CanAmCharlotte

I recieved an inheritance this year from Canada. In terms of taxes, the estate trustee in Canada would be responsible for any and all taxes on the estate account. When they do the bank transfer, make sure that the transfer shows that it came from an estate account. In the US you are tax free on inheritances under 5 million I believe, but you still need to report it on your tax return, especially if it is over $100, 000.00

So in terms of taxes, if it's under 5 million you are clear of paying them on it, just make sure to report it and get the transfer form from the bank showing it was from an estate account.

I sincerely appreciate your input!

Thanks for the replies. This helps!

I have found some information on the Internet about this but I just wondered if anyone has any firsthand knowledge. If you are a Permanent Resident or now an American citizen (as I am), what happens when someone in Canada leaves you money?. As it is post-tax money, are you free and clear to transfer it to a US bank account?

Thanks!

Wow, I just found this thread and it's a provocative one. Thanks Gal for starting it. I'm sincerely glad we (Canadians/Aussies/Brits) feel "safe" enough to post how we really think about our decision to immigrate to a place that only on the surface looks a lot like home. I share many of the same feelings and a lot of what has been said must surely resonate with the majority of us. It's a relief to know you're not alone. It's one thing to feel homesick but then to feel guilty for having those thoughts is a whole other thing. It's tough to know how to deal with it. Would you agree that after a couple of years as a US permanent resident, the feelings of homesickness are replaced with something a little darker; you're now convinced that you'll never completely fit in, that your spouse will probably never fully understand that nor would you even want to bring it up, and that you feel that you've given up something important back in Canada that you can't really articulate (a sense of ease?). Believe me, I count my blessings every day and if I could do it all over again, I would. Still, we're only human and we long for what is familiar. By 'familiar' I'm not talking about Tim Horton's but rather a collective sensibility/moral compass/quiet patriotism.

I worked in Japan for a little over a year back in the mid-90's. I went because it was a wonderful opportunity and because I had a lifelong fascination for all things Asian. After the initial honeymoon phase, I was shocked to find myself sullen, not caring if I did a good job, and counting the weeks until I could go back to Toronto. I met an American woman who worked in my village as a helicopter mechanic of all things and we became fast friends. She turned my attitude around and for that I will always be grateful. Her observation was that as one woman living in a misogynistic country for a year, I couldn't possibly "change the world" so I should accept that and enjoy the many unique and fascinating things about Japan, bascially to go with the flow and stop fretting about what was wrong with the place. Maybe I should be applying this lesson to my life here in the US.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about immigrating on a marriage-based visa? I would tell them it is a long, tedious process that will feel like an albatross around your neck and test your limits until it's over. On top of that, you'll miss your friends, family, and every last little thing about Canada. Those feelings may subside but they'll probably never completely go away. If you really think you're strong enough to handle it, log onto this forum and ask a ton of questions before filling out that first application. Just know what you're getting into.

Gal--please update us when you can. I'm sure we would all like to know how you're doing. Hugs.

It's a great feeling. The new ones are so darn pretty too. Congratulations.

Oh well..At least we don't have to worry about them anymore (lol..except if the certificate is lost..)

Despite the pomp and circumstance (lol...or the lack of, in my case, as mine was a private ceremony..and I was in and out of the office in less than 10 minutes...and it took us over 2 hours to get there..lol...), I still consider myself an American...I sure didn't need the USCIS to tell me that...

And likewise, you (or anyone else) should feel the same way too...It's all over! No more USCIS! And yes, that's definitely something to celebrate afterwards!

Goodbye USCIS!!!!!! Proud to be an American!!!!

Ant

Hey Ant,

Yup, you said it all and thanks again! Glad to know there are people out there who feel exactly the same way I do about this process and the USCIS in general (grrrrrrrr). BTW, my certifciate came today so nothing more to worry about. Phew! Off to New Brunswick in a few days with my handy dandy new US passport in hand. Can't wait to hand it to the customs officer in Toronto where I connect. Do I get a stamp?

