Canadian Credit for the US petitioner

[mwinburn 0]

Okay, I see this question asked a lot for the fiance obtaining credit in the US, but I can't seem to find anyone asking much about going the other direction.

In the short term, my fiance will be coming here, and I will simply add her as an authorized user on my cards. On any big purchases like cars or houses, I will apply for them directly since I have a long and good credit history here. However, at some point in the future we may move back there, where I have zero credit and she has limited credit.

So, I'd like to start building credit in Canada while she is building credit in the states. I asked RBC, since I already have a checking account with them, and they recommended I open a Zellers card or something similar. The problem with that is I'm never up there to even make charges on it. I suppose I could get my fiance to start using it on my behalf and I'd just pay it, but is there a better way?

Has anyone done this or have any ideas how to do it? I don't need CDN credit to be super anytime soon, so this would be a multi-year strategy.

[Jeremy + Kristy 0]

Good thing to think about, I should be doing the same thing. The alternative is, maybe, that a big bank like Chase or something may allow you to get a mortgage for property outside of the US, but I'm not sure.

[mwinburn 0]

Yep, that's exactly why I'm asking - property. I could simply use my US credit cards up there for most things, but for a house I'd need a loan and credit to back it!

[KarenCee 3]

Hmmm....something to think about. We plan on moving back to Nova Scotia in the future and I'd never even thought about this. You'd think I would have seeing how hard it is for my husband to get his credit established here in the States. If he has an account with RBC, like a credit card and bank account, can he add me to it there and have a credit card issued to me? We would only use it when we're home in NS and could probably use his bank account to eventually secure a loan for property.

[CutienPurg 0]

My husband added me to his RBC checking and visa using my social security number and Michigan drivers license. Took a bit of doing but we got it done.This summer we're going to begin our property search in Nova Scotia. What we plan to do is buy vacant property and pay for it and then eventually, when we move back, build a house.He'll have Canadian income from his CF pension so we're hoping that makes it easier for us. My only concern is how both govt's will view his residency status. Will having accounts in canada threaten his LPR status? Will having accounts and property in Canada make him a deemed resident in the eyes the CRA? Guess we'll see and then make the appropriate adjustments if and when the situation calls for it.

[carslo 0]

Please read this article posted by fellow journeyor Colin Wilson. Interesting implications for Canadians going south.

http://www.americanlaw.com/ustxperm.html

[KarenCee 3]

Please read this article posted by fellow journeyor Colin Wilson. Interesting implications for Canadians going south.

http://www.americanlaw.com/ustxperm.html

Good article, lots of good information but nothing to do with the topic at hand. On another forum I read (Serbinski's) someone posted a reply to me about this very thing...US citizen going to Canada with their spouse. This is what was posted:

"Basically, at about a year or so before you are ready to move, your husband and you will fill out paperwork to get you into Canada as a permanent resident. They have changed the paperwork so that now you have to CLEARLY PROVE your intent to move back to Canada - so you have to show something like a signed lease on a NS property, or a job offer, school admissions etc.

Anyway, you fill in the application and send them to Buffalo.Buffalo will let you know if you fulfill the requirements and then forward to CSC for the "final determination". Once they approve the application, you just land up in Nova Scotia - pretty simple, except for the proving intent part, which is hard to plan since you don't want to sign a lease six months before your move, when the actual approval might come a year later!

You can do a medical check (around US $400) before you send in your paperwork, or wait till they ask you to go in for your medicals - they are valid for a year.

You can find all the forms, paperwork needed etc. in the CIC website. They will also tell you how long it currently takes for them to process the application."

Fulfill the requirements?? Sounds like it won't be so easy even though I am married to a Canadian Citizen. Not that I think I should be granted PR on that basis alone, but fulfilling requirements? Sounds like Canada doesn't let just anyone in to apply for PR status. We do intend to purchase land in NS so that would be the proof they need that we intend to live there. ARGH! Why must everything like this be so dam hard!

[Flames9_RN 358]

I belive JerseyGirl ahd a problem with Serbinski!! She had her taxes complted with them awhile back, and when she got audited, Sebrinski was no where to be found!! And YES I posted their linkon VJ many of a times!!! And this year I used my inlaws tax accountant (wife bday present) to do our USA taxes!! Why?? I took out RRSP's in 2006!! And was not certian how to do decalre it !! I had filed form 8891 to defer the tax on the RRSP's!! To be honest I have no clue (hey,I'm a guy) onhow to properly report the incoem fromther RRSP's to IRS!! My inlaws accouinting firm spent many an hour on how to do it!! (not at my expense,ty mother in law) and long story short, they disagreed with what "nelsona" had been posting on Sebrinski forum!!! So one can't go what that forum states, yes I'm sure there is good info on there, but like all forums (as well as wikipedia) it is not an accurate place to get info!! Just my 2 cents.

