Is there a possibility to maintain both US (Green Card) and Canadian (PR)

[sarastone]

Hello,

Wanted to know what are my options to maintain both US (Green Card) and Canadian (PR). I got my Canada PR last year but currently living in US. After waiting so many years got my US Green card just last month. Now i am in a dilemma as what are my options on maintaining both. I read quite a few posts where lot of people mentioned its not possible or it is risky.

Can someone please suggest what are my options if i want to maintain both US green card and Canadian PR. Any help/input appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[scylla]

Hello,

Wanted to know what are my options to maintain both US (Green Card) and Canadian (PR). I got my Canada PR last year but currently living in US. After waiting so many years got my US Green card just last month. Now i am in a dilemma as what are my options on maintaining both. I read quite a few posts where lot of people mentioned its not possible or it is risky.

Can someone please suggest what are my options if i want to maintain both US green card and Canadian PR. Any help/input appreciated. Thanks in advance

If you want to keep both then you need to meet the residency requirements for both. This is the part that is very hard to do and that you will need to sort out. The US has stricter residency requirements and you need to be living in the US primarily, unless you are able to obtain a returning resident permit. Canada requires you to live in tr country 2 out of every 5 years. So you have to figure out how you can do both of these things at the same time. Generally this is not possible to do and sooner or later you have to chose one or the other.

 

[Buletruck]

For the first 5 years you will need to have about 150 days each year in the first 5 years to meet Canadian residency. After that, it becomes even more difficult.

 

[harirajmohan]

Hello,

Wanted to know what are my options to maintain both US (Green Card) and Canadian (PR). I got my Canada PR last year but currently living in US. After waiting so many years got my US Green card just last month. Now i am in a dilemma as what are my options on maintaining both. I read quite a few posts where lot of people mentioned its not possible or it is risky.

Can someone please suggest what are my options if i want to maintain both US green card and Canadian PR. Any help/input appreciated. Thanks in advance

CBP expects primary residency to be of their country, should be same for cbsa as well, or for any country.

Scenario at airport:
My friend forgot to put the US address as permanent address in the customer form. He completely forgot that he should be showing the intention to keep US as primary residence and he put the India address as permanent address which he have been doing for 10 years. So immediately the cbp officer asked if he wanted to be on GC or not(while pointing that he mentioned permanent address as India).

 

[fionamabe]

I don't know a lot about this theme. I don't think that it would be easy to become at the same time a citizen of two countries. Maybe you will somehow manage to obtain the necessary amount of days for keeping the green card and PR, but it will be hard for you to maintain a normal living in two countries at the same time. I will recommend you first to try and get citizenship in a country and after that, it will be already easier for you to get the second one, or just keep your green card or PR. This is only my recommendation so just don't take it too seriously.

 

[FrankMathis]

I would also be interested if it was possible to keep the green card and Canadian (PR), because I lived in Canada, but this year I moved to the USA. My friend, who convinced me to move to the door, said that it is possible, but it is a very complicated procedure, and I need a very long time, but there is a very big risk. I like it here in the USA more than in Canada, and I don't think I'll go back to Canada, but I don't want to give up Canadian (PR) either. If someone here knows exactly about this procedure as it happens, I would be very grateful.

 

[scylla]

I would also be interested if it was possible to keep the green card and Canadian (PR), because I lived in Canada, but this year I moved to the USA. My friend, who convinced me to move to the door, said that it is possible, but it is a very complicated procedure, and I need a very long time, but there is a very big risk. I like it here in the USA more than in Canada, and I don't think I'll go back to Canada, but I don't want to give up Canadian (PR) either. If someone here knows exactly about this procedure as it happens, I would be very grateful.

Not sure what procedure you are talking about. If you want to make sure you can keep your PR status, you need to live in Canada for 2 out of every 5 years.

 

[fionamabe]

I don't know a lot about this theme. I don't think that it would be easy to become at the same time a citizen of two countries. Maybe you will somehow manage to obtain the necessary amount of days for keeping the green card and PR, but it will be hard for you to maintain a normal living in two countries at the same time. I will recommend you first to try and get citizenship in a country and after that, it will be already easier for you to get the second one, or just keep your green card or PR. This is only my recommendation so just don't take it too seriously.

 

[Islander216]

As far as i know, as a lawful PR in the U.S, you technically don't have a days number you need to be in the U.S to maintain your status, what you have is a requirement not to be outside of the country for more than a year. It's also subject to an immigration officer's assessment on entry, whether you're living long enough in the U.S to demonstrate you are living there permanently, so absences longer than 6 months may become an issue, although it's subjective.

This contrasts with Canadian PR where it's clearly a matter of total numbers of days within a 5 year period, either you fulfill your residency obligation or you don't, it's pretty cut and dry.

I think the optimal strategy is to remain in Canada, visit the states for regular intervals to ensure you're not outside the country for more than 6 months at a time, and then once you apply for Canadian citizenship, move back to the states to live permanently. It's easier this way because citizenship in the states takes 5 years, whereas in Canada it's 3 years, although it does take a further year to process your application, and in that time you still have to maintain your status as a PR.

But the truth is, what's most important is maintaining your PR for the country you actually want to reside in permanently long term. It seems like your first choice is the US, so concentrate on PR there. I know it's tempting to have your cake and eat it, but in truth what matters is maintaining your status in the country where you want to live and work.