B-b-but I'm *me*! Honest and for truly...
Seems it's going to take about a month or so before I can even apply for a passport.
Reason? My birth certificate is invalid...it is insufficient proof of citizenship. Why? Because I was born in Quebec.
::facepalm::
Quebec birth certificates issued prior to 1994 are not acceptable for passport applications.
In the olden days - like when I was born - birth certificates were often issued by churches, not just the province. They were a combination of birth certificate and baptismal certificate all rolled into one.
I was able to use the document to apply for a passport back in the late '70s. Even used it for marriage in the late '90s. However, in 1994 someone decided that the church should not decide citizenship, so birth certificates and baptismal certificates became separate entities.
Which leads to my current conundrum.
Along with applying for my birth certificate, I need to supply two pieces of "recognized" identification - one of which is a passport. Which, you know, would be okay, except that I need the birth certificate to get the passport...
Yeah.
Anyway, I've rounded up some alternate sources of proof, which is a darn good thing because as a last resort, I would have had to get someone from an "approved" profession (according to the list in the instructions section) to sign a declaration that they've known me for at least 2 years and that I am who I claim to be.
So, in about 4 to 6 weeks I hope to receive my birth certificate. Then I can apply for a passport, which will take...as long as it takes, I guess.
It's been quite an adventure...and I haven't even packed my bags.
Reason? My birth certificate is invalid...it is insufficient proof of citizenship. Why? Because I was born in Quebec.
::facepalm::
Quebec birth certificates issued prior to 1994 are not acceptable for passport applications.
In the olden days - like when I was born - birth certificates were often issued by churches, not just the province. They were a combination of birth certificate and baptismal certificate all rolled into one.
I was able to use the document to apply for a passport back in the late '70s. Even used it for marriage in the late '90s. However, in 1994 someone decided that the church should not decide citizenship, so birth certificates and baptismal certificates became separate entities.
Which leads to my current conundrum.
Along with applying for my birth certificate, I need to supply two pieces of "recognized" identification - one of which is a passport. Which, you know, would be okay, except that I need the birth certificate to get the passport...
Yeah.
Anyway, I've rounded up some alternate sources of proof, which is a darn good thing because as a last resort, I would have had to get someone from an "approved" profession (according to the list in the instructions section) to sign a declaration that they've known me for at least 2 years and that I am who I claim to be.
So, in about 4 to 6 weeks I hope to receive my birth certificate. Then I can apply for a passport, which will take...as long as it takes, I guess.
It's been quite an adventure...and I haven't even packed my bags.