US outland applicants' thread :)

[Evadyrrehs]

Happy 4th of July Independence Day everyone! 8)

There could be updates to ecas today as they've updated on Saturdays many many times! So here's to hoping July 4th could be extra special for many who are anxiously waiting for news etc.. Have a good one!

 

[OntarioBound]

What are you guys doing with your after-tax investment accounts (mutual funds, stocks) you have in the US? Do you know of any brokerage firms in the US that let you transact with a Canadian address? I use Vanguard and they said they would have to freeze my account (no trades/rebalance, etc) if my address changed to a Canadian address.

 

[EmSNYC]

What are you guys doing with your after-tax investment accounts (mutual funds, stocks) you have in the US? Do you know of any brokerage firms in the US that let you transact with a Canadian address? I use Vanguard and they said they would have to freeze my account (no trades/rebalance, etc) if my address changed to a Canadian address.

As far as IRA and 401k are concerned, a couple of months ago I spoke to Fidelity and they told me I would be able to manage the account from Canada and not freeze them, not sure about plain vanilla brokerage accounts though.

 

[OntarioBound]

As far as IRA and 401k are concerned, a couple of months ago I spoke to Fidelity and they told me I would be able to manage the account from Canada and not freeze them, not sure about plain vanilla brokerage accounts though.

Right, you can leave tax-deferred accounts like IRA/401K where they are and you can do whatever you did before, but after-tax accounts (any investment accounts) are supposed to be different. What are you doing with them? Have you tried changing your address to a Canadian address yet?

 

[CMLR]

On June 11th we got notified by CIC that they wanted proof we were still living in Canada, that we were still together and still and income. We sent in all the proof and are now waiting again. Oh they also asked for my right of landing fee, which we have paid. My question is does anyone know about how long it will take them to look at ours proof and about how long it should take for us to get decision made and my COPR. Once we get the COPR how long before I can flagpole to land? Thank you anyone who can help me know timelines.

 

[EmSNYC]

Right, you can leave tax-deferred accounts like IRA/401K where they are and you can do whatever you did before, but after-tax accounts (any investment accounts) are supposed to be different. What are you doing with them? Have you tried changing your address to a Canadian address yet?

I am not using my after tax accounts, not the ones I have in the US anyway.

 

[melgolchuk]

I have a kinda unique situation but I'm sure it has happened before. I've received decision made on my PR application along with my dependent minor daughter just waiting on COPR to show up. The issue is she is to go to her dad's (my exhusband) for summer visitation pretty soon and I'm not sure we will have time to 'land' before she goes (we are already in Canada we would just be flagpoling) so I guess my question is do we have to land together or can she land in a few weeks when I got back to get her. We are close enough to the border we can do a quick flagpole if necessary but are far enough away that it would be a long day.

 

[OntarioBound]

I am not using my after tax accounts, not the ones I have in the US anyway.

Thank you for the info, EmSYNC!

 

[OhCanadiana]

I have a kinda unique situation but I'm sure it has happened before. I've received decision made on my PR application along with my dependent minor daughter just waiting on COPR to show up. The issue is she is to go to her dad's (my exhusband) for summer visitation pretty soon and I'm not sure we will have time to 'land' before she goes (we are already in Canada we would just be flagpoling) so I guess my question is do we have to land together or can she land in a few weeks when I got back to get her. We are close enough to the border we can do a quick flagpole if necessary but are far enough away that it would be a long day.

Your daughter can land anytime after you and before her CoPR expires so she could land when you pick her up at the end of the Summer assuming her CoPR is still valid then. Her CoPR will most likely expire one year after her medical exam or passport expiration date, if it expires before her medical expires. If your applications end up taking over a year, they may extend your medicals for one additional year.

 

[OhCanadiana]

There's very little that you can do. If you're leasing, the company technically owns the car and by residing with it in Canada you're breaking the terms of the lease.

In addition, it would not be legal to "leave the NY plate on" for a year. Provinces generally require that residents register their cars within a short but reasonable timeframe of a few months, so regardless of the lease status it would not be legal to drive the car.

You would probably also have trouble obtaining valid car insurance, for similar reasons -- your US insurer would care that you're living in Canada, and a Canadian insurer would require a properly-registered car.

Unfortunately, you may have to break the lease and pay the contractual penalty.

In addition to provincial requirements, from a customs perspective Canadian residents (as in people who live in Canada, not as in PRs, though they may overlap) may not drive foreign plated cars with limited exceptions. So, once the OP is a PR and moves to Canada he would have to immediately export the car from the US and import the vehicle into Canada.

Given that it's a lease, you'd have to negotiate with the lease-holder so that they grant you permission to export the vehicle from the US and import it into Canada (since they own the car).