Always nice to hear from you,

I was looking through my MIL's pics and she has some old pics they took at Disneyland and they are all wearing their Sunday best..

That's hilarious (and cute)! Thanks for posting. When I took my first plane ride at age 13, I actually wore white gloves. I kid you not. Now people wear their flannel pajama bottoms and flip flops.

Your naturalization certificate should also be on the way, you applied for a passport so the email update is a generic notice they send to applicants. If you applied for a US passport with a US birth certificate, they would send you a notice for just the passport, it works the same way. So nothing to worry about.

Yup, last thing on the 'worry' list. I know it happens once in awhile but really, the odds of the USPS losing one's naturalization certificate are not that great. Then it's off to the nasty SSA office (groan) with certificate in hand to update my status.

Even though the passport office tells you it will be 2-3 weeks until you get your expedited passport, don't believe them. Mine came in one week. Woo-hoo. To make matters better, they actually put the hyphen in my name after telling me they most definitely could not. The photo I had taken is the best mug shot I've ever had and I get to keep it for ten whole years. Happy, happy, happy. Now I just have to wait for the naturalization certificate to be returned. Just one more thing to check off my 'worry' list.

Here's hoping everyone's passport/certifciate comes in a timely fashion.

Oh, and I just remembered, while we were waiting for the processing prior to the ceremony they told one young man seated a few seats down from me who was wearing jeans to go and put on something more appropriate. He left and came rushing back about 40 minutes later (I said we waited a long time ). He told everyone that he lived too far away to go and change so he went to the near by shopping mall and bought a new pair of pants to wear instead.

Wow your ceremony could not have been more different than mine! I definitely would have preferred what you had (even with the dude who had to buy new pants--too funny!). There was a young woman at mine who came late and was wearing a pair of capri leggings and a ratty old T-shirt. It almost looked like she had been working out and then suddenly remembered she needed to be sworn in. I realize not everyone has the money to get dressed to the nines but for something like this, you can borrow an outfit or go to the Goodwill store and get something a little more appropriate. I thought generally the way people were dressed sort of took away from the occasion. As a previous VJer commented, our society is just more casual these days. I need to get over it!

Thanks for writing. I registered to vote immediately after the ceremony and have volunteered to work at a polling station. My passport should be here any day so hopefully I'm going to have a bit of a paradigm shift any moment!

It's funny, I went through five years of hell to become an American citizen (finally made it last week) but now I am experiencing anticlimactic feelings. Wonder if this is normal. My swearing-in ceremony wasn't at all what I expected. I envisioned a solemn occasion with the sounds of soft sobbing from new citizens all around me. Instead it seemed hurried, casual, and void of any pomp or pageantry. A number of people actually came late and several didn't bother adhering to the dress code as explained in the interview letter. Maybe when I get my passport this will all sink in. Still, I'm glad it's all over and believe me, there were times when it felt like I would never get to this point.

If I do make it through this process, I may just change my first name altogether. I do sign official documents with my full name (hyphen included) but I pretty much gave up caring what people called me when I hit gradeschool. I am tired of spelling my name slowly, having to stress "hyphen... hyphen... it's a dash, darnit!"

I salute you for your endurance.

Hey, nice to 'meet' a fellow hyphenated Canadian! Funny, when I spell my name and get a blank stare when saying the word 'hyphen', I actually make a finger motion in the air and say 'dash'. Having a hypenated name is a bt of a headache (thanks a bunch Mom and Dad). Still, it makes us a little unusual I suppose. Just because Charlotte USCIS didn't let me have it on my certificate, doesn't mean you won't. I don't have a lot of faith in the consistency of that office. I think the director is a an idiot and one of the IO's that I had contact with was recently demoted.

Cheers and good luck eh?

As another individual who has a hyphenated first name, my reaction to this is as follows...

I hate hyphens.

Beyond that, a hyphenated first name, without the hyphen on a legal document, is a typographical error. It's like someone named "Tommy" having their name spelled "Tomy".

