their collective asses. Back in 2006, when I was going through customs and on my official L1a visa application at the port of entry at YVR, there was this ass of a customs officer who tried to go over my application with a fine tooth comb. Of course my company’s counsel had crossed every T’s and dotted every i’s and I didn’t give the ass any reason to deny me entry (I was biting my tongue and basically 
my whole time that I was waiting). Good thing I went early (4hrs) before my flight departure as that ass just took his sweet ol’ time in processing my paperwork and looked at me like he was looking at a child rapist.
I think it behooves Customs officers of any nation to be nice or at least cordial in general. After all, they are the first impression that a new tourist sees and word of mouth goes a loooong way in helping each country’s tourist industry’s image.