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Help! Waiting Period for OHIP??!?

pixiedust

Full Member
Aug 13, 2013
49
5
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Ankara
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10-06-2014
Hi,
I really need help on this subject. We did our first landing last summer and got our PR cards. Then we came back to our home country to plan and arrange our permanent relocation. We are planning to go and settle in Ontario in April 2016. The issue is that I am pregnant now and will probably give birth around 15th of August. I will be able to apply for OHIP when we arrive and find a place to rent in April. We should find a house as soon as we arrive, or I won't have my health coverage during the labour :eek: I was wondering if 3 month period is certain? I mean is it possible that waiting period for OHIP takes more than 3 months? What are your experiences?

Thanks!
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,911
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Yes - you will have to wait three months before qualifying for OHIP since you have only spent two weeks in Canada since landing. No - the waiting period will not be more than three months.

You should return to Canada before April in case there are any complications and you have an early delivery.
 

pixiedust

Full Member
Aug 13, 2013
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Thank you very much scylla.. You might be right, we will try to find a way to go before April..
 

pixiedust

Full Member
Aug 13, 2013
49
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10-06-2014
Hello again,
I have one more question. Can my husband apply for my OHIP on my behalf? Or do I have to apply in person?
 

Almost_Canadian

Star Member
Dec 2, 2015
133
17
For the first time application, you have to do it in person as they will take your picture to make the card and sign in front of the officer.
 

fmz

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Aug 18, 2014
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Hi Guyz,


We landed in Toronto on August 2015 to complete our Landing Formalities.We stayed in Toronto,for about 37 Days,due to some circumstances,we had to leave on the 02 of October 2015.During our 37 days of stay,we applied for all the necessary documents IDs,Health Card(OHIP) etc...About November we received all our PRs, Health Card, Ontario IDs etc.
Now i have been out for Ontario since October 2015 and planning to move back in February 2016,

1.How long do i have to wait in order to qualify for OHIP coverage,
2.Do i have inform Ontario Service about my absence from Canada for the duration mentioned.

Since,my wife is expecting in May 2016, we wanted to move back and start a family in Toronto.
 

Rob_TO

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Nov 7, 2012
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fmz said:
Hi Guyz,


We landed in Toronto on August 2015 to complete our Landing Formalities.We stayed in Toronto,for about 37 Days,due to some circumstances,we had to leave on the 02 of October 2015.During our 37 days of stay,we applied for all the necessary documents IDs,Health Card(OHIP) etc...About November we received all our PRs, Health Card, Ontario IDs etc.
Now i have been out for Ontario since October 2015 and planning to move back in February 2016,

1.How long do i have to wait in order to qualify for OHIP coverage,
2.Do i have inform Ontario Service about my absence from Canada for the duration mentioned.

Since,my wife is expecting in May 2016, we wanted to move back and start a family in Toronto.
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/ohip_eligibility.aspx
you are in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately following the date you establish residence in Ontario (you cannot be absent for more than 30 days during the first 6 months of residence); and

Since you didn't meet the residency requirement (you were gone for well over 30 days after landing), most likely you and your wife will need to wait full 3 months waiting period after returning, as your date of establishing residency will be February 2016. That means you'll have coverage 3 months to the day later in May 2016. If this will be close to her delivery date, you will be at risk that if she delivers before coverage is effective you'll need to pay for everything out-of-pocket. You might want to consider returning earlier to be safe.

To be sure on this, you should call OHIP and ask for your specific situation (sometimes they make exceptions). If you don't tell OHIP and just try to use healthcare when you get back, that is fraud and if they ever decided to check and found you weren't eligible you would owe all that money back.
 

maddyd2000

Star Member
May 27, 2015
114
6
I will be applying for my ohip later this month but i will haveto return to the country i am living in after 15 days and my delivery is in may.i haveto return because my son will be back in pakistan and gr is still not granted immigration
Is that an exception when i return back my 3 month waiting will restart and therefore when my delivery will be near i will not be covered
How do i explaim to.them i need to return to pakisan for my son and ill be back again.
 

