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I am travelling to Australia from Canada in May and I have to take connecting flights to get back to Canada. I stop in Auckland and San Fransisco.

I am a Canadian citizen born in Canada however because my parents were born in Iran, I also have Iranian citizenship and passport. I will not be taking my Iranian passport with me on my flight and nowhere on my Canadian passport does it say I have an Iranian passport or citizenship.

Considering the new ban on dual Iranian citizens from entering the United States, will I be prevented from entering the United States, even if its just for a transfer flight?

Is there anyway for the people at the airport to know that I have an Iranian citizenship?

It may be worth noting that I don't look very Middle Eastern and my name isn't very Iranian either.

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  • No, I've only ever traveled to the US for connecting flights, and my family and I told the people at the airport that we were headed to Iran, never showing them our Iranian passports. But other than that I've never really been to the US.
    – M. Sal
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 3:02
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    No doubt this post has already triggered an analysis at NSA, and someone has already noted that a person with Iranian and Canadian citizenship plans to pass through San Francisco en route from New Zealand to Canada. Whether they pass on that information to DHS, I can't predict. But since you aren't a US citizen, no law stops them from spying on you. (Not that those laws have ever done US any good anyway.)
    – WGroleau
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 9:08
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    I suggest making title specific to Canadian dual citizens, as rules turn out to be a bit different for them.
    – Jonas
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 10:33
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    edition.cnn.com/2017/01/28/politics/donald-trump-travel-ban/… Which takes a heck of a lot of words to say everyone's confused. Except Trump, who assures us it's all working nicely.
    – WGroleau
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 14:17
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    @KateGregory he said he was born in Canada
    – user45851
    Commented Jan 30, 2017 at 10:35

6 Answers 6

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Note: this answer applies to Canadian citizens specifically, as in the case of the OP. See the answer by @chx for what seems to be the situation for everybody else right now.

As long as you travel on your Canadian passport, you are fine according to the Canadian governements' travel advisories for the US updated on January 29, 2017 - navigate to entry/exit and scroll down to dual citizenship:

Holders of Canadian passports, including dual citizens, will not be affected by the Executive Order on Protecting the Nation from Terrorist Attacks by Foreign Nationals issued by the White House on January 27, 2017.

Although the Candian Prime Minister has tweeted that the US national security advisor, Mike Flynn, has explicitly excluded Canadian dual citizens, there is a lot of uncertainty on the ground - so even if Canada may be an exception, it may be prudent to wait a few days for clarity before boarding a plane, if possible.

image of words

Senior officials have been working to seek clarity for Canadians from the US Department of Homeland Security and US Department of Transportation, amongst other counterparts. I instructed our National Security Advisor, Daniel Jean, who was in touch over the course of the day with NSA Flynn to seek further clarification.

NSA Flynn confirmed that holders of Canadian passports, including dual citizens, will not be affected by the ban.

We have been assured that Canadian citizens travelling on Canadian passport will be dealt with in the usual process.

As we receive new information, we will continue to share on this and other channels.

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  • 24
    It's all well and good that Canada says it's okay to enter the US, but if the US says no, you're still going to have a problem. I hope there's also a US source for this information, but I'm unable to find it. If there is, can you add it to your answer?
    – hvd
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 13:10
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    Thanks for the edit. I'm happy to believe that if he claims Flynn said Canadians wouldn't be affected, then Flynn really did say that. To be honest, that still isn't enough to convince me personally, but with the extra warning you added to your answer, it looks as good to me as an answer's going to get.
    – hvd
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 15:20
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    Frankly the situation appears to be that US officials, even senior ones, are stating what they interpret the order to mean, but it isn't consistent and is changing hourly.
    – DJClayworth
    Commented Jan 30, 2017 at 3:21
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    -1. I don't understand why Trodeau's opinion/statement is relevant. He's not a part of the US government so he can't make statements on their behalf.
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Jan 30, 2017 at 8:36
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    @JonathanReez Trudeau is quoting what he was told by the U.S. National Security Advisor (Mike Flynn). I'd say that's quite relevant.
    – reirab
    Commented Jan 30, 2017 at 20:18
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The Wall Street Journal reports:

Trump Visa Ban Also Applies to Citizens With Dual Nationality, State Department Says

“Travelers who have nationality or dual nationality of one of these countries will not be permitted for 90 days to enter the United States or be issued an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa,” a State Department official said.

It also applies to people who originally hail from those countries but are traveling on a passport issued by any other nation, the official said.

Edit on January 30, 2017. In an Updated Guidance on Executive Order on Protecting the Nation from Terrorist Attacks by Foreign Nationals the US Embassy in the United Kingdom has this to say:

Beginning January 27, 2017, travelers who have nationality or dual nationality of one of these countries will not be permitted for 90 days to enter the United States or be issued an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa.

Dual nationals of the United Kingdom and one of these countries are exempt from the Executive Order when travelling on a valid United Kingdom passport and U.S. visa. Additionally, those who have indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom and hold nationality of one of these countries are eligible to apply for U.S. visas.

Emphasis mine. I am unable to find a similar guidance on the Canadian embassy site.

