Danu

I know this is a US immigration website and my question and my question relates to the US citizenship and permanent residency aspect of it. As a US citizen, how can we maintain valid Canadian residency? And for one of us, how do we go about settling down in Canada as a US legal permanent resident? What are the requirements for a green card holder to maintain legal permanent residence as far as the US is concerned in terms of length of stay? No more then 6 months at a time? a year? how lengthy is the process to gain Canadian permanent residence for a USC? As a USC, are we allowed to work in Canada? I know all we have to do is show passport at the border and we can enter Canada and come back. What about getting a job there? Owning a business? And buying property..

ps. Let us all respect each other's political views. Whether or not Trump is good for America is irrelevant. We all are free to have our opinions.

I started reading, there was too much banter about Trump, no idea if you got answers, so here we go.

1) As a US PR, you will lose residency if you move to Canada with intent to stay. I have the potential to go back to Canada through work and didn't want to have to go through the whole immigration process again, so I got my Citizenship so I can move back and forth if wanted/needed. You can find this info by searching USCIS for Maintaining Permanent Residence

2) The process varies depending on the type of residency requested. As you or your wife are not Canadian Citizens, you would have to qualify for a visa through one of the other categories (similar to what the US has) including:

• Express Entry for skilled immigrant workers - 6 months
• Study Permit (requires you to be accepted to a school) - 6 weeks
• Start-Up Business (requires $15143 in Canadian funds available, as well as documentation proving it is supported by a designated organization) - processing times unavailable
• Self employed in one of Canada's required areas (currently Cultural, Athletics and Farming) - 109 months
• Work permit through employer based sponsorship - 3 months

After this permanent residency takes about 49 days, once you are in the country.

3) As a USC you are only allowed to work in Canada if you have been granted a work permit, similar to the way it works in the USA. You must have SIN to get a job (the Canadian equivalent of SSN) and you can only get that with a legal way of being/working in Canada.

4) Owning a business would be seen as a start-up or Self employed as above.

5) You can own property in Canada without being a Permanent resident, same as a Canadian can own property in the US without being a permanent resident (think - snow birds), but it is always easier with residency.

Also, though you didn't ask, once one person has Canadian Citizenship, if you were to move back to the US with the other being a CA PR, they would be able to keep their CA PR as long as they live with their Canadian spouse. If you move back to the US as without getting Citizenship for one or both of you, there is a chance (but not a guarantee) that the PR would be lost if when applying for an Application for a Travel Document, which is needed if your PR card has expired. It is only required that you live in Canada for 2 out of 5 years.

To get Canadian Citizenship, you must live as a PR in Canada for 4 out of 6 years.

I forgot to update when I got my letter, but my oath was scheduled for today, in LA. Just got back from the ceremony, with my certificate of naturalization. All done with USCIS!

Thanks! Things have been going crazy for a bit so I kept forgetting to get on an update. We found out we are expecting our first child in February, which is exciting!

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile guys. Went for my biometrics on 7/17, got a notification saying I was inline for interview on 7/21. They scheduled me for my interview on 7/28 for today 9/1. I passed but must wait to take my oath, waiting on that letter now

So I had already sent my paperwork back in to get rescheduled when you guys said to try doing a walk in, so I couldn't try that. I have my appointment letter today though, rescheduled for the 17th of July

So apparently, my bio notice was sent 6/6/15, but I just got it today. It was scheduled for 6/22, yesterday morning, so now I have to wait on a reschedule.

I got my NOA in the mail finally, Priority date 5/27/15

I got a text tonight saying my case was accepted. Looking at my case number online, it says it was accepted May 28th. Waiting on the NOA in the mail now (I mailed a money order, so I assume they cashed that already)

Lol, thanks. Don't know why I put my screen name wrong, been on a different board for other things and must have transposed them!

Hi guys! I sent off my package last Friday, and now I'm waiting!

Nicheven.........|05/11/10|05/22|--/--|--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Santa Ana, CA

Mine came today too

I'm wishing all those still waiting a speedy journey!

Hey girl! Bungee-jumping over from the May filers to say CONGRATS!!

Thanks darlin! Now if I wasnt so sick during this heat wave everything would be great.

So I got my approval letter in the mail today which says my approval date was 8/3/12. I got an email saying they sent out my card too, so hopefully since I'm right down the road I will get it tomorrow or Friday

I just got an email saying they ordered production of my card today! YAHOO!!!!

Well looking at January makes me hopefully that some of us might start hearing mid next month.

I just went through this, heres my thoughts to you. Do not fill out and send in the paperwork they will send you to extend the DL. Instead take it and your NOA to the DMV. I sent mine in to Sacramento with the paperwork they sent me and they sent it back saying they could not validate it. Took it to the DMV and they approved it, had my new license in just over a week. Save yourself the pain I had, just go in

Thanks. I remember you too. Yeah it does seem like forever. Funny how I was prepared to wait the 5-6 months, but after getting an interview I thought today we would have an answer fast.

Boo on that. I hope you hear soon!

We are one of the couples that had an interview, but we were given no indication of whether or not we were approved. After nearly 5 weeks, we have received no updates.

Oh I remember you from AOS That sucks that you've still not heard anything back, I hope it doesnt take too long of you guys being in limbo (though 5 weeks would feels like eternity to me!)

CSC is the same for me, nothing since the NOA date. I'm sure we will get there eventually. I was looking at the January group, a couple look like they have already had interviews, but they were saying that they expect it to take another 4 months for VSC and 7 for CSC before they start hearing things, which would put us at 5 months and 3 months respectively until we might hear something if the times are the same.

on the website it says

Notice of Action (I797 Approved Petition) must indicate approved extension of stay or change in status that grants temporary or permanent residency, or indicates that an original, duplicate or renewal Resident Alien card is forthcoming.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#BDLP

I would print out this section and go back with this in hand. If I get the same news you did that is my plan, because it does say right on the site that our extension letter is good enough for a drivers license.

oh #######....I have no idea but im in the exact same situation as you. I'm kind of nervous now. I included a copy of my green card too so they could see the date from which i have an extra year...but now I dunno. I have to be able to get to work. This has me sort of terrified!

Sometimes the status tracker on there is very off. My K1 for example still shows that its pending while I am now in the process of removing conditions. I wouldn't be worried, it could take awhile for it to update, or it might not at all.

Can I ask you?

The NOA says:"Your conditional resident status is extended for a period of one year.

During the one-year extension you are authorized employment and travel."

So does it mean I can take this NOA with my expired green card when I travel outside of USA( and if I don't receive new Green card by that time)

and it's that proof I need for them to let me back in the US?

Yup!

My bio notice came today, my appointment is 3/30/12.

Good!

So I called again and USPS said it arrived at Laguna Niguel,CA post office today morning at 6am.They should deliver it to the USCIS today!!

UGH!What a stress - lesson for me - next time - sending everything over night or 1st class mail and with a signature receipt.

Now I can just hope they won't need to request any more information and that they will open it in next couple of days

Yay! Usually they recieve them the same day they get them, so you should get your NOA hopefully the end of this week or early next week