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is it a problem having a green card

hmirzaei

Star Member
Jul 14, 2016
77
1
our green card will arrive in a couple of months. Is it a problem having a green card when having the landing interview or applying for citizenship?
 

HamiltonApplicant

Hero Member
Apr 3, 2017
488
122
Hamilton
Visa Office......
Munich, Germany
App. Filed.......
Jan 2007
Med's Request
Dec 2009
Med's Done....
Jan 2010
Passport Req..
Apr 2010
VISA ISSUED...
May 2010
LANDED..........
25-11-2010
landing interview - No!
Applying for citizenship - No, If you meet the physical presence requirements
 

hmirzaei

Star Member
Jul 14, 2016
77
1
I had heard you cannot have the US Green card and Canadian PR simultaneously ; e.g., at the border if they see you have both you have to surrender one ...
 

Godzilla9

Hero Member
Sep 22, 2012
481
112
I had heard you cannot have the US Green card and Canadian PR simultaneously ; e.g., at the border if they see you have both you have to surrender one ...
That's not correct. But agree that it's tricky to maintain both and make it clear at border which of these two is your primary residence.
 
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toska123

Newbie
Jul 6, 2017
8
1
This is interesting .. a converse question ... if a Canadian PR declares themselves as a non-resident on their Canadian taxes for a year or two, do they get into trouble in Canada? I assumed if you met the physical residence requirement, that was sufficient .. so one could be non-resident for a bit. It seems for US green cards, this is not the case?


Maybe read here about keeping a green card if primary residence moves https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-green-card-granted/maintaining-permanent-residence
 
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Godzilla9

Hero Member
Sep 22, 2012
481
112
This is interesting .. a converse question ... if a Canadian PR declares themselves as a non-resident on their Canadian taxes for a year or two, do they get into trouble in Canada? I assumed if you met the physical residence requirement, that was sufficient .. so one could be non-resident for a bit. It seems for US green cards, this is not the case?
Being a permanent resident and a tax resident are different things. You can be PR and not tax resident, and tax resident but not PR.
Answering to your first question, I moved to Canada more than two years after I became a PR and became a resident for tax purposes only when permanently moved in.
 

links18

Champion Member
Feb 1, 2006
2,009
129
Having a US green card may lead to non-routine processing of your Canadian citizenship application or at least at one time it might as it was thought that meeting the requirements to maintain US PR status may conflict with requirements for Canadian citizenship. But maybe it doesn't anymore, its hard to keep track.
 

hmirzaei

Star Member
Jul 14, 2016
77
1
I am going to get the GC soon, and on the other hand I am eligible for citizenship application right now,,, so I can have both "theoretically" unless something strange such as a conflict of intent to reside or something similar is going to affect me...

at the moment I am more worried about my wife's PR landing interview. is it really important (to be safe/ not to raise red flags for the interviewer) to have her landing interview before we get the GC or actually they don't care about GC?

Having a US green card may lead to non-routine processing of your Canadian citizenship application or at least at one time it might as it was thought that meeting the requirements to maintain US PR status may conflict with requirements for Canadian citizenship. But maybe it doesn't anymore, its hard to keep track.
 
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links18

Champion Member
Feb 1, 2006
2,009
129
I am going to get the GC soon, and on the other hand I am eligible for citizenship application right now,,, so I can have both "theoretically" unless something strange such as a conflict of intent to reside or something similar is going to affect me...

at the moment I am more worried about my wife's PR landing interview. is it really important (to be safe/ not to raise red flags for the interviewer) to have her landing interview before we get the GC or actually they don't care about GC?
What do you mean by "landing Interview"? Do you mean the process of landing as a PR at the port of entry? To the best of my recollection having a US green card really isn't relevant at that point, although it may be an issue down the road for citizenship, but not an issue that cant be overcome depending on the facts.
 
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hfinkel

Hero Member
Feb 23, 2012
397
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LANDED..........
20-07-2014
My family holds both green card and canadian PR. It is completely possible. The border is lax compared to other entry points into the US and they have never asked us any questions about it in either direction in the five years we have had both PR statuses. If you reside in Canada and want to be completely safe, then just apply for a US Re-Entry permit from USCIS. It is a simple application, costs US$600 and good for 2 years. It legally preserves your PR status for absences from US longer than one year. We have had one off and on in the five years just to be safe.
 
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hmirzaei

Star Member
Jul 14, 2016
77
1
Thanks for your answers guys.

By landing interview I meant the final letter that my wife has received as follows:

"We are pleased to advise you that your final determination for permanent residence interview has been scheduled for: ... "

It is both landing and an interview... I think they have recently changed it so that you can land inside Vancouver in a CIC office...