Commonwealth Citizenship
Under British law, Canadians are Commonwealth citizens and hence are entitled to certain rights in the United Kingdom:
- access to the British working holiday visa scheme
- for those with a British born grandparent, access to the UK Ancestry Entry Clearance
- for those born before 1983 who meet the requirements, Right of Abode in the United Kingdom
- if resident in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, the right to vote and stand for public office there
Commonwealth citizenship also imparts rights within other Commonwealth realms although many of these have now been repealed.
- While abroad in a country where Canada does not have a consular office, Canadians may receive assistance from an Australian consular office under the Canada-Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement. In areas where neither Country is represented Canadians may receive assistance from a British office. In cases where a Canadian needs an emergency travel document and Canada does not maintain a consular office, Canadians may obtain, as Commonwealth citizens, a British emergency passport.
Read more about this topic: Canadian Nationality Law
Famous quotes containing the words commonwealth and/or citizenship:
“I’the commonwealth I would by contraries
Execute all things; for no kind of traffic
Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
Letters should not be known; riches, poverty,
And use of service, none; contract, succession,
Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none;
No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;
No occupation; all men idle, all,
And women too, but innocent and pure.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter we are known at home, by the former to the world. Our great title is AMERICANS—our inferior one varies with the place.”
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809)