After almost 15 years of work permits and two green cards, I got my American citizenship on July 3rd, 2019. This was two days after I unexpectedly lost my mom, so I was a mess. My immigration lawyer explained the situation to the agent, and she was very nice and understood why I looked like I slept in a dumpster.
I had studied for months preparing for the test. The civics portion of the naturalization test is an oral test with the agent asking me questions from the other side of the desk. The officer can ask you up to 10 questions from the list of 100 civics test questions. You must answer 6 questions correctly to pass the civics test. I got the first 6 questions correct and the rest of the 30-minute interview was a breeze. It was a moment that I had dreamed about for a long time.
I was sworn in by Donald Trump via a taped message welcoming me to America! He thanked us for taking the legal route as many before us did not. Little did know at the time; many more would cross illegally during the next administration.
Don’t get me going! LOL
I was now eligible for an American passport and applied the same day. This would give me dual citizenship, and no one could take that away no matter where I decided to live down the road. It was a great moment before heading home to Canada for some of the worst days of my life. Both experiences changed my life forever!
Here are the advantages of holding dual citizenship between the United States and Canada:
1. Increased Travel Options: Dual citizens can travel freely between the United States and Canada without requiring a visa, and they can even live in either country without needing to worry about visas or other residency requirements.
2. Greater Employment Opportunities: Dual citizens are eligible for jobs in both countries, allowing them to take advantage of a wider range of job opportunities and salary possibilities.
3. Access to Better Social Benefits: Dual citizens may be eligible for certain social benefits in both countries, such as healthcare, education, and pensions, depending on the specific laws of each country.
4. Increased Economic Opportunities: As dual citizens, individuals can take advantage of the economic opportunities available in both countries, allowing them to invest, start businesses, and pursue other financial opportunities in either nation.
5. Competitive Tax Advantages: Dual citizens may be able to save money on taxes by taking advantage of different tax laws from both countries.
Here is how dual citizenship benefits travel for individuals between the United States and Canada:
Dual citizenship between the United States and Canada has many benefits for travelers. It allows individuals to travel between the two countries without needing to obtain a visa, which can be time-consuming and expensive. Dual citizens can also use their Canadian passports to access better deals on airfare and other travel services. Additionally, dual citizens can carry two passports between the two countries, allowing them to access different resources in either country. Finally, dual citizenship can also provide access to social and economic benefits such as health care in either country.
Here are the many benefits dual citizenship provides for travelers. It allows individuals to travel between the two countries without needing to obtain a visa, which can be time-consuming and expensive. Dual citizens can also use their Canadian passports to access better deals on airfare and other travel services. Additionally, dual citizens can carry two passports between the two countries, allowing them to access different resources in either country. Finally, dual citizenship can also provide access to social and economic benefits such as health care in either country.
There are many other benefits (<-click link) to being a dual citizen between Canada and the United States.
It is a day that I will never forget for many reasons and feel a lot more American than Canadian to this day. It is mainly due to the opportunities that America has given me that I would have never had in Canada. I am also fully aware of the negatives are living in the United States. I have experienced a lot of them between 2000-2004. It got so bad; that I was ready to leave if there was not a change in Government in 2025. I will leave it at that this is not a political blog.
God Bless the United States of America and my Canadian sports teams! LFG Oilers!!