Application & Tax Information For Outland Application - Questions!

[justfromerica]

Hey guys,

I had a question about tax information and submitting the PR application for my spouse.

Do they require tax information for the application process? I know that because I am sponsoring my spouse there is no minimum income requirement but because I had to submit SO much tax information for the Green Card process I already went through in America, I wanted to ask.

I ask because I have kept/filed my US taxes with my spouse consistently and correctly, but I'm pretty sure I've filed my last 2 years with the CRA incorrectly and would likely need to amend. I don't think I ever changed myself to a non-resident and so I just filed my Canadian taxes but put "$0" under most things because I was not accumulating any income in Canada. Don't really know why, I thought it was like the US where even if you don't live there you'd have to submit something or be charged a fine? Maybe I'm just daft, who knows. I did declare I was married though.

Since I'm a Canadian citizen living in the US on a GC and will be doing Outland sponsorship from the US, do they require the Canadian taxes for anything? I'm obviously going to need to fix that but I wanted to know if that was something that needed to be done first or not.

Thanks!

 

[justfromerica]

Anyone? :/

 

[flyingsquirrel]

I have found that the CRA are very helpful over the phone, I think they would probably know the answer to a question like whether you should declare that income or not and if you need to amend those years- For any questions I had for my american husband and I about taxes, I was always able to get someone on the phone and they always had a friendly manner and helped me out.

If they don't need to be amended I don't think it matters in that case, but I don't really know. you would just have to prove that you want to return to Canada.

 

[flyingsquirrel]

Sorry wish I knew more just thought I could share what I knew and give you a bump, no one is replying to my question either so I wanted to help.

 

[justfromerica]

I have found that the CRA are very helpful over the phone, I think they would probably know the answer to a question like whether you should declare that income or not and if you need to amend those years- For any questions I had for my american husband and I about taxes, I was always able to get someone on the phone and they always had a friendly manner and helped me out.

If they don't need to be amended I don't think it matters in that case, but I don't really know. you would just have to prove that you want to return to Canada.

I called the CRA shortly after I made this and spoke to someone and they basically said if I wanted to change my status I would mail something stating that on such date I became a non-resident to Canada etc and then they would basically default my 2014 tax return as if I was an emigrant in the US at that time and not required to file. My 2013 tax return is still technically okay because I worked for half the year and the 6 month expiry (of how long you can visit) ended in the beginning of 2014 so I was technically a non-resident starting in 2014. They said I could said that letter to Ottawa and I'd owe whatever GST/HST credits I got during that time, or if once I come back to Canada and starting working again etc and filed correctly next year, the 2014 return would just stay incorrect.

The CRA rep basically said they could not discuss immigration status or requirements/they weren't informed in that area.

Basically awanted to know is if the CIC required any type of tax transcripts etc as part of the application? If they don't, I'll worry about correcting it after. But if they do, obviously that is something I will need to amend before sending.

I will have letters of intent from several friends or family saying we would be staying with them until we found a place to rent etc. In an ideal world, I could get re-hired at my old job too. If we're lucky, and we could find a place to rent, my friends would be willing to check it out for us etc.

I appreciate the response! I know it's kind of a weird question.

 

[justfromerica]

Sorry wish I knew more just thought I could share what I knew and give you a bump, no one is replying to my question either so I wanted to help.

I just saw your thread. I'm curious to know the answer as well.

I am very well informed in American immigration haha just not Canadian, it's a very different process.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Include a letter of explanation that you have been outside of Canada for several years and therefore don't have an Option C/NOA from Canada. You can include a copy of your US tax return instead.

 

[cheng9999]

I called the CRA shortly after I made this and spoke to someone and they basically said if I wanted to change my status I would mail something stating that on such date I became a non-resident to Canada etc and then they would basically default my 2014 tax return as if I was an emigrant in the US at that time and not required to file. My 2013 tax return is still technically okay because I worked for half the year and the 6 month expiry (of how long you can visit) ended in the beginning of 2014 so I was technically a non-resident starting in 2014. They said I could said that letter to Ottawa and I'd owe whatever GST/HST credits I got during that time, or if once I come back to Canada and starting working again etc and filed correctly next year, the 2014 return would just stay incorrect.

The CRA rep basically said they could not discuss immigration status or requirements/they weren't informed in that area.

Basically awanted to know is if the CIC required any type of tax transcripts etc as part of the application? If they don't, I'll worry about correcting it after. But if they do, obviously that is something I will need to amend before sending.

I will have letters of intent from several friends or family saying we would be staying with them until we found a place to rent etc. In an ideal world, I could get re-hired at my old job too. If we're lucky, and we could find a place to rent, my friends would be willing to check it out for us etc.

I appreciate the response! I know it's kind of a weird question.

If you are in Canada having filed taxes, it's easiest for CIC to look at your filings to understand you financial situation, that you can support your family. Even though there is no income requirement, you all cannot go on welfare.

If you are outside Canada and have not filed any Canadian tax returns, then you can supply whatever information you have to fill in this gap of information...it could be you US filing, your payroll for the past months/years, etc. For example, in the checklist which asks for Printout C, I wrote "tax non-resident, no Canadian filing...please see attached income information in lieu of Printout C requirement". Instead of saying N/A, I put down something as not to leave a hole in this checkbox.

The part about family holing you up, that's part of the plan in relocation. Some people already have arranged place to live, others not...so friends/family vouching to support you in this way (whether they do so in the end or whether you actually end up staying with them would be entirely different matter...after all, situations change over the next 9-12 months, right?) would again address yet another doubt in CIC's mind of your ability/intention to move back with the applicant.