Value of the new citizenship certificate

Starting Feb. 2012 CIC stopped issuing the old card certificate, issuing a paper version with some code that can be used to check validity of the document helping fight counterfeiting the certificate. Yet passport canada still requires the original document. In my opinion this puts more weight on the document relatively to the person's citizenship status. I mean, if I supply sufficient proof of identity such as  driver's licence, why are they putting so much value into the document? And regarding those with the old certificate, I don't know if Passport Canada can verify old cards electronically, but, if not, why an old passport is insufficient to prove the status, considering it's a more secure document, than the laminated card? If a person lost the certificate, it can take a year to process the new one, required to renew a passport expired for more than a year, or when renewing passport  out of Canada. This wait time is comparable to the citizenship application processing time, making losing the certificate almost comparable to losing citizenship.

Edited by CS_Vlad - 02 Sep 2012 at 10:25am

They DO determine Citizenship Status with CIC. It's explicitely mentioned on their site, quote below.
Yet, Passport Canada rules are unchangenged - they require original, moreover CIC does no allow the certificate to be folded. I don't plan to fold or lose the certificate, but these rules are completely unreasonable for a copy of electronic record. I would like to laminate it to preserve it for years as a commemorative document, which is also forbidden.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/citizenship/index.asp#cert
"This change provides us with the opportunity to make the process for demonstrating citizenship more secure than was the case with the wallet-sized citizenship card, which was susceptible to fraud. Rather than investing in updating the citizenship card, we’ve created a system whereby partners who need to confirm citizenship may do so directly with CIC. This option is more secure and requires less investment than replacing outdated equipment."

CS_Vlad wrote:  If a person lost the certificate, it can take a year to process the new one, required to renew a passport expired for more than a year, or when renewing passport  out of Canada. This wait time is comparable to the citizenship application processing time, making losing the certificate almost comparable to losing citizenship.

This called "simplified renewal", it's not an option for out of Canada renewal or if your passport is more than year expired. Despite an old passport is much harder to counterfeit than a laminated card.

"You can renew your current passport without presenting a Canadian Citizenship Certificate.

To be eligible for simplified renewal:

you must have been at least 16 years of age at the time of your previous application;
your name on the application form is exactly as it appears on page 2 of the submitted passport;
you must submit a previous Canadian passport that:
was/is valid for five (5) years;
is not damaged;
was never reported lost or stolen; and
is still valid or expired for no more than one year."

Edited by CS_Vlad - 02 Sep 2012 at 5:32pm

CS_Vlad wrote: Sounds simple, I agree, but unfortunately not for CIC/Passport Canada) You can check their sites. If you lost your Certificate they might issue you a passport with limited validity, if you convince them you are a citizen, show proof of upcoming travel and a receipt that you applied for Certificate replacement. eli wrote: CS_Vlad wrote:  If a person lost the certificate, it can take a year to process the new one, required to renew a passport expired for more than a year, or when renewing passport  out of Canada. This wait time is comparable to the citizenship application processing time, making losing the certificate almost comparable to losing citizenship.   it takes a year to confirm your citizenship status with CIC?! this does not make sense to me. Not sure where you got that info. Just pass your client ID, or something like that, with two government issued IDs. It should not take more than 2 weeks! Citizenship Card Rant