Fobosdaemios

Hello everyone,

I'm currently living in USA with CR1 Green Card and I'm planning to retire in Canada.

Should I inform CRA that I'm no longer living in Canada  to avoid paying tax in Canada?

If I declare to CRA that I leave Canada permanently (emigrant: You leave Canada to live in another country and no longer have residential ties with Canada), do I lose my Canadian citizenship?

Thanks!

On 11/25/2021 at 10:08 AM, Kai G. Llewellyn said:

I'm in the same boat. I entered Aug 9th and my status is the same. I submitted an case status inquiry, but haven't heard back yet.

Could you please update your situation if you hear anything back from the USCIS?

29 minutes ago, mam521 said:

They don’t take calls. Everything is done through the myUSCIS portal. Mine took over 175 days and one of them was wrong, to boot. I had to send the email through the portal first then chat with an agent through askEMMA. 

Would you suggest me to wait until 120days or I should start using myUSCIS to email?

Did you go to Resources > Send us a message > New Message  to send them an email? If you did, which subject did you select? 

Is it normal that I can't add my USCIS immigrant fee receipt number into my USCIS account? 

On 11/21/2021 at 5:11 AM, CuCun said:

Check your green card status here enter the IOE number you received in the payment confirmation USCIS immigrant fee email.

On 11/21/2021 at 8:22 PM, mam521 said:

Check as @CuCunhas instructed. If nothing, send an email inquiry through your myUSCIS account. It will probably take them a month to respond, but they will eventually. They usually start digging into your case and then your green card is magically mailed out. 

I have checked with the IOE and all it said is this: On August 10, 2021, we received your USCIS Immigrant fee payment for your Permanent Resident Card related to your immigrant visa. We will be processing the request for production of your Permanent Resident Card. You should receive your Permanent Resident Card within 90 days of your entry into the United States or within 90 days after your USCIS Immigrant Fee payment is received. If you do not receive your Permanent Resident Card, contact the USCIS Contact Center at www.uscis.gov/contactcenter.

Maybe I should give them a call?

Hello everyone,

It has been abit over 90days and I haven't received my physical greencard yet. Where can I submit an  inquiry and ask about the green card?

Thanks!

Have any of you guys received the green card yet? In about 2 weeks, it will be 3months since the day I moved to USA. Isn't the physical green card will automatically be sent to the USA address within 4 months if the US immigration fee is paid?

It's really depending on the HR of your spouse workplace tbh. The HR of my wife's workplace was really not helping... They told us have to wait until the enrollment period to put my name in the insurance. They didn't even know about the laws... I actually went to one of the link from the government website and show the HR about the law. 

After seeing that, the HR said they will enrolled me in right away as soon as I get my SSN. The SSN arrived within 3 weeks start from the date that I landed in USA.

I hope this will help you.

20 minutes ago, Bajinga said:

we have seen the HR's do that because they just do not know and they sometimes do not bother to find out from someone who knows from the health insurance admin side. they are absolutely required by law to let anyone add their spouse to the health insurance with or without an SSN. most health insurance companies do this by using a placeholder till the SSN is available for the spouse.

The director replied the emailed with this message. "Your spouse needs to have a social security number in order to enroll. Immigration status is a Qualifying Event, however, the dependent needs to be added within 30days with the SSN."

Do you know where can I show her the prove so that by law she has do it even without SSN?

6 minutes ago, Bajinga said:

getting married is considered a qualifying life event for health insurance by law, its documented here for California but i am pretty sure most states consider it the same. you should pull the relevant section of the law for the state you are in and send it to the HR. you will only have till 30 days after the marriage to make any changes to the health insurance

Yup, the Director emailed back after we linked her the website. However, she said I can only be enrolled with SSN. 

57 minutes ago, mam521 said:

Does her company have an actual benefits administrator instead of "just" an HR person? 

 

If there isn't an actual benefits administrator, I'd contact the actual insurance company that provides her insurance.  Many HR people just don't know.  Just like they often don't realize that your activated visa in your passport is work authorization, even without a physical green card and SSN.  

 

If she has access online, she can probably look there under adding beneficiaries or something of that nature.  We were able to do it ourselves online, skipping HR all together.  

My wife did actually emailed the director of the benefits in HR and she did say no. 

We logged on the employee account and we saw the life event section but there was no options for us to add.

That's really odd.

Thank you, ill take a look at that with her when she is home.

16 minutes ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

That's weird. Usually a move of a spouse to the country is considered a "Qualifying Life Event" (just as a marriage would be), and mid-enrollment is allowed in such a case. Are you sure this was made clear to the insurance company/ HR, that this is similar to a marriage or birth of a child...

 

Sorry, I don't really have info about ways to get health insurance...

 

That is what i thought too...My wife even emailed the HR whos in charge of benefits and the HR. She said no...I'm not sure if it's a law or it's based on the company.

Hey guys, my wife's company doesn't let her add my name to the health insurance mid-enrollment. She has to wait until next period to add my name and also the insurance wouldn't be in affect until January next year for me... Does anybody know any cheaper alternative ways to get health insurance for 4 months?

Thanks!

39 minutes ago, mam521 said:

Yes - temporary green card, good for reentry into the USA and for employment authorization without your social.  

 

Did you pay the green card fee before you entered the US?  If not, it needs to be paid before they'll issue your green card. 