Laziness on part of USCIS. Brilliant. :\

Perhaps you'll be lucky and it's the just my local USCIS office that is lazy about the hyphen. I told the DMV, the SSA, and the USCIS that without the hyphen, I consider my name to be spelled incorrectly. They didn't have much sympathy. Strange how there was absolutely no problem with it in Canada. Go figure. I still sign my name with the hyphen and will continue to do so.

I think they can include a hyphen in a surname, just not a given name. I was told it throws their computer system off and it's not just a hyphen, same thing goes for an apostrophe. Social Security and the DMV can't include it either. I do have the hyphen on all my credit cards but that's about it for "American" things. Funny, all my Canadian ID (birth certificate, passport, driver's licence, SIN card, Canada Health card) has the hyphen. I was always worried about it going through this process because half of my documents have it and the other half does not. Thankfully, it never came up as an issue.

I decided to go forward with my oath ceremony this week. I was debating whether to put it off due to my father's illness (he lives in Canada). He assured me it was OK for me to put off my trip to see him.

Those of us being naturalized and those who were observing the ceremony first gathered in a holding room. A woman wearing some kind of uniform finally asked the soon-to-be-citizens to move to a different room. As God is my witness the woman said, "Dose of you who be natralizin' today...I ax you to line up against the wall." My husband and I looked at each other and smiled. And I was the one taking the English test? Before we sat down in the ceremony room we turned in our resident cards and received our naturalization certificates. Then the guests were seated. I would estimate there were about a hundred new citizens and a couple of hundred guests. We watched a few videos, sang the anthem, recited the oath and pledge, had the rollcall of countries (only 4 Canadians!), and the director (with whom I've exchanged a few heated letters) spoke. When he said "....I'm sure you're all happy you'll never have to deal with the USCIS again", more than a few of us actually clapped. I don't think it was rude; it was like a joke and he was inviting us to react. Most of us hung around for a few minutes to take pictures and then it was adios muchachos! I went directly to the passport office only to find the person who had been standing next to me at the oath ceremony there too. No flies on us! (BTW, we both had our certificates photocopied on the way to the office.)

At this oath ceremony, there were no representatives from the passport office or Social Security. Perhaps that's reserved for big cities like New York and LA.

One last thing, as much as I begged the IO who interviewed me, I was unable to get the hyphen in my first name included on the certificate. I asked again with certificate in hand while at the ceremony and they told me to put it in myself. I didn't feel comfortable with that but hell, it's my name so I did it in front of them. So then at the passport office, they looked at it and said, 'we can't put a hyphen in a name'. Agh!!!

Hasn't sunk in yet...maybe when the passport comes. I filled out my voter registration today and had to check the box that said "US Citizen". Weird.

Last time I visited a SS office was Clearwater Florida and it felt like an alleyway in Kabul at 2am. I walked backwards to my car

Hehehe.....the one in Charlotte is like that too. What's the deal? I have never seen so many odd looking people and miscreants in my life. The office itself is grimy and rundown and is located in a rather seedy neighborhood. I can hardly wait to spend two or three hours in line there.

Last time I visited a SS office was Clearwater Florida and it felt like an alleyway in Kabul at 2am. I walked backwards to my car

Hehehe.....I swear, the one in Charlotte, NC is like that too. What's the deal? I have never seen so many odd-looking people and miscreants in my life. It is in a rather seedy neighborhood and the office itself is grimy and rundown. Not a place at which I want to spend a lot of time. I shudder at the thought of going back there....

I just found some rather startling info on a government website. Now that the passport fees have increased, they have received a glut of applications and even the expedited ones take 2-3 weeks (somewhat less if you apply at a Passport Agency Office in person as opposed to mailing in your documents---AS IF!!!) The ones that are not expedited take up to six weeks. Yipes. Of course if you happen to live in a few cities like New York, Boston, Miami, Chicago (and a couple more), you can get one on the spot if you need to travel out of the country asap by going to a Regional Passport Office to apply.

Sigh.....

