Notifying the Canadian Government

[ninjaduck8 0]

Hello,

I just got married (yay!) and I'm now trying to continue on this lovely process of emigrating to the USA. I am so confused and probably over complicating things and just running myself into a ditch. I'm hoping someone can give me a list that I can just check each thing off.

What agencies in Canada do I need to tell that I have moved and am living in the US? My last name changed, how do I tell Canada that?

How do I tell the CRA? When I file taxes for this year? I changed my address on the CRA website but I don't know if that counts.

What about my passport? Do I just buy plane tickets with my maiden name?

What about my driver's licence? Do I just let it expire and get a new american one?

Does my name change for my Social Insurance Number?

Thank you all in advance I am just worrying myself sick.

[CherRy143 1]

If you are permanently moving to the US, then you don't need to do anything on Canada side. You abandon everything except your driver license. You can use it to drive in the US until you get the license there. You might not even have to take the test again.

As for tax return, you can do it for this year. Just depends on whether you will get money back or you will owe money. If you are permanently moving, and you owe money, then don't worry about it anymore. If you will be getting money back, then file tax return in Canada for 2015.

Other than that, just buy a plane ticket and go. If you haven't applied for immigrant visa such as K-1 or K-3, you can do it in the US.

[Mad & J 25]

I disagree with the above advice: even if you would owe money I would still file taxes in Canada. You never know what might happen in the future and if you want to avoid problems if you ever have to move back to Canada, I'd advise covering all your bases.

No point filling for K1 or K3, you don't qualify for the first sinc you are married, and the second is defunct. Or did you come to the USA on a K1 before getting married?

I believe you can keep all of your Canadian stuff in your maiden name and it won't cause any problems, just make sure you book your tickets with the name that matches the ID you'll be using (so, your maiden name if you use your Canadian passport). But someone else may be better suited to answer this... I'm keeping my own name so it won't be an issue for me.

[ninjaduck8 0]

Sorry I should have clarified I entered on a K-1. I just changed my name for my social security number and I'm wondering what needs taken care of "back home."

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Here is what I did:

- I notified the SIN folks that both my daughter and I had left Canada - they had a form online - not required but I did it anyway

- I did NOT change my name back home in Canada except at the bank (I still had a bank account at TD until this year.

- I did NOT go as far back as changing my name on my Cdn birth cert - I didn't think that was necessary

- I used my old Cdn passport with my old name until the next renewal time. While I was using the old one I carried a copy of my Marriage certificate as proof of my name change since my GC was in my married name, as was my VA state id

- when it was time to do my passport renewal, my marriage certificate was proof of my name change - very straight forward

- I changed my name with my RRSP (Sunlife) using my marriage certificate.

- I don't recall if I changed my name with CRA - frankly I received mail from them in both names at my US address so I must have

I agree that you need to file a final Canadian tax return - it's considered your exit return, this assists with notifying them that you are not longer a Cdn resident and therefore not entitled to future GST or other bonus type Gov't cheques. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/nnrsdnts/ndvdls/lvng-eng.html

[ninjaduck8 0]

Thank you that is a huge help!