If you are a dual Canadian citizen used to travelling to or transiting through Canada by air with a non-Canadian passport , you will no longer be able to do so as of November 10 , 2016 . You will need a valid Canadian passport to board your flight .

If your country needs you to enter and exit that country using a passport issued by its government , you will still need a valid Canadian passport to board your flight to Canada . Make sure to carry both passports when you travel ..

Exception : If you are

an American-Canadian dual citizen with a valid U . S . passport , you don ’ t need a Canadian passport to fly to Canada . However , you will still need to carry proper identification and meet the basic requirements

to enter Canada .

BASIC REQUIRE-

MENTS

To visit Canada , you will need to meet some basic requirements , such as :

• have a valid travel document such as a passport ,

• be in good health ,

• have no criminal or immigration-related convictions ,

• convince an immigration officer that you have ties — such as a job , home , financial assets or family — that will take you back to your home country ,

• convince an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit , and

• have enough money for your stay . ( The amount of money you will need can vary . It depends on things such as how long you will stay , and whether you will stay in a hotel , or

with friends or relatives .)

You may also need a :

• medical exam and

• letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada .

WHY YOU MUST TRAVEL WITH A VALID CANADIAN PASSPORT

Starting November 10 , 2016 , a new Government of Canada electronic system will verify that all passengers have an appropriate travel document before they can board a flight to Canada . This process will happen automatically when your travel document is scanned during check-in for your flight .

This change is part of a broader Government of Canada initiative aimed at ensuring that all Canadabound passengers have appropriate travel documents to enter the country before they board their flight .

For Canadian citizens ,

including dual Canadian citizens , you must present an acceptable travel document that shows that you are a Canadian . This means you need a valid Canadian passport ( or a Canadian temporary passport , or a Canadian emergency travel document ) to allow airline check-in staff and border officials to confirm that you are Canadian .

A valid Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel document that provides proof that you are a citizen and have the right to enter Canada without being subjected to immigration screening . Make sure that the expiry date of the passport is well beyond your planned return date

** Strictly taken from cic . gc . ca

A Canadian Certified Immigration Consultant , Certified Senior Advisor

and a Notary Public in the City of Burnaby , Editha Corrales Nelson ’ s preferred areas of practice are Powers of Attorney , Wills Preparation , International Legal Documents , Name Changes , Affidavits , Letters of Invitation , Statutory Declarations , Drafting of Business Contracts and other notarial services . For an appointment , please call : 604-777-2757 .

The following should not be construed as providing legal advice and information in this column is intended only as a general guide and should not be applied to specific circumstances without further consultation . For more information on the subject , contact Editha Corrales Nelson at 604-777-2757 or email : corrales @ shaw . ca .

MYLENE LIM , AMP Licensed Mortgage Specialist

Life has a way of throwing wrenches into well laid out plans . There is no shame in going through rough times such as going through bankruptcy or consumer proposal . What is important is to make ensure you won ’ t be in the same predicament again in the future by knowing how mortgage and credit loans work .

You also need to understand is there are no quick fixes to get you back on track so be careful with those “ too good to be true ” offers by unscrupulous entities . Some of these entities capitalize on the desperation of borrowers by offering solutions , which may just end

up getting borrowers in worse predicament that when they started .

So here are some notes you need to know post bankruptcy and consumer proposal :

1 ) Consumer Proposal will stay in your credit report for three years from the date of your discharge ( the date of your last payment ). After the three-year mark that you ’ ve been discharged , make sure that the record is removed from the credit bureau so it doesn ’ t continue to hurt your score for no reason .

2 ) Bankruptcy record will stay in your credit report for seven years from the date of your discharge ( the date of your last payment ). After the sevenyear mark that you ’ ve been discharged , this record fall off your credit record but it would be prudent to double check just

to be sure .

3 ) As soon as you are off your bankruptcy or consumer proposal , you need to start rebuilding your credit right away . The general rule of thumb is 2-2-2 before lenders will consider lending to you - 2 credit cards with 2 years of established credit with $ 2,000 minimum credit limits for each card .

4 ) Most lenders will not lend to borrowers who had a real estate property involved in the bankruptcy . I said most , but not all . There will be some lenders who will consider your application , but the rates as well as the down payment required would higher . Understandably so because you post a higher risk to the lenders on defaulting on your payments .

5 ) You will need to have been discharged from bankruptcy before any lender will consider

lending to you . The conditions stated in # 1 are required for your application to be reviewed .

6 ) Y o u can refinance your home after you have been discharged from a consumer proposal even if it ’ s still showing on your credit record . Documentation of your discharge as well as other supporting papers the lenders may require to determine your eligibility .

7 ) You can also refinance your home while you ’ re in a consumer proposal to pay out your obligations . You will need more that 20 % equity in your home to be able to do this . Paying out your obligations sooner means these debts will drop off from your credit record faster .

You have already

overcome a big hurdle in getting though a rough time . Now , you need to be proactive and lay down the foundation so you can effectively build your credit as soon as possible . Consult with a professional mortgage adviser to guide you on the right direction .

Mylene Lim is a veteran mortgage broker at Dominion Lending Centres-Clear Mortgage . ca . She specializes in arranging very competitive residential and commercial mortgages for her clients . If you have questions , please feel free to contact her at 604 783 9097 .