[KarenCee 3]

Yes, well it took a LONG time before anyone would even post an answer to my query. We've got a while yet before we'll be able to move to NS. I just wanted to read up on what I have to do and what my husband does to petition (if that's the right term) for me.

[Emancipation 2]

Instead of a Zellars Card, get a CDN Sears card. You can make purchases here in the US with it but not payments (last time i tried to make a CDN Sears card payment in a US Sears store it was refused - 1999). Anyway, that is a card that is useable on both sides!! I use my CDN one here no problems at all.

[girl 37 7]

Has anyone done this or have any ideas how to do it? I don't need CDN credit to be super anytime soon, so this would be a multi-year strategy.

Will you start building credit if she adds you to her Canadian Visa card? I added my husband to my Royal Bank Visa card a couple of years ago. They sent him a form in the mail to sign and return. We use it when we're on holidays, and I use it a lot when I'm working in Canada.

[mwinburn 0]

Has anyone done this or have any ideas how to do it? I don't need CDN credit to be super anytime soon, so this would be a multi-year strategy.

Will you start building credit if she adds you to her Canadian Visa card? I added my husband to my Royal Bank Visa card a couple of years ago. They sent him a form in the mail to sign and return. We use it when we're on holidays, and I use it a lot when I'm working in Canada.

That's not really that feasible for us right now. But maybe in a few years it might be possible.

[CutienPurg 0]

Has anyone done this or have any ideas how to do it? I don't need CDN credit to be super anytime soon, so this would be a multi-year strategy.

Will you start building credit if she adds you to her Canadian Visa card? I added my husband to my Royal Bank Visa card a couple of years ago. They sent him a form in the mail to sign and return. We use it when we're on holidays, and I use it a lot when I'm working in Canada.

That's not really that feasible for us right now. But maybe in a few years it might be possible.

I heard if you become a Canadian citizen they'll give you a credit card and a full credit history just for joining ........hey may be rumor but ya never know

ok ok Ive had too much sugar.......i'll behave now

[zyggy 9]

I have credit on Canada... we did the same thing, we applied for a couple of credit cards (TD and CIBC Visas) in Canada with my wife and included my US income... They had no problem approving us.. for a relatively small credit limit though...

I belive JerseyGirl ahd a problem with Serbinski!! She had her taxes complted with them awhile back, and when she got audited, Sebrinski was no where to be found!! And YES I posted their linkon VJ many of a times!!! And this year I used my inlaws tax accountant (wife bday present) to do our USA taxes!! Why?? I took out RRSP's in 2006!! And was not certian how to do decalre it !! I had filed form 8891 to defer the tax on the RRSP's!! To be honest I have no clue (hey,I'm a guy) onhow to properly report the incoem fromther RRSP's to IRS!! My inlaws accouinting firm spent many an hour on how to do it!! (not at my expense,ty mother in law) and long story short, they disagreed with what "nelsona" had been posting on Sebrinski forum!!! So one can't go what that forum states, yes I'm sure there is good info on there, but like all forums (as well as wikipedia) it is not an accurate place to get info!! Just my 2 cents.

Flames..

You report your distribution from your RRSP on the 8891 and transfer it to the pension line on the 1040 with it being fully taxable... Pretty easy actually..

Edited April 12, 2007 by zyggy

[happyimmigrant 0]

I belive JerseyGirl ahd a problem with Serbinski!! She had her taxes complted with them awhile back, and when she got audited, Sebrinski was no where to be found!! And YES I posted their linkon VJ many of a times!!! And this year I used my inlaws tax accountant (wife bday present) to do our USA taxes!! Why?? I took out RRSP's in 2006!! And was not certian how to do decalre it !! I had filed form 8891 to defer the tax on the RRSP's!! To be honest I have no clue (hey,I'm a guy) onhow to properly report the incoem fromther RRSP's to IRS!! My inlaws accouinting firm spent many an hour on how to do it!! (not at my expense,ty mother in law) and long story short, they disagreed with what "nelsona" had been posting on Sebrinski forum!!! So one can't go what that forum states, yes I'm sure there is good info on there, but like all forums (as well as wikipedia) it is not an accurate place to get info!! Just my 2 cents.

Karen - after all you and Joel went through, you're going to turn around and go back to Canada? :)

Well, if nothing else, I can tell you that sponsoring your spouse into Canada is a cakewalk compared to doing it in the US. No interminable delays, no interviews, no BS, just some paperwork, and you can do it from within Canada if you like.