mdusa

Actually she can. You can use the 2555 to exclude the income you earned in Canada, since she would pass both the substantial presence test and the tax home test for the time she was resident in Canada. Canada was her tax home before she entered the US and she has to live in the foreign country for 183 days of the previous 12 months. It is not based on a calendar year basis. Any Foreign income earned after you entered the US to become a permanent resident is subject to US tax. Any foreign tax on that income would be taken as a foreign tax credit using Form 1116.

You need to file a form 8891 for the RRSP. It's an infomation only form.

This is incredibly helpful. 3 cheers to you guys!

Thanks for the info and the tip on the 2555. yay taxes!

Hey fellow VJers!

I'm posting here as you guys are a better wealth of knowledge than the US accountants we've talked to so far.

I am Canadian citizen married to a US citizen and am trying to figure out the 'right way' to file taxes in the U.S. I moved to the U.S. in September 2010, and have not worked here. However, I do have earnings from earlier in the year from Canada and also RRSP contributions from previous years (not 2010); I will be submitting my final Canadian tax return.

For the US taxes, can I simply file with my husband as a married couple without reporting my Canadian income? Is this something that requires a professional accountant, or can this be done on our own with programs like Turbotax?

Thanks!

Hello

My Canadian fiance and I plan to get married in a civil ceremony in California. The San Francisco website states that all we need is a legal photo ID, like a Passport, and a certified copy of divorce which does not apply in our case.

Is this really all there is? We don't need to bring any of the K-1 paperwork we've been working on for months?

Thanks!

Hi

We have our approved fiance visa and are planning my fiance's move to the US. In looking at the K-1 flowchart, it states that for number 16. Get the SSN, 17 and 18. apply for marriage certificate and get married, and 19. go back and change name on SSN.

My question is... do we need the SSN to apply for the marriage cert and get married? Or can we get married and get the SSN afterwards so that we only have to go to the SSA Office once?

Thanks!

thanks for all the advice and comments!

Unfortunately my car ONLY has KM's on it so I would have to get the speedometer changed. Who would have thought this would be such a huge issue!

Hi Canadian VJ-ers!

Has anyone had any experience importing their car from Canada to the US?

I'll be moving soon and understand that to import my car I need to:

1. obtain a letter of compliance from the manufacturer

2. fill out form at POE for importing car

I've had a brief conversation with my dealership who informed me that I would probably have to change my speedometer and a couple of my dashboard symbols (ie. check engine). I'm beginning to consider whether this is really worth it as my car is about six years old! I've also heard California has some pretty strict emissions standards!

Could you please let me know if there's anything else that I may have to look out for! thanks in advance!

Thanks for all the advice! I'll continue to do research and let you know what I find!

Hi fellow Canadians!

I'll be moving to the US soon and started researching into US banking accounts through Canadian banks. I thought I would post here as all of you are the real experts in all areas of moving south! I know that RBC has a US account for Canadians and also TD Canada Trust. This appeals to me because you automatically get 'credit' since you have a US account and the transfer of Canadian funds to American seems easier since it's through your Canadian bank. Only problem is that there aren't very many branches and locations and they're all located on the east. In the end I would set up a US account anyways but for the initial time being does this seem like a good option?

Does anyone have any info, stories or advice to share!?

Thanks!

YAY! I'm happy that my K-1 Visa was approved but now I have a question...does anyone have any thoughts or experiences about whether I can visit the US now but not activate my K-1 visa and just go as a Canadian visitor?

Thanks!

Totally understand the paranoia about them not receiving fax. After I faxed in my packet 3 checklist I emailed them to ask them for confirmation that they had received my faxes. Not only did I get the confirmation that they had received the faxes but they also told me my interview date and that I should expect a letter confirming the interview date in a week! My interview date is in May so about 5 weeks after sending in my packet 3 checklist.

Good luck!

As promised...this is what the consulate replied: pretty clear as to what they are looking for!

Evidence of Support

A K visa applicant and any accompanying children must meet the public charge requirement of INA 212(a)(15) like any other visa applicant. Evidence of support is usually requested by the consular officer. There is, however, no absolute requirement that an affidavit of support or other public charge documentation be presented. It is only necessary that the consular officer be able to conclude that the alien is not likely to become a public charge. It would not be unusual, therefore, for a healthy alien of working age, applying alone, to be able to establish eligibility during the visa interview without the need for substantiating documentation.

If you present an I-134 completed by your fiancé, and evidence that his income is at least 100% of the federal income guideline, over $25000/year, then it should be ok.

Hi VJ Community!

Just going through the checklist provided for Packet 3 from the US Consulate in Vancouver.

Has anyone had any experience with what constitutes as 'evidence of self support'?

I've emailed the consulate and will post any useful information they give but wanted to also get some pointers from the experts in the community that have been through this process!

Thanks!

As promised...this is what the consulate replied: pretty clear as to what they are looking for!

Evidence of Support

A K visa applicant and any accompanying children must meet the public charge requirement of INA 212(a)(15) like any other visa applicant.  Evidence of support is usually requested by the consular officer.  There is, however, no absolute requirement that an affidavit of support or other public charge documentation be presented.  It is only necessary that the consular officer be able to conclude that the alien is not likely to become a public charge.  It would not be unusual, therefore, for a healthy alien of working age, applying alone, to be able to establish eligibility during the visa interview without the need for substantiating documentation.

If you present an I-134 completed by your fiancé, and evidence that his income is at least 100% of the federal income guideline, over $25000/year, then it should be ok.