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  • 2
    @chx: Not corect as of January 29, 2017.
    – Jonas
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 10:21
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    @chx - apologies, your answer may be generally true, but is wrong for the particular case of the OP. Will remove the -1 after you make an edit.
    – Jonas
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 10:30
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    @pnuts "The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada requests, in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely, without delay or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary".
    – Spehro Pefhany
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 15:34
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    @PaulRichter A simple Google search would have found you e.g. this press release from the US Embassy in Ireland, where they clearly state that the entry ban also apply to persons with dual citizenships: ie.usembassy.gov/… I also can't follow your logic at all. There is also nothing in the executive order indicating that it applies to persons wearing red jackets, but how does the lack of mentioning red jackets make you believe that Syrians can still enter the US as long as they wear a red jacket?
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 17:35
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    @PaulRichter Then you have not heard of very much. USA already applied travel restrictions to dual citizens of the now 'banned' countries and Visa Waiver Program participants since January 2016 and refused these from entering the US visa free travelling on their VWP eligible passport.
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 18:48
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Yes, it seems so.

Omid Nouripour is a member of the Green Party in Germany and according to the SPIEGEL deputy of the German-American parliamentarian group, member of the management in the Atlantik-Brücke and member of the Deutsche Atlantische Gesellschaft which is the German part of the Atlantic Treaty Association.

According to the SPIEGEL article Nouripour is now unable to visit the USA because while he has the German nationality, he is also an Iranian because Iran does not allow to give up its nationality.

Nadhmi Zahawi, a British citizen, even has no Iraq nationality, but was still denied entry because he was born in Baghdad, Iraq.

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  • Ha, same issue.
    – Stephie
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 13:55
  • @Stephie Yup, posted at the same time. May the best answer win....:o)
    – Thorsten S.
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 14:03
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    Zahawi was not denied entry or even tried to enter, he only "Had confirmation that the order does apply" twitter.com/nadhimzahawi/status/825445925275500545
    – Paul Richter
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 17:00
  • @PaulRichter Denied entry is denied entry. What is the difference if I want to go to a disco and a) either ask beforehand per phone if I can enter if I am X and get a negative answer or b) if I am directly before the entrance and get denied? Do you think it is somehow less severe and I need to drive to the disco to test it out to be fully denied ?
    – Thorsten S.
    Commented Jan 31, 2017 at 21:34
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    @ThorstenS. “deny” - to refuse to give something requested. I seriously doubt that Zahawi actually did request entry by applying for a visa or showing up at a border. He was told he would be denied were he to request entry. The US likely keeps records of denied visa requests; they do not have such a record on him.
    – Paul Richter
    Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 7:46
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If the ban is extended beyond the current 90 days, you are probably affected, like a German politician with both German and Iranian passport. It was reported that rescinding Iranian citizenship is nearly impossible. Note that he also holds a diplomatic passport, which reportedly doesn't help.

Sources: 1, 2 (both in German)

Omid Nouripour, a Green Party MP with German-Iranian citizenship, is reported to be one of ten thousands of German citizens believed to be banned from entering the US under new rules. Nouripour is the vice chair of the German parliament’s American-German group and a member of the steering committee of Germany’s Atlantic Bridge programme. (3)

So let's hope that the ban is not extended, which would mean that you could travel again in May.

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    Do you have any source for your qualifier "nearly"? Is there a way to rescind that I'm not aware of?
    – FooBar
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 14:53
  • @FooBar, sorry, no. The article in link 1 simply states (in German) that Iran "lets his citizens go only in very rare circumstances". No details given.
    – Stephie
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 14:56
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    @pnuts according to source 1, his visa expires in February. No details given.
    – Stephie
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 14:57
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    @Stephie The articles you are linking to are mostly speculations. The executive order specifically excludes holders of diplomatic, NATO and UN visas from the entry ban and if you read the article, Nouripour is actually concerned that his current visa will not be extended, and not that he is directly affected by the entry ban.
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 15:49
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    @pnuts Omid Nouripour would not likely qualify for a G visa because he does not appear to be an officer of or a representative to an "international organization." For official travel on behalf of the German (or Iranian) government, he would qualify for an A visa, which is not explicitly enumerated in the executive order, but which must nonetheless be included under "diplomatic visas."
    – phoog
    Commented Jan 30, 2017 at 5:56
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Look at the statement by the US embassy in Ireland:

https://ie.usembassy.gov/embassy-statement-presidents-executive-order-enhancing-public-safety-interior-u-s/

All US sources say dual nationals are denied but I would wait a few days for 100% clarity.

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CBP put out a series of questions and answers on February 1, which said that the ban on entry and visas will only be enforced based on the passport that is presented by the traveler. Even if you have dual nationality with one of the 7 countries, it wouldn't matter as long as you present the passport of another country:

Does this Executive Order apply to dual nationals of the seven countries who want to enter the United States? If they apply for entry based on their citizenship from one of the countries NOT on the list, will they be allowed entry?

Travelers are being processed and, when eligible, admitted according to the travel document they present.

Can a dual national traveling with a passport from an unrestricted country travel to the United States?

Dual nationals with a valid immigrant or nonimmigrant visa in a passport issued by any country not restricted under the Executive Order will be permitted to apply for admission to the United States.

Can a dual national who holds nationality with a restricted country and is currently overseas, apply for an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa to the United States?

Department of State’s Posts are allowed to process visa applications and issue nonimmigrant and immigrant visas to otherwise eligible visa applicants who apply with a passport from an unrestricted country, even if they hold dual nationality from a restricted country. Please contact the Department of State with any questions related to the issuance of visas.

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