If your father is extremely ill and time is of the essence, you might also ask to have your oath ceremony deferred until it is an easier time for you, then just use your Canadian passport to travel right away. That way you won't have to worry about being trapped in the US when you need to be in Canada.

Good luck to you and I am sorry about your father.

Yes, I have to make a decision about this.

Kathryn41--you make perfect sense as always. Thanks for posting. Unfortunately time is of the essence for me. My father in Canada is extremely ill and I have to get my passport as soon as possible after my oath ceremony so I can travel. I'll have to get the passport first and then deal with SSA later. (The SSA office where I live is a nightmare. You can easily stand in line for 2-3 hours before getting to speak to someone. I have zero patience these days.) I plan on paying the extra $$ and having my passport expedited. I'm wondering if they just process it faster but still send it through the regular mail. I'm hoping they'll send the passport via courier. My husband expedited his about four years ago and it took 5 days for him to receive it. He can't rememer if it came by courier.

I just found this on the Social Security website but who knows how often they update it. It would indicate you can have your US passport before changing your status.

"What if my immigration status or citizenship changed?

If your immigration status changed or you became a U.S. citizen, you should tell Social Security so your records can be updated. To get your immigration status or citizenship corrected, you need to show documents that prove your new status or citizenship. Only certain documents can be accepted as proof of citizenship for new and replacement cards. These include your U.S. passport, a Certificate of Naturalization or a Certificate of Citizenship. If you are not a U.S. citizen, Social Security will ask to see your current immigration documents."

But now I understand you have to go to SS first, Obama gave them a hundred million bucks to set up a database and am hearing if the DOS does not see you in the database, they won't issue you a passport!

Something you better check into first.

Does anyone have firtshand experience with this; i.e., that their passport could not be issued if they hadn't adjusted their status with SS first?

Hi all,

I've passed my interview July 15, 2010. I was told at the interview that it would take approx. 2 weeks for the oath invitation letter to come in the mail. I haven't received anything yet....

Furthermore, my case status at uscis.gov still shows "Testing and Interview".

Can you tell me when the status changed to "decision" in relation to the interview and the oath invitation letter coming in?

Thanks.

Yeah, no worries. My status has never changed since biometrics and I go for my oath in a couple of days. Such a useful tool isn't it?

.....some PTSD is to be expected but it will pass....

Tell me about it! I don't think it has sunk in yet. I don't feel any different. Apparently there is no parade, the news channels aren't calling, and Perez Hilton hasn't blogged about it. Geez, I thought this was special.....

Well kittens, there were times I seriously wondered if this day would ever come. Two hours ago I FINALLY passed the US naturalization test. For those who know the history of my journey, they know it was a disaster from the start.

My heart was pounding and I actually felt light-headed while sitting in the waiting room. The first thing my not-overly-friendly ajudicator (is that what they're called?) asked me was if my husband was with me. I've never heard of anyone getting this question before so my terror skyrocketed tenfold. I told her he was and asked why. She said she might have to ask him a few questions later. Really? Anyhoo, we sailed on through, she said I was approved and my oath ceremony would be in twelve days. She walked me back to the waiting room, asked to see my husband's ID and actually asked him a few easy questions (where do you live?, etc.) We got back to the car and I shed a few tears. Talk about a piano off my back! What the hell I'm I going to worry and obsess about now?!

For all of you who have listened to me b**** and moan for the past hundred years (or so it seems), thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.

A sincere good luck to everyone who is still waiting for their interview.

C ya,

I heard privately from another VJer from Charlotte (where I live) who just recently took the oath. He said they don't ask for the conditional resident card, just the 10-year one. Whew. I guess this procedure differs by location. And as Ant said, what would they do anyway--you can't get another conditional card once you have a 10-year card and you can't give them what you don't have. Funny how some offices seem to want them. People generally destroy expired cards of any kind (credit cards, driver's licences, etc.) as it unwise to have multiple cards floating around. Oh yeah, I forgot, we're talking about the USCIS here. Assume nothing, expect nothing, pray to the immigration gods, hope for the best.