Yes, I did pay for it before entering the USA.

Does the green card and SSN automatically send to my USA address OR do I need to do anything extra?

Am I allow to open bank account and get health insurance with my temporary green card?

1 hour ago, Riversong said:

I am now officially a LRP of the USA. I came early to the customs at the Calgary airport. 3 hours before my flight was scheduled to leave. I told the agent I was activating my IR1 visa, he asked me if I had the packet with me, I said I was told everything was electronic.  He said oh yea, I forgot. He asked me for my passport, open to the Visa page, verified the address I will be living at and contact phone number. Gave me back my passport and said welcome to the USA. It took 5 min. I asked if I needed to go to secondary,  he said nope he was able to activate the visa in primary. He didn't ask for my covid test, didn't ask for my cats vet certificate, or how much money I was bringing over, or any of my belongings.  
Whats really funny is this is the same guy who took a power trip on me last time through Calgary and I missed my flight...lol.
Anyway,  very smooth entry through Customs!
 

Hey, I just got through the custom too. I got pulled into the secondary security check. He told me to sit down and wait. The officer called my name and returned my passport 30mins later. All I got is the CR1 STAMP expires next year (1year). He didn't asked me to fill out anything or ask me anything. 

I'm just wondering if that stamp is acting as a temporary green card until the physical one arrives?

And do I need to do anything after entering USA? I put yes for SSN on ds 260 form.

49 minutes ago, Kai G. Llewellyn said:

Crossed over the border this evening with my motorcycle without issue. CBP informed me that I would have to import my vehicles formally soon otherwise they will deny entry to my BC plated vehicles if I don't do it eventually. My VW should be fine as they issued me a letter of compliance, but my BMW motorcycle is going to be a pain as they are refusing to issue a letter. So I'm gonna be going through a registered importer later on in order to get that sorted.

Nice! I'm just wondering if you got the passport with the visa back from the consulate only or you also received something else?

1 hour ago, Melody1920 said:

So we finally got our visa today!!!

couple of questions about crossing border :

1. We want to go to usa to initially activate visa to green card , apply for ssn set up our bank accounts then come back to Canada for final packing .

2. Are we allow to cross by land to usa ? We are fully vaccinated is that enough or is there other requirements ? 
3. Will we have to get tested when we r returning back to Canada 

Hello, does consulate only send back the passport with the visa inside it?

2 & 3. I'm pretty sure you still have to get tested for covid before entering USA or coming back to Canada. It's just that you're no longer required to quarantine when coming back to Canada. It's best to check with each country travel requirements before you're heading to the US or coming back to Canada though.

USA still hasn't lifted border restrictions for Canada yet but you shouldn't have any problem since your visa is approved. 

From the https://ca.usembassy.gov/visas/family-immigration/approval-denial/ webiste. If your visa is approved, it will be placed in your passport and mailed to you together with a sealed IV packet envelope (do not open this envelope yourself). 

Do the consulate only send the passport with the visa back to you? And can you open that to check the passport when it's arrived?

What Iv packet envelope is the website talking about?

Does anyone know how long it takes for the status to change on the CEAC website after getting approved at the interview? My status on the CEAC is still the same but my passport is on the way back to my address though.

36 minutes ago, Kai (CanadaDude) said:

Ayy, I just got my tracking number. You should check yours!

Haha, I literally just got the email too!

I would assume so too that we gonna get the tracking number soon. I have the same status as yours.

3 hours ago, Shumai84 said:

Was there particular reason you needed to reupload and bring a copy of i-864 to the interview?

In the instruction, it says i-864 is not needed for the interview....

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-10-prepare-for-the-interview.html

3. Gather Documents Required for the Interview

Every visa applicant, no matter their age, must bring certain documents to the interview, including photographs, and the original or certified copy version of all civil documents submitted to NVC. You do not need to bring your Affidavit of Support or financial evidence you submitted to NVC.

Yes, my wife started a new job so I updated the form and uploaded to the site. I'm strongly advise you to bring everything you uploaded on the CEAC website and photocopy any of your Original documents and also have a look at this https://ca.usembassy.gov/visas/family-immigration/appointment-checklist/ .

I almost got turned back because of their system didn't see my new i-864 form that I uploaded. Luckily I was well prepared and had a physical copy with me. Like a lot of people here mentioned, it doesn't take much time to have a print those documents out. After waiting for such along time for a interview appointment, you don't want to risk of getting rescheduled just because lacking of 1 document. Rather be safe than sorry.

Thank you everyone with the helps and advices! I got approved yesterday!

It was definitely busier at the Consulate now. The whole interview was very easy overall.

Btw, please do print out documents for back up even though you reupload the updated ones to the CEAC website! There was a glitch from their system or something it didn't show my updated i-864 form and luckily I brought with me a physical copy.

I was still working when I did the ds-260 form, but I quit my job at end of June this year. Should I mentioned this before the interview so that the CO can update the primary job section and change that to unemployment? My interview is in the few days.

19 minutes ago, HRQX said:

The correct answer is "NO."

 

https://ca.usembassy.gov/visas/do-i-need-a-visa/ "In most circumstances, Canadian citizens do not require visitor, business, transit or other visas to enter the United States, either from Canada or from other countries."

Thanks! Also I quit my job at the end of June this years. Should I also notify the CO so he can update the Present Occupation part in the Work/Education/Training section?