Maintaining Both Canadian and US PR

[parnit]

I have been living in Canada as PR for the last more than one year and I have aslo got US immigration recently, Can anyone advise me how can I maintain both PRs in Canada as well as that of US. I am yet to enter US on Immigrant visa wwhich I intend to do in December.

 

[YorkFactory]

I don't see how you can keep this up indefinitely. Maintaining Canadian PR requires that you be present in Canada for two years out of every five. Maintaining U.S. PR requires that you live in the U.S., and if you are absent from the U.S. for a year, you can be deemed to have abandoned PR in the U.S.

 

[angelbrat]

Why did you apply for an American PR, when you already had a Canadian one?

Surely, you read the requirements of keeping a Canadian PR and thus should have waited until you were eligible and received your Canadian citizenship. Then applied for the American visa.

I find it baffling that you did not read up on the requirements of keeping both PR's current and now face the choice of having one or the other.

 

[parnit]

I got US PR just now for which I had applied more than 10 years ago. Now can anyone advise me how should I keep the both. I have learned that if you are US green card holder , one has to visit US once in six months to keep the Green Card. If I continue to live in canada ans visit US atleast once in six months, will I be able to retain both PRs

 

[toby]

I got US PR just now for which I had applied more than 10 years ago. Now can anyone advise me how should I keep the both. I have learned that if you are US green card holder , one has to visit US once in six months to keep the Green Card. If I continue to live in canada ans visit US atleast once in six months, will I be able to retain both PRs

If those are the only rules, then yes, it appears arithmetically possible to satisfy the PR requirements of both countries.

But check carefully for any rule (look in the fine print) that you cannot be a PR in two countries. At one point the US would not allow its passport holders to hold another passport, so perhaps the US won't allow a PR to be a PR elsewhere at he same time. Worth checking out.

 

[YorkFactory]

If those are the only rules, then yes, it appears arithmetically possible to satisfy the PR requirements of both countries.

As far as I can tell, you can involuntarily lose your U.S. permanent resident status if the U.S. government determines that you live in another country permanently, this can happen at any time, and you become removable immediately thereafter. This means you could lose U.S. PR at essentially any time after you've taken up residence in Canada.

Realistically, you're going to need to decide which PR you'd prefer to keep.

 

[parnit]

My US Visa interview was held in Canada and US knows it already that I am a PR of Canada. I have applied for US PR 10 years earlier from India, and I moved to Canada about a year and half ago. I updated US about my status and they transferred my case to canada and have given me immigration on this basis

My only problem is that my son is studying in a University in Canada and my wife will also be going to scholl from Jan 2011 and hence it is not possible for me to permanently shift to US.

I do not know whether I will be able to retain both residencies at least for a year. I live in vancouver and US border is just 30 minutes away from my residence.

 

[can_usa_97]

Everything I have heard, read and been told says that eventually you will have to chose.

YorkFactory is right, as soon as they find out that you aren't living here (ie: have an address here or intend to stay in Canada) at anytime thereafter they can take it away.

^ my husband is a US PR holder for the last 7 years though he's lived here for 13 (the original application had a screw up and we had to refile - the moved our case and never told us and he missed his interview).

He fully expects for the border to take his Green card when we go for my landing as a family with Uhaul full of belongings.

 

[hoping75]

You must maintain a permanent residence in the US. If you are outside of the country for more than 6 months , they can remove your permanent residence status at the border when you attempt to go back to the US. It is intended for permanent residence in the US, not just as a visitor.
I was a permanent resident of the US and Citizen of Canada, and after I received the warning upon entering the US, I applied and received my US Citizenship to avoid the worry of losing my US Status. It was that time entering that I was advised of the rules of maintaing my US PR Status.
It is very clear in the regulations that if you are not permanently residing in the US you are not eligible to keep your permanent residence status.

You can take a chance at hopping back and forth across the border to visit the US, but you are taking a big chance of losing the US PR.

Good luck with everything

 

[parnit]

Any more suggestions on this thread

 

[TheHal]

The way I read it is that you have been given good advice.

If you want to keep asking just because you want the "best" answer, then the question is pointless.

You have a choice, stay in the US, or come live in Canada.

This is way more than most of us can say, who have to wait for permanent status, for just one of the two.

Cheers
H.

 

[superboy_ec]

To Parnit, you can keep both, where you live in Canada if you live in a border city then I see no issues there, you are keeping your passport from India right?, if so then all you have to do is show your passpor with Canadian PR in canadian border and when you get into US border show your passport with US PR card, I see no problem. I was talking to a friend of mine because I am also in the same boat as you are. I am waiting for my Canadian PPR to get my PR here in Canada at the same time after 9 years I got my US PR approved and he told me that I can keep both just go in and out and that will work it out.

Now, My question to you is I am also trying to see if I can get my interview here in Canada, How did you manage to get your appointment transferred from India to Canada please your advise on that will be very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[YorkFactory]

you can keep both

Not without committing fraud, or having a Canadian spouse who accompanies you to the United States.

 

[Leon]

I got US PR just now for which I had applied more than 10 years ago. Now can anyone advise me how should I keep the both. I have learned that if you are US green card holder , one has to visit US once in six months to keep the Green Card. If I continue to live in canada ans visit US atleast once in six months, will I be able to retain both PRs

I have known people who kept a US green card alive for years by going to the US every 6 months but it is possible that you will lose it even if you do that because they may take it away from you if they become aware that you are permanently residing somewhere else.

 

[superboy_ec]

to YorkFactory, not to argue but why does it have to be a fraud. I am not the kind of guy who likes fraudulent things. I am just saying because I know a few people who have had US PR for years and have not commited a fraud, they just go in/out US every certain period of time, is that considered a fraud as well? I don't think so!!