moni_calla

Canada should receive preferential treatment when immigrating the the US for family based situations

Yes I do think that certain countries should be fast tracked but I was not specific but now I will be specific: Canada should be fast tracked as most people who even consider immigrating to the US from Canada are not going their to obtain assistance or milk the system they are going for employment, school or love. Canada should receive preferential treatment, uh discrimination happens every day and me posting my opinion won't stop that.

Hi AntandD,

You will always be a CDN citizen unless you renounce so maybe in the future migrating to Canada may be an option; I noticed that you were expecting so keep in mind that you can register birth abroad with Canada so that baby receives DUAL citizenship.

LOL on the review; I will have to use that big bill for small purchase the next time someone gets SNARKY w me.

TimandJoyce I was thinking the same thing apply at the DMV once I arrive and am able to work and then once I become a citizen apply for the USCIS!!!!!!!

Congrats on your learners permit!

Food Stamps

I think it should depend on one's situation whether they receive food stamps or not for some the shortfall is the difference b/w eating and starving (I am a little biased as I volunteer and donate to food bank). But besides food stamps their are many resources where one can obtain food and assistance.

Affidavit of Support

Immigrants should be allowed to sign their own affidavits based on specific criteria's that need to be established (In Canada the immigrant can guarantee themselves, and Canada gives welfare to everyone, LOL)

Relationships

The system needs to be revamped to make it easier for legit and harder for the not so legits (some sort of minimum co habitation before marriage but longer than three months)

I personally think that certain countries should have a fast tracked system.....

Congrats on making it in safely, what a great BO giving you all the extra info!

The adult children will be able to send off their own applications and the minor will need his CDN born parent to complete on his behalf. Your uncle will prob need an original copy of his long form BC and his ID, great thing is their is no residency requirement! It may be easier and cheaper to report their births and then apply for passport.

This is kinda long but. . . . .

Our rental is on a hill, we're at the bottom of it. Our nearest neighbor lives slightly above us in a huge, beautiful home. There is a rental on the side of the property which is near our house. Just as we moved in, our neighbor Hans lost his renter.

When we first met Hans, he told us that he was a real estate investor and had built the monster house to sell as an investment. The market turned, and now he's stuck living in the house (5 bed/6 bath) until the market rebounds. We assumed that he was one of those people that into making a buck. He was very interested in how much we were paying for our rental, how we found it, were utilities etc included. Of course he was also interested if we had friends who were in need of a place to rent (essentially move into his rental). He seemed nice enough - but it was a strange initial meeting of a neighbor. We let that color our impression of Hans.

So its been 2 months and we've become friends with Hans. We realized that he's really not into money at all and just really likes to build and construct things. He loves talking about real estate because that's his passion. Properties and ways to construct the best views. How the position a house to make the most of the trade winds so A/C isn't necessary. He's friendly and always willing to offer his help to cut the lawn or lend a tool if we're fixing something. We really couldn't have a better neighbor. He is the first person I have ever met from Denmark and I just adore him.

Yesterday we noticed a young couple with a baby had moved in to his rental. So today we were talking with Hans over the fence and he said that they had finally found some renters. He said that someone told him that a young couple needed a place to stay because the man had become unemployed and he had a baby on the way. He simply said "sometimes people just need a break." He left it at that.

Hans had been asking $695 (including electric/water) for the rental. Very cheap rent for the Hamakua Coast.

So later we met the man with his 1 year old daughter. He told us that he had been working at a plantation not too far from here, where he worked for room and board for him, his daughter and pregnant wife. They lived in a hostel with 20 other people with 2 bathrooms. No place for a baby and one on the way. Hans was told about their situation from a friend of a friend. So Hans approached them to live in his rental for $300/month. Hans told him that he couldn't have a young family in need when he had an opening in his house.

What a guy. He really renews my faith in humanity.

What a beautiful story!!!

I am surprised that the border did not let her cross, illegal immigrants come here all the time and the gov't loves to support them! If they had let her in she would have to go back because when on assistance you have to report periods of absence or you forfeit your benefits.

Once you are married you will use your marriage certificate to change things over, DL you just go up to MTO and show them certificate they will prob take copy and mail you new license. For your SIN you can go up to SIN office and make change, for your passport you will have to obtain a new one and it will cost you the fee again. This week I am going to do a name change for my son for health and SIN so I can let you know the exact form I fill out once I get it done.

Hello Cloudy 9,

All you need for travel is a letter from other parent stating that they are aware of the trip, duration, where you will be staying and their contact number. Everytime I crossed the border with my kids I have always had my letter and have never been asked for it.