 

[Morganhannah]

My husband got permission from his leasing company to bring his vehicle to Canada. He wants to land this weekend but the least on his apartment ends in August. I know he can land this weekend and go back to the states to finish packing and come back for good in August, but I'm not sure if he can just put his truck on his goods to follow form and import it in August.

Thanks

 

[OhCanadiana]

My husband got permission from his leasing company to bring his vehicle to Canada. He wants to land this weekend but the least on his apartment ends in August. I know he can land this weekend and go back to the states to finish packing and come back for good in August, but I'm not sure if he can just put his truck on his goods to follow form and import it in August.

Thanks

Yes, he may (and actually should) import the truck in August. He'll just have to explain the situation to the Customs Officer at the border.

Keep in mind that he technically should wait until August to turn in his Personal Effects Accounting Documents since:

[b]Who are considered Settlers?[/b]

Under customs legislation, Settlers mean all individuals who enter Canada with the intention of establishing, for the first time, a residence for a period of not less than 12 months.

It is important to know that the status of a person for customs purposes is not always the same as the person's status for immigration purposes.

For example,

*    Persons coming to Canada for the purposes of employment for a period exceeding 36 months (other than United States Preclearance personnel) are at first arrival considered to be Settlers to Canada even though they may be considered Temporary Residents for immigration purposes;
*    Persons entering Canada to become Permanent Residents without the intention of residing immediately in Canada are not considered Settlers to Canada since they do not have any intention of remaining in Canada at that time, and will live outside Canada for an undetermined period of time. Therefore, under customs legislation, these persons are considered visitors to Canada, even if they are Permanent Residents for immigration purposes.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5113-eng.html#s2

In reality, it probably depends on the Officer and the Border Post he crosses at as people have been able to turn in their B4s before prior in similar situations (and he could probably ask them to allow him to turn it in if he's having movers ship his goods before he'll make it to the border again and/or mailing items to you so that he can include a copy of the B4/B4A to show that the goods duty and tax free).

 

[Morganhannah]

Yes, he may (and actually should) import the truck in August. He'll just have to explain the situation to the Customs Officer at the border.

Keep in mind that he technically should wait until August to turn in his Personal Effects Accounting Documents since:

[b]Who are considered Settlers?[/b]

Under customs legislation, Settlers mean all individuals who enter Canada with the intention of establishing, for the first time, a residence for a period of not less than 12 months.

It is important to know that the status of a person for customs purposes is not always the same as the person's status for immigration purposes.

For example,

*    Persons coming to Canada for the purposes of employment for a period exceeding 36 months (other than United States Preclearance personnel) are at first arrival considered to be Settlers to Canada even though they may be considered Temporary Residents for immigration purposes;
*    Persons entering Canada to become Permanent Residents without the intention of residing immediately in Canada are not considered Settlers to Canada since they do not have any intention of remaining in Canada at that time, and will live outside Canada for an undetermined period of time. Therefore, under customs legislation, these persons are considered visitors to Canada, even if they are Permanent Residents for immigration purposes.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5113-eng.html#s2

In reality, it probably depends on the Officer and the Border Post he crosses at as people have been able to turn in their B4s before prior in similar situations (and he could probably ask them to allow him to turn it in if he's having movers ship his goods before he'll make it to the border again and/or mailing items to you so that he can include a copy of the B4/B4A to show that the goods duty and tax free).

Thank you, much appreciated!!

Can he land without giving them his B4 forms? He can bring a few boxes with him this weekend if that helps anything.

 

[OhCanadiana]

Thank you, much appreciated!!

Can he land without giving them his B4 forms? He can bring a few boxes with him this weekend if that helps anything.

Yes, he may land without turning in B4 forms (immigration and customs status are different). Whether the Officers allow him to turn in the forms this trip is up to their discretion (and may depend on border post in addition to Officer). If he takes a few boxes and shows he's starting to establish his Canadian residence this trip, that may help him turn the forms in now. He will just need to explain - as you did above- that it doesn't make sense to import his vehicle yet (shouldn't be a problem).

 

[dbentley1313]

I just logged into my account and my application finally got DM!!! ;D

We were so busy this weekend moving (again) and I haven't had any time to check my application status. I applied back in November, so the wait has been terrible. I put in my change of address online and hope that they send my COPR here and not my old apartment. I'll just keep checking there too. I'm just relieved...

Thanks to everyone who contributes here...it did make my process a lot easier and less stressful. For those of you who only applied at the beginning of this year...be thankful that you're getting through this process a LOT faster than most. My heart goes out to anyone who applied in Sept/Oct/Nov and still don't have a decision. Hang in there, I'm sure it's coming soon!

cheers!
Diane