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-   -   API and dual citizenship (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/canada/1912465-api-dual-citizenship.html)

tentseller Jun 9, 2018 7:36 pm

From what I heard from trusted people, Malaysia and China will revoke your citizenship on the spot and confiscate your passport if a foreign passport issued to you is discovered.

I am not in that position but I have a system of which passport in which jacket pocket for my multiple passports, Nexus, APEC, etc.

seawolf Jun 10, 2018 2:06 pm

If you don’t want to get caught, don’t bring both passports with you. If country A wanted to do a customs search, the second passport would be uncovered very quickly.

tentseller Jun 10, 2018 4:15 pm


Originally Posted by seawolf (Post 29850911)
If you don’t want to get caught, don’t bring both passports with you. If country A wanted to do a customs search, the second passport would be uncovered very quickly.

That would be the choice in an ideal world but not an option for some people or some complex multiple country trips.

seawolf Jun 10, 2018 4:34 pm

There is an option. If dual nationality is not allowed, the original nationality should be surrendered as per applicable law. If one is a citizen of the the country, one is expected to follow the laws of that other country.

Why not just use the Canadian passport to enter Malaysia and leave the Malaysian passport in Canada?

jc94 Jun 10, 2018 6:05 pm

I don’t believe customs is allowed to keep a foreign passport. The passport belongs to the country that issued it, doesn’t it? It certainly doesn’t remove their citizenship!

The most China can do if they find you have dual citizenship is remove your Chinese citizenship. But I doubt border agents can do that on the spot.

I know CBSA can’t remove someone’s PR or Canadjan citizenship. They can certainly reporting it through to those who can, but that’s maybe a separate discussion.

LondonElite Jun 11, 2018 1:16 am


Originally Posted by seawolf (Post 29851354)
There is an option. If dual nationality is not allowed, the original nationality should be surrendered as per applicable law. If one is a citizen of the the country, one is expected to follow the laws of that other country.

Why not just use the Canadian passport to enter Malaysia and leave the Malaysian passport in Canada?

It’s possibly not that simple. If his Canadian passport lists Malaysia as place of birth, immigration may ask if he is a Malaysian citizen, so beginning an awkward conversation.

LondonElite Jun 11, 2018 1:16 am


Originally Posted by jc94 (Post 29851535)
I don’t believe customs is allowed to keep a foreign passport. The passport belongs to the country that issued it, doesn’t it? It certainly doesn’t remove their citizenship!

The most China can do if they find you have dual citizenship is remove your Chinese citizenship. But I doubt border agents can do that on the spot.

I know CBSA can’t remove someone’s PR or Canadjan citizenship. They can certainly reporting it through to those who can, but that’s maybe a separate discussion.

Correct.

seawolf Jun 11, 2018 7:36 am


Originally Posted by LondonElite (Post 29852359)


It’s possibly not that simple. If his Canadian passport lists Malaysia as place of birth, immigration may ask if he is a Malaysian citizen, so beginning an awkward conversation.

Good point.

In any case, there is a risk but different levels of getting caught.

HkCaGu Jun 11, 2018 8:29 am


Originally Posted by Nayef (Post 29836432)
What I know is that only certain countries demand API and Malaysia isn't one of them.

Correct, at least as of 4 years ago when two Iranians likely use their own passports to leave Malaysia but boarded an infamous flight to PEK using fake European passports.

China does use API. Hong Kong doesn't.

tentseller Jun 11, 2018 8:44 am


Originally Posted by LondonElite (Post 29852359)


It’s possibly not that simple. If his Canadian passport lists Malaysia as place of birth, immigration may ask if he is a Malaysian citizen, so beginning an awkward conversation.

FYI there were quite a few Malaysian Nationals applying for Canadian citizenship right after External Affairs gave Canadians the option of leaving their place of birth blank on their passport.

LondonElite Jun 11, 2018 8:55 am


Originally Posted by tentseller (Post 29853491)
FYI there were quite a few Malaysian Nationals applying for Canadian citizenship right after External Affairs gave Canadians the option of leaving their place of birth blank on their passport.

I did not know that, but it makes sense.

HkCaGu Jun 11, 2018 9:27 am

Beside API vs. not-API, another difference between HK and China: China enforces foreign visa check for its own exiting citizen. HK of course doesn't care. What Malaysia does mentioned above is a bit different from China.

tentseller Jun 11, 2018 6:19 pm


Originally Posted by HkCaGu (Post 29853659)
Beside API vs. not-API, another difference between HK and China: China enforces foreign visa check for its own exiting citizen. HK of course doesn't care. What Malaysia does mentioned above is a bit different from China.

China does not issue a visa to Chinese National holding non-Chinese passports, this includes Chinese Nationals born in Hong Kong and Macao with exceptions.

HkCaGu Jun 11, 2018 7:14 pm


Originally Posted by tentseller (Post 29855675)
China does not issue a visa to Chinese National holding non-Chinese passports, this includes Chinese Nationals born in Hong Kong and Macao with exceptions.

I meant when a Mainland Chinese citizen exits China, border agent wants to see your itinerary and visa. Not just for API purposes matching airport photo, visa and flight boarding, but at checkpoints to HK/Macau, they don't allow exit unless you have the right docs. Travel permit is needed if no plane tickets from MFM/HKG. Present passport and plane tickets, you need to show visa for visa-needed countries. Just to exit China.

So for the OP, an earlier post indicates Malaysia Immigration may be doing something now 4 years after MH370. It is advisable to make an obvious stop in HKG/TPE where you claim bags and check in again so Malaysia to Canada is not one check-in.

Or just fly from SIN.

:D! Jun 12, 2018 8:24 pm


Originally Posted by Skatering (Post 29847640)
Interesting. Although, if you had say a UK and Chinese passport, and you told them 'I want to keep the Chinese one' and they 'remove' your UK passport, you're still a UK citizen. Unless they just revoke the Chinese citizenship on the spot, which would work.

If you want to keep the UK one, the PRC passport will be revoked instantly. I don't know what would happen if you wanted to keep the PRC one, because after going through all the effort to naturalise who wants to just give that up?** I guess they might hold on to your PRC passport pending your official renunciation of UK citizenship (though IIRC you have one opportunity to restore UK citizenship after renunciation).

Anyway it's one rule for some and another rule for others, I know someone who the PRC quasi-officially permits to hold PRC and Canadian citizenship but the less said about it the better.

**Well I heard of a naturalized American who didn't realise he needed to file US taxes regardless of his residence, but he had already renounced his PRC citizenship and wasn't allowed to get it back even if he gave up his US citizenship.


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