British Columbia Naturalization and Citizenship

Prior to 1947, people born in Canada were British subjects. Anyone born in the United Kingdom or another Commonwealth country was similarly a British subject, and retained that status when he or she moved to Canada. Aliens could become British subjects through naturalization.

The Canadian Citizenship Act, which came into force on January 1, 1947 was the first naturalization statute to introduce Canadian citizenship as an entity independent from British subject status.

Naturalization and citizenship are federal matters, but are administered by provincial courts on behalf of the federal government. The process of becoming naturalized or obtaining citizenship generates many documents and records, including correspondence, applications, oaths of residence and allegiance, and indexes created by court registries.

Because naturalization and citizenship are shared by the federal government of Canada and by the provincial government of British Columbia, records are found at both the British Columbia Archives and at Citizenship and Immigration Canada. A database of historic naturalization information is available on the Library and Archives Canada website.

BC Archives

675 Belleville Street Victoria, BC V8W 9W2 Internet: http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/index.htm

Citizenship and Immigration Canada Public Rights Administration 360 Laurier Ave West 10th Floor Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1 Internet: http://www.collectionscanada.ca/genealogy/022-505.003-e.html

Library and Archives Canada http://www.collectionscanada.ca/

Department of Citizenship and Immigration Public Rights Administration 300 Slater Street, Third Floor, Section D Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1 CANADA http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/atip/factsheet.html

Additional Information The following site is primarily related to Chinese-Canadian immigration. It also contains useful general information. Internet: http://www.vpl.ca/ccg/Naturalization.html