This man has been a Canadian citizen all his life. So why can't he renew his health card?

Serge Currie is Canadianbutcan't officially prove it, and that has turnedthe 52-year-old man's effort to renewhis Ontario health card into a long, frustrating ordeal while he copes with diabetes.

Currie, who was born in Germany in 1966 while his parents were servingin the Canadian Air Force, has been trying to get his proof of citizenship for more than two years.

"It just baffles me, the amount of time that's wasted on this," he told CBC News on Tuesday during an interview athis home in Burlington, Ont.

He hasa Department of National Defence (DND) birth certificate, also known as the DND 419. But in 2017, when he tried to renew the health card he hadhad since he was a child, helearned the DND 419isn't a legal citizenship status document. All it does is confirm someone's age.

Service Ontario wouldn't accept it, putting Currie in a bind: he needs his proof of citizenship to renew his health cardanda valid health card to get his proof of citizenship. Moreover,he's concerned about the potential impacton his health if he loses his public health coverage.

The Department of National Defence stopped issuing DND 419s in November 1979 after 16 years. Whenasked why they were discontinued, the department referred the question, among others, to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). IRCC didn't respond to CBC'srequest to answer the question.

"Why didn't they reissue birth certificates or replace the card? Don't just delete it," Currie said. "I've been a Canadian citizen for 52 years. I think that would mean something."

Currie received two extensions to keep his currenthealth card active while he'sgoing through the process, but it expires Aug. 28.

A lengthy process

Currie started the process of getting his proof of citizenship in April 2017. He was first told to speak with the DND, but said after months of back and forth, he got nowhere.

Four months later, he was told to apply for his proof of citizenship, sodid. Currie said he waited for months and didn't hear back. Turns out, he said, his application was approved, the documents sent, but he said he never received them. He had to reapply.

"'Can you reissue it?'" Currie recallsasking. "They said, 'No, you didn't call us back in time,'" he told CBC News.

A spokesperson for IRCCsaid Currie's first application was approved in March 2018 and his certificate was sent to his address.

"In February 2019, Mr. Currie indicated that he did not receive it. IRCC advised that Mr. Currie would have to submit a new application for proof of citizenship because the previous document had been sent to Mr. Currie over 180 days prior to the enquiry," Beatrice Fenelon wrote in an email.

I'm hoping someone else doesn't have to go through this.- Serge Currie

Currie reapplied in February 2019 but forgot to send a photo of the back of his driver's licence anddidn't know about that omission until all his documents were sent back to him.

Finally, three months ago, he sent in his third application. Last month, he received a letter saying it's being processed.

"This has been super stressful for me. I'm close to a nervous breakdown with this," he said.

Fenelon said it takes five months to process an application.

"Thisapplication is within established processing times," she wrote.

An unusual case

Immigration lawyer Evan Green called Currie's case unusual, but said he's not surprised to hear about it because of the various forms of birth certificates issued.

He said it's common for applicants to experience delays when applying for proof of citizenship and he hasoften seen cases wheredocuments get lost, similar to Currie's experience.

"I see it every day," Green said.

A straightforward case can take around four months, and while it's "unfortunate" there's a long wait, the government takes citizenship seriously, according to Green.

"They're not handing these out willy-nilly. They want to be sure before they give it. But it's a government, it's a bureaucracy. Mistakes are made, and things take time."

When it comes to Currie's case, Green said he hashad more than just bad luck.

"It seems it's fallen off the rails."

If a child of Canadian parents is born abroad, Green advises applying for proof of citizenship as soon as possible.

A warning for others

Currie hopes he'll have his proof of citizenship in September. He'll renew his health card, then apply for his very first Canadian passport so he can celebrate his official citizenship with his wife during a trip to Hawaii.

But in the meantime,he hopes others recognize the limitations surrounding the DND 419 and take steps to get the correct documents.

"I feel so bad for the next person because as soon as someone's passport expires they'll have troubles like this," he said.

"I'm hoping someone else doesn't have to go through this."