Canadian Citizenship for Newborns
A newborn in Canada is a Canadian Citizen. Canadian citizenship for newborns is a very straightforward and a convenient process overall. The process, if completed in the right way, takes approximately 45 days. Your newborn will have their passport issued and they will be able to travel as and when needed around the world.
We had to find answers from multiple sources when we had our second baby in Canada. Canada has defined the rules to a newborns birth in easy terms. Making lives of parents easier in the process. This ensures that you are not left hanging without your child’s travel document if you wish to travel soon after the birth. Soon here means that you still have to wait for the travel document to be delivered to you.
You are not going anywhere until approximately 45 days. So, let’s just allow the baby to breathe before taking them somewhere.
Right to Citizenship:
Children born within the borders of Canada are Canadian citizens by birth. As per the Citizenship Act of Canada, the right to citizenship for a newborn is as follows (cited from the Citizenship Act):
3 (1) Subject to this Act, a person is a citizen if
(a) The person was born in Canada after February 14, 1977;
(b) The person was born outside Canada after February 14, 1977 and at the time of his birth one of his parents, other than a parent who adopted him, was a citizen.
Passport Application Process:
Canadian citizenship for newborns is a reasonably simple process and is completed with very less hassle. There are a few things that you need to ensure before you are able to apply for Canadian Citizenship for newborns.
#1 – Birth of Child:
When a new born baby is born in the Canadian health system, they don’t allow you to leave the institution without the child having a name. Before the mother is discharged with the baby, you ensure that you provide the name of the child at the nurse’s station.
They fill out the baby’s temporary health card, submit a notice of Live Birth to the Government and then hand you the discharge paperwork. The paperwork is used to ensure that you register your newborn with the provincial government.
#2 – Register a Birth:
Next you have to register the birth of your child with the province. Every province has their registration process defined. For Ontario, it is as simple as going to the website and registering your child’s birth. This process should be completed within 30 days of the birth. You can still register for free within 12 months of the birth but it is not recommended as it costs CAD 50.00 and the process takes longer.
The discharge documents for your child has all the details that you will require to register the birth of your child. Upon registration, the child will receive the following documents:
- Birth Certificate and Long Form
- Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- Canada Child Benefit (Federal and Provincial)
N.B.
Birth Certificate or Short Form contains details of the child (Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Registration Number and Certificate Number) – This is not used for the Canada Passport Application. It takes approximately 6-8 weeks to receive this form. There is an option to apply for Birth Certificate with Parental Information.
Long Form contains all information pertaining to Child’s Birth. This is used as Proof of Canadian Citizenship for the Child. It takes approximately 6-8 weeks to receive this form.
#3 – Photograph:
The next step is to take the baby to a photographer for their passport photograph to be taken. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) specified the photo specification. Make sure you don’t go overboard and keep on clicking photographs for your own album. Click on this link to see the full specifications. You can print and take this with you to the photographer.
#4 – Passport Application:
The Child General Passport Application form has to be completed; this is submitted to CIC for processing the newborn’s passport. This form contains information needed for processing the application. You can digitally fill in the information with all the details but will have to leave out the Guarantor section. The guarantor fills this portion in pen.
#5 – Guarantor or Referees:
During the passport application for the child, you have to ask a guarantor to sign the application form. Further information is available on this link. The guarantor has to sign the form and enter their details. They will also have to sign on the back of one photograph and mention the name of your child. For people who don’t have guarantors who know them from two years, please provide Two References.
#6 – Paying the fees:
There are specific fees for how soon you want to receive your child’s passport. The fee for delivering your passport to your address is at CAD57.00. There are additional fees that need to be paid if you require the passport urgently. All of the fee schedules are available at this link.
#7 – Collecting or Receiving the Passport:
The process of applying for the child’s passport takes approximately 45-60 days in total. You receive the passport at your address within 1-2 weeks of applying for the passport. If you request for an urgent pick-up, you get it the next business day.
How did we fare?
It was a very cold (-8°C), snowy day of winter when we had our son at the Trillium Health Partners – Mississauga Hospital. We were very happy as my daughter now had a baby brother and we had a son. They usually discharge the mother and baby with-in 24 hours of the birth here which is phenomenal. In comparison when my daughter was born in U.A.E., she was discharged after 3 days in the hospital.
Upon arriving home, I went ahead and used the online service to register my child’s live birth with the province. The Birth Certificate (Short and Long) were received within 7 days of registering the birth. Photographs were done for my son in the second week of his birth, we had to wrap him up really well and take him out as the weather was really chilly outside. He didn’t flinch as he knew the weather right from the time he left the hospital. He had adjusted.
The Hard Part
The easiest part in the process is to complete the form and fill out the details. Time come when you have to get a guarantors details, you have to find someone you know who is a Canadian Citizen and knows you a minimum of 2years. We, being new to the country as Permanent Residents, we were still making acquaintances. We only knew one friend from ages ago and they lived in Kingston, Ontario. I had wanted to go meet them since we had arrived but didn’t get a chance due to looking for a job and the wife being pregnant. We drove all the way to Kingston to get that part of the form filled. What you do to have to processes in order!!
The Easy Part
Next, it was all easy as a pie, went to the nearest Service Canada location and submitted all the required documents along with the fee. The whole process of submitting the documents for the passport took approximately 30 minutes.
Overall time for my son to receive his passport was remarkable. Passport issued on 27th day and delivered on the 37th day. Be mindful that processes for every individual are different depending on their status in the country as well as completion of the documents. The faster you complete each step in the process, the faster you receive your child’s Passport.
In Conclusion,
Every child born in Canada is a Canadian citizen. Even if the child is born to parents who are students, tourists, refugees, or have implied status etc. Canada is one of the 35 countries who still recognize the birthright citizenship.
This is the reason I say:
“I was born an expatriate to expatriate parents in a foreign land but my child was born a Canadian Citizen to Immigrant Parents in our own homeland – Canada”
Your commitment to the country that you live in depends on how well they accept you. Canada has accepted all kinds of diversities and nationalities as their own. And the progress can be seen in Canada’s development and progress. Take care of your country, ensure you follow the law of the land, rules and regulations and be an exemplary citizen. Stay Safe and see you next on “The Immigrant”.
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