Spousal sponsorship questions

[Tricia Quinn]

Hi,
So happy to have found this forum, seems like it might be more helpful than other sites I've been looking at. I am planning to go to Canada from Oregon to stay with my girlfriend next month, and if all goes well, we plan to get married and apply for PR under spousal sponsorship. But there's lots of questions I've had that I haven't found clear answers for and I was hoping some with experience could give some insight. TIA

1. It's been suggested that I not say at the border that I'm planning to visit for 6 months or they'll think I'm trying to live there. So any idea how long I should say? 6 weeks, 2 months...?

2. Should I keep my auto insurance and AAA membership while I'm up there? Has anyone done that and had an accident up there and had to deal with using their American auto insurance to cover anything? Wondering what that would look like.

3. I do plan on also purchasing Traveler's insurance. Any recommendations a company to use? Also, with traveler's, do you think it's worth keeping my health insurance in the states?

3. I'm on a controlled substance that I need while I'm there. I know I have to see a Canadian doctor to get it filled there, and it would be a specialist. Any idea how long it would be and how expensive to see a Canadian doctor without Canadian insurance?

Thank you for any input, I appreciate it!

 

[wsidd]

My partner and I are about to undergo the same process. I can relay some answers to you based on things I've heard.

1) It's been recommended to me not to indicate a full 6 month visit. Have a return ticket to show intent to leave.
2) Yes, I would recommend to keep your auto insurance until the policy runs out! I'm not sure about other provinces but in Alberta most insurance companies only accept Canadian residents (there are companies that take American licences, but your choice is much more limited). Check with your insurance what coverage they provide for driving out of country.
3) I was recently looking into traveler medical insurance for my spouse and found the cheapest to be Destination Canada. DEFINITELY keep your health insurance in the states! Traveler medical insurance only covers one-time emergencies, not regular doctor visits. Healthcare in Canada very expensive for non-residents. If you're coming to Alberta, Alberta Health lets a resident spouse add their non-resident spouse to their healthcare. Not sure about other provinces.
4) It would be very expensive as some traveler insurance don't cover pre-existing conditions. Again, the policy is for emergencies only, and trips to doctor for prescriptions are not covered. I would recommend you get refills in the States through your health provider and bring them with you.

I hope that's helpful.

 

[Tricia Quinn]

Thank you for your response. It was helpful. To specify, I will be driving there, from Oregon to BC, so there won't be a plane ticket. Any idea how long would be a good amount of time to say I'm staying in that case?

Thanks!

 

[wsidd]

Thank you for your response. It was helpful. To specify, I will be driving there, from Oregon to BC, so there won't be a plane ticket. Any idea how long would be a good amount of time to say I'm staying in that case?

Thanks!

That's a hard question for me to answer. I'm not sure if there's a right answer. When I came back from the US into Canada after a 4 month visit, Canadian immigration asked me how I managed to take off work for that long. So saying a "long" time period of visit may prompt them to ask you employment questions or dig deeper. I would probably just say a month or so if I were in your position to be safe. Also make sure you're not stuffing your car with a tonne stuff that might indicate you're moving into Canada or is inconsistent with the length of time you're visiting. Ie saying you're visiting for a week but bringing in 4 big suitcases of things. I don't know if border agents will regard as suspicious but I would say to err on the side of caution. That said, I know someone who is doing inland application and she has driven back and forth across the border several times with no issue. I hear it's easier to do that when driving than when flying.

 

[canuck78]

Agree that you need to pack as a visitor. You will have to check with your auto insurance about how long you can keep your US coverage. Will you still have your US residence? Agree with the previous answer. Your health insurance is just for emergencies so I would keep your US health insurance especially since it seems like you have a chronic condition. You are allowed to take a 90 days supply with you when you enter Canada. Make sure it is labeled from the pharmacy. You can renew your Rx in Canada the only issue is that you may run into issues since most doctors will not want to prescribe a controlled substance to a new patient without a full work-up. GPS prescribe controlled controlled substances in Canada and will be much easier to see than a specialist. Very hard to comment not knowing what Rx you receive. Most walk-in clinics have signs saying they do not prescribe controlled substances. You could return to the US to see your doctor but you may be questioned about whether you living in Canada when you try to enter Canada again.