Two Passports Double Trouble

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The Queen of England doesn’t have her photo on a passport because she doesn’t have one. She owns half the world through the former British Empire, but most Canadians and Americans have two passports.

The first booklet is from where they were born. After some years, they decide to apply for citizenship. If it’s successful, they take necessary documents, two passport photos (no smiling allowed) to a government department. They fill in forms, sign here and there and get a Canadian or U.S. passport.

Trouble starts when they miss home in Africa, Asia, Europe or South America. Should they use the new passport or motherland passport? There is a false belief that a Canadian or U.S. passport saves you, should you get in trouble in foreign countries.

It doesn’t. We saw that in the Brittney Griner case, a famous WNBA star in America. On 4 August, Russia sentenced her to nine years for drug possession.

Xiao Jianhua and China

Griner has one passport, but Xiao Jianhua who is reported as a Chinese Canadian businessman, carries two. China sentenced him to 13 years in prison on Friday, for high finance crime after abducting him from Hong Kong, the British colony that was returned to China in 1997.

Which country does Xiao Jianhua belong to, China or Canada? China says he is theirs and the crime was committed within its borders. Canada says all attempts to see him have been in vain.

His case is another example of the fallacy of dual citizenship, especially if you go back to the country you left. Your Canadian or U.S. passport is not bullet proof to the laws of the motherland.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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