Hope that helps.

BTW does the letter have to be hand written or can it be typed, signed etc.

Joanne

The last time I crossed we typed it but he hand wrote contact number with initials and date.

That's good to know. I heard sometimes when you get pregnant, your skin either gets really bad or clears up wonderfully, I'm hoping mine goes the good way! I hate the thought of using all these products forever. I wish I could just use some soap and moisturizer and be done with it! I'm so jealous of people with wonderful smooth skin

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Hi Jill,

Your skin will definitely change during pregnancy; during both of mine my skin was flawless and then after delivery I had a few blemishes and then back to combination. I was just happy not to get the prego mask

I used to be hooked on Proactiv, then onto Vichy and now I am hooked on Faces products. Faces is a costmetic store for those not familiar with them but their products are amazing and quite reasonable in price as well. I will definitely have to stock up before I move because I would have a stroke if I couldn't find their products in the midwest.

At the end of March I had to renew my children's passport and I received them within 7 days, I applied on the 31st of March and by April 7th I had both of them.

Also they have a simplified renewal if your passport is in good standing and that is supposed to help speed up the process, also correct me if I am wrong you can have expedite service for a fee you may need proof of urgency.

It would be best to have your Canadian PR status first, once you do you only need to be present in Canada for two out of every five years.

This would give you enough time to finalize your status in the US, a better option might be to marry first and then do paperwork as it will be at least a year where the K1 can be approved in a matter of months.

Keeping your permanent resident status

Your permanent resident status allows you to live in Canada, but there is also a time limit on how long you can live outside the country. To keep your status as a permanent resident, you must live in Canada for at least two years within a five-year period.

For further information on residency obligations, please see Appendix A of Applying for a Permanent Resident Card, which can be found under Find an Application Form or Guide in the I Need To… section of this page

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/about-pr.asp

Hello Cloudy 9,

All you need for travel is a letter from other parent stating that they are aware of the trip, duration, where you will be staying and their contact number. Everytime I crossed the border with my kids I have always had my letter and have never been asked for it.

Hope that helps.

I found VJ through a google search but browsed as a guest for a few weeks, and then after seeing VJ quoted a bunch of times on Canucks Abroad decided to join.

I think it would be easier to change your name over on all of your ID, my passport is expiring this year and I am going to renew it in my married name so that everything matches and I won't have to send a thousand amendments off after the fact.

It is much easier and cheaper to file CRBA it will cost $65 plus passport fee, if for whatever reason you don't file it you can file the N-600 which costs $460. One of the problems that I can see is when she goes for her K1 interview they may delay and ask to file CRBA for child first and then come back and do K1 VISA so trying to save some money may not benefit you in the end as you will waste time (having to apply for CRBA interview and then receive childs pprwork) and money (flight to Calgary and Vancouver )to and from. If you are planning on marrying you fiance it will be cheaper to get married and then file CR1 much cheaper than K1 but you are waiting a little longer.

I spoke to a lawyer as we are in a similar situation and he suggested going this route, he said most times when ppl don't take care of childrens pprwork first they may question paternity and can request a DNA test which you would have to pay for out of pocket.

Nice informative post, I was worried about the lien as we will have to purchase a newer car before coming down but I do plan on making payments so hope it is not an issue.

Have you considered purchasing a car in the U.S.? They are much much cheaper here.

I looked into it but I can finance over here bc I have credit if I purchase in the states I will have to come with cash. Once I transfer it over to Canada to transfer it back I would be better off buying over here, for what I want the prices are actually not that much of a difference.

I personally don't do the chip in food thing but my fiance and his family do it a lot; pizza with chips, burgers with chips and today he ate hot dogs and chips I loled and he asked me what I was laughing at......

You can definitely renew your CDN passport from the US, http://www.passport.gc.ca/cdn/form.aspx?la...&region=USA this link should provide you with more information.

Hope this helps

Nice informative post, I was worried about the lien as we will have to purchase a newer car before coming down but I do plan on making payments so hope it is not an issue.

I would like to thank everyone for all the kind comments and I now feel welcomed to VJ

I refer to my own father as Dad though I can remember calling him Daddy as an adult, but I have small children and my son and his dad have the same name so sometimes when trying to differentiate I will say the daddy not the baby! My kids find that hilarious so it usually causes a riot!

Also the US is very different than Canada especially with speech and common terms, another big one is most people in the US refer to their mother as MOMMA uh....OK

Born in Toronto, live in Mississauga!