The guidelines for that are actually in the instructions for the I-134 - page 1, under the heading Supporting Evidence

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-134instr.pdf

You must prove you meet 100% of the current poverty guidelines, however some people recommend you meet the 125% figure I-864P

I'm the beneficiary and I thought that I was somehow able to show 'self support'. I now understand that they are referring to the petitioner. too many forms and words have turned my brain into mush!

thanks trailmix for the clarification!

Hi VJ Community!

Just going through the checklist provided for Packet 3 from the US Consulate in Vancouver.

Has anyone had any experience with what constitutes as 'evidence of self support'?

I've emailed the consulate and will post any useful information they give but wanted to also get some pointers from the experts in the community that have been through this process!

Thanks!

Hi VJ Community!

Just going through the checklist provided for Packet 3 from the US Consulate in Vancouver.

Has anyone had any experience with what constitutes as 'evidence of self support'?

I've emailed the consulate and will post any useful information they give but wanted to also get some pointers from the experts in the community that have been through this process!

Thanks!

Ravenesque: that is so funny that we were there together. Good tips about being preggers and also wearing the bra! It's true, they let me keep mine on although I did have to ask. Congrats on the bun in the oven! good luck on your visa journey!

AlanaMike: Congrats on getting your K-1 approved!

Hi VJ Community!

I just had my medical this morning and thought I would share my experience and offer some tips!

Here’s the play by play:

600am: Arrived early as I couldn’t sleep b/c I was worried I would miss my appointment! There was a line already waiting outside.

630am: Doors open and everyone receives a number. Once everyone has a number, consent forms and basic information are handed out. Everyone fills out the form and attaches photos, proof of vaccinations, any other medical records that might apply and passport. You are then told to go to waiting area for blood test.

700am: Blood Test, pretty speedy if they can find your vein! (Remember your photocopy of your passport as this is needed for the blood test)

715am: back to waiting room to wait for x-ray.

730am: x-ray is taken, super efficient!

745am: back to waiting room to wait for doctor check.

800am: The doctor checkup is pretty basic and similar to a general checkup you would get at your doctor’s office. The nurse then gives you an eye exam (remember your glasses!) and measures your weight and height. Note that there is only one doctor so the later you arrive, the longer your wait time will be.

820am: pay with your certified money order. You are then told to return at 2pm to pick up results!

My tips:

*Arrive early as they go in order, it’s beneficial to be in the first group of 5 as they do blood tests and xrays in groups! I arrived right before 6am and there were 4 people already in front of me!

**Have proof of vaccinations. If you don’t they’ll send you to the Travel Clinic on Georgia and won’t give you the completed package. Note also that MMR and Tdap are covered by MSP so you’ll also end up saving money if you do it beforehand.

***As Woking Medical emphasizes on their website if you have everything the process is relatively painless!

Good luck!

Hi all,

I'm preparing the I-134 for my fiance's interview at the US Consulate, yeah! Do they also requires forms of evidence, such as...

- employee letter with title and salary

- tax returns

- copy of financial statements (bank, investments, etc.)

Thanks!

Hi all,

I'm preparing the I-134 for my fiance's interview at the US Consulate, yeah! Do they also requires forms of evidence, such as...

- employee letter with title and salary

- tax returns

- copy of financial statements (bank, investments, etc.)

Thanks!

Hi VJ Community!

I am currently filling out the DS-156form for packet 3 of my K-1 visa and got stuck on question 30 where it asks if I've ever been issued a visa. The short story is that my parents applied for a F4 Green Card (PR through a family member, specifially my uncle) for me when I was a minor which expired years ago and therefore I am now applying for K-1.

My first question is that before I was given my green card would I have received an immigrant visa and what type of visa was it? (It was over 10 years ago and my memory is hazy. I just remember getting a temporary Green Card at the border control) I was not able to find the appropriate visa in the scroll down menu on the eform.

My second question is should I type in that I recieved a green card at some point in time in the 'Enter Additional Visa Issuances Here'?

Any comments and advice would be greatly appreciated as I obviously can't sleep judging by the time of this post!

Thanks in advance!

Phoebe

Hi all

My Canadian fiance just received her notice from the US Embassy in her city to begin gathering materials and prepping for the interview. Assuming all goes well (no reason it shouldn't!), in what form and where is the approval sent? Is it an official letter, and is it sent to both myself (petitioner) and fiance, or just one of us?

Here's my issue and source of current heartburn. I'm closing on a new home and had to move temporarily between the address from which I began the Visa application process, and where I will ultimately live in about 2-3 weeks. I've updated my address online and via phone with USCIS for my temporary address, but don't seem to be getting my papers, including NOA2 (although I saw that it was approved online and obviously paperwork has moved through NVC to embassy). I just want to make sure that we get the final approval papers for entry and record.

Thanks for help!

Hello VJ Community

Thanks for the great advice thus far. We are all set and ready to submit our original I-129F package. In looking at the USCIS mailing tips, I found this note:

"If you believe your situation to be unique, explain it fully in an attachment to the packet, not as a cover letter."

My fiance is Canadian, and her parents secured her a green card when she was a young child in case she wanted to attend college in the U.S. She never did, nor did she ever try to live in the U.S. The green card is now expired, but she will still have the social security on file.

Does this count as a unique circumstance, and should we mention it as a separate attachment?

Thanks!

Hello

I'm following the directions posted on VJ to apply for my fiance's K-1 visa. I'm using these: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1guide

Under number 2: the Cover Letter, the example has this language towards the bottom:

"Copies of documents submitted are exact photocopies of unaltered documents and I understand that I may be required to submit original documents to an Immigration or Consular officer at a later date."

Should I really submit copies of all forms, including the I-129F and G-325A's? It seems to me that they would want the original signatures?

Thanks VJ community!

Thanks everyone,

Seems like the K-1 is the most straight forward (and legal) way given our situation.

All the best!