Owing Government taxes

[tamarindball]

My husband is a canadian citizen and also on ODSP. I know he can sponsor me if he receives disability but the question is can he sponsor me if he owes government taxes? A lawyer told us he has to clear the taxes first. Is that so?

 

[scorpion_ca]

My husband is a canadian citizen and also on ODSP. I know he can sponsor me if he receives disability but the question is can he sponsor me if he owes government taxes? A lawyer told us he has to clear the taxes first. Is that so?

I think it's better to pay taxes and apply. You can get more info from the following link.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/sponsor/spouse.asp

 

[tamarindball]

Thanks. The webiste however doesn't speak to taxes. I think I better give them a call/visit to get more information

 

[TSauretBaxter]

At the time I was approved as a sponsor I owed the government several thousand dollars, that was over due. So no, I don't think it's necessary.

 

[truesmile]

Yap (agree with Baxter), the CRA won't divulge ANY of your information without consent from you (even to other government agencies) . . . Hence the reason that WE are the ones to request an 'Option C' - - - (CIC can't get that info on their own).

 

[Habibti]

My husband is a canadian citizen and also on ODSP. I know he can sponsor me if he receives disability but the question is can he sponsor me if he owes government taxes? A lawyer told us he has to clear the taxes first. Is that so?

I am the sponsor. At the time I made my application in February 2011, I owed Revenue Canada thousands of dollars (I still owe it). I had some concerns before sending my application and I phoned CIC. They said it would not affect my application. They said it is two separate things.

 

[tamarindball]

It's intersting to read the posts about the CRA and CIC being two separate entities which I can understand. However today when I called CIC while they said that only bankruptcy and social welfare can affect a spouse application when I asked them about taxes owing given what the immigration lawyers told me, the agent said that yes it could affect the decision and that the taxes would need to be cleared up first as CIC would do thorough investigation with CRA to see what's owing. My husband had wanted to attach option C but one of the lawyers told him that since July 1 you can no longer use that option. Does anyone have any personal experience and has received approval even with taxes owing while being in the country? Your urgent help please as we are totally confused and in limbo right now.

 

[Habibti]

It's intersting to read the posts about the CRA and CIC being two separate entities which I can understand. However today when I called CIC while they said that only bankruptcy and social welfare can affect a spouse application when I asked them about taxes owing given what the immigration lawyers told me, the agent said that yes it could affect the decision and that the taxes would need to be cleared up first as CIC would do thorough investigation with CRA to see what's owing. My husband had wanted to attach option C but one of the lawyers told him that since July 1 you can no longer use that option. Does anyone have any personal experience and has received approval even with taxes owing while being in the country? Your urgent help please as we are totally confused and in limbo right now.

As the sponsor, I got approved even though I owe taxes.

 

[tamarindball]

Wow. that's awesome news. did you submit option c and did they ask you anything about the taxes at all

 

[rachiy]

It's intersting to read the posts about the CRA and CIC being two separate entities which I can understand. However today when I called CIC while they said that only bankruptcy and social welfare can affect a spouse application when I asked them about taxes owing given what the immigration lawyers told me, the agent said that yes it could affect the decision and that the taxes would need to be cleared up first as CIC would do thorough investigation with CRA to see what's owing. My husband had wanted to attach option C but one of the lawyers told him that since July 1 you can no longer use that option. Does anyone have any personal experience and has received approval even with taxes owing while being in the country? Your urgent help please as we are totally confused and in limbo right now.

Stage one for our application *should* be processed any day now so I can let you know, assuming we hear something soon.
My partner owes a reasonable amount - too much for him to pay it in a lump sum if requested, and I was concerned about this affecting his eligibility. I did search all over the CIC website and I found nothing to suggest this was grounds for refusal, whereas other grounds were explicitly stated, so I am feeling confident about it.
Do you/your husband have a payment arrangement with CRA to make installments, or have you made progress in reducing the tax debt?

 

[parker24]

It's intersting to read the posts about the CRA and CIC being two separate entities which I can understand. However today when I called CIC while they said that only bankruptcy and social welfare can affect a spouse application when I asked them about taxes owing given what the immigration lawyers told me, the agent said that yes it could affect the decision and that the taxes would need to be cleared up first as CIC would do thorough investigation with CRA to see what's owing. My husband had wanted to attach option C but one of the lawyers told him that since July 1 you can no longer use that option. Does anyone have any personal experience and has received approval even with taxes owing while being in the country? Your urgent help please as we are totally confused and in limbo right now.

I think your lawyer is either incompetent or confused. You need the Option C if you can get it. I'm on ODSP and I owed thousands in Student Loans, we're on stage two. So I think it's alright.

 

[TSauretBaxter]

At the time I was approved as a sponsor I owed the government several thousand dollars, that was over due. So no, I don't think it's necessary.

Several people have mentioned already they have been approved as a sponsor while owing money in taxes, myself included. It's up to you to follow your lawyer's advice or not. Things do change often with CIC, and my app was filed before July 1, but I still have a hard time believing you won't be approved as a sponsor if you owe taxes.

 

[tamarindball]

TSauretBaxter - Was there a change/new law July 1 why you mentioned that date? What happened then

 

[tamarindball]

@ Raviv - no we don't have any payment structure in place as yet but having met with the last lawyer on Fri. we're planning to have a dialogue with CRA to see how best this can be sorted out by a payment structure and owing to the fact that my husband is on ODSP I dont know if they will waive anything. The did send him some forms last Fri having spoken with t hem about three weeks ago and disclosed that he was on ODSP etc. so he will also be discussing these new forms he got in the mail with them this week. The lawyer had suggested he probably took them and discuss the matter with a tax expert but that's a nother expense we cannot afford right now

 

[TSauretBaxter]

TSauretBaxter - Was there a change/new law July 1 why you mentioned that date? What happened then

I was referring to your post...