Rob_TO

VIP Member
Nov 7, 2012
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maddyd2000 said:
I will be applying for my ohip later this month but i will haveto return to the country i am living in after 15 days and my delivery is in may.i haveto return because my son will be back in pakistan and gr is still not granted immigration
Is that an exception when i return back my 3 month waiting will restart and therefore when my delivery will be near i will not be covered
How do i explaim to.them i need to return to pakisan for my son and ill be back again.
The reason for you leaving and returning is completely irrelevant. The rules are simple and there are no exceptions:
- if you leave for less than 30 days it's just considered a vacation so you will not have to re-start the 3-month waiting period
- if you leave for more than 30 days then you are no longer meeting the residency requirements, so when you return you'll have to do the 3-month waiting period from the beginning. Any pregnancy/delivery costs during this time will be paid by you out of pocket

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/ohip_eligibility.aspx
you are in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately following the date you establish residence in Ontario (you cannot be absent for more than 30 days during the first 6 months of residence);
 

shariq123

Hero Member
Jun 8, 2016
254
75
I understand that there is a 3 month waiting period for OHIP coverage and you have to stay 153 days of the first 183 days once you establish residency but to prove one is eligible for OHIP coverage, they ask for documents such as rental/lease agreement that has your name on it so that it proves you have established residency in Ontario.

My question is what if I have relatives in Ontario and I intend to live with them at least for the next 1 year. I won't have a rental agreement with my name on it then. So how do I prove I have established residency in Ontario?
 

Rob_TO

VIP Member
Nov 7, 2012
11,427
1,551
Toronto
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Seoul, Korea
App. Filed.......
13-07-2012
AOR Received.
18-08-2012
File Transfer...
21-08-2012
Med's Done....
Sent with App
Passport Req..
N/R - Exempt
VISA ISSUED...
30-10-2012
LANDED..........
16-11-2012
shariq123 said:
I understand that there is a 3 month waiting period for OHIP coverage and you have to stay 153 days of the first 183 days once you establish residency but to prove one is eligible for OHIP coverage, they ask for documents such as rental/lease agreement that has your name on it so that it proves you have established residency in Ontario.

My question is what if I have relatives in Ontario and I intend to live with them at least for the next 1 year. I won't have a rental agreement with my name on it then. So how do I prove I have established residency in Ontario?
Rental agreement is just 1 of many possible forms you can use for residency proof. Choose from any one of the docs in "list 2" here: http://www.forms.ssb.gov.on.ca/mbs/ssb/forms/ssbforms.nsf/GetFileAttach/014-9998E-82~1/$File/9998-82E.pdf
 

crewbunk

Star Member
May 6, 2014
88
18
"you have to stay 153 days of the first 183 days once you establish residency", does that mean I need to stay in ontario for 5 months or else they will back-charge me back the expenses? so if i move to toronto permantly is that I can go apply for health card right away and then it will get activate after 3 months? or i need to first stay there for 153 days before I go apply for health card and then wait 3 months?

shariq123 said:
I understand that there is a 3 month waiting period for OHIP coverage and you have to stay 153 days of the first 183 days once you establish residency but to prove one is eligible for OHIP coverage, they ask for documents such as rental/lease agreement that has your name on it so that it proves you have established residency in Ontario.

My question is what if I have relatives in Ontario and I intend to live with them at least for the next 1 year. I won't have a rental agreement with my name on it then. So how do I prove I have established residency in Ontario?
 

torontosm

Champion Member
Apr 3, 2013
1,677
261
crewbunk said:
"you have to stay 153 days of the first 183 days once you establish residency", does that mean I need to stay in ontario for 5 months or else they will back-charge me back the expenses? so if i move to toronto permantly is that I can go apply for health card right away and then it will get activate after 3 months? or i need to first stay there for 153 days before I go apply for health card and then wait 3 months?
You move to Ontario and your OHIP is activated three months thereafter. If you leave Ontario before staying there an additional 2 months (out of the next 3), you are not eligible and can be charged for services used.
 

Fizar

Star Member
Nov 30, 2016
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Quick question. I have been in ontario since 2010 under study permit, post grad work permit. Now i recently got PR and landed End March. I have not left ontario since 2015. So if i apply for OHIP now will i have to wait for 3 months as well?
 

Mitnan

Newbie
Jan 4, 2018
1
0
Hi,

I have small question on OHIP card. We plan to land in Toronto mid Feb this year by that time my wife will be 5th month pregnant. Understand one of the document to apply OHIP card is residency proof like lease agreement or bank statement. Initially we would be staying with relative so the only option available for us is the bank statement. My question is it will take some time to receive the first month bank statement and only then we can submit the application for OHIP card. So the 3 months waiting time will start from our date of landing in Toronto or from the date we submit the application ?