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BETHUNE, Sask. – A Saskatchewan woman fighting to prove she is in fact a Canadian is finally getting her citizenship papers.

Donna Hehir, who moved to Canada nearly 70 years ago, said her mother was Welsh and her father was a Canadian serviceman.

But despite her heritage – and being a taxpayer along with a registered voter – Hehir was unable to get a Canadian passport last year; she was told there would have to be a lengthy investigation to determine if she was a citizen.

Hehir first told her story to Global News on July 9, at which time Citizenship and Immigration Canada wouldn’t comment on her case or provide an update on her application.

“I feel like my country has rejected me.” – Donna Hehir, July 9 Tweet This

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Less than a week later, Hehir received a phone call from that office saying the proof she needs is in the mail.

“I couldn’t believe going to the media could do so much in such a short time,” Hehir said Monday at her home in Bethune. “It’s unreal.”

Once the documents arrive, Hehir expects her passport application to be approved within the normal processing time of 10 business days.

“I think I’m still smiling, I was so excited,” she said. “I just couldn’t believe what they were telling me after just hearing a few days ago that I still had two years to wait.”

Her husband Bob’s health prevented the pair from travelling since before September 11, 2001 – when you didn’t need a passport to enter the United States.

The two plan to visit ailing family members in Michigan and Indiana.

With files from Global’s Teri Fikowski

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