change status with CRA from single to common-law.

[amcpons]

Hi. I was hoping someone can tell me how you change the status with the CRA to common law, we will be living together one year this week.
Someone told me is done online, but then how you prove it? Do you have to print an specific page?
Do you have to call them and ask for an specific paper? Can someone please help me with this, thank you so much!

 

[Rob_TO]

Sign up for CRA "my account" and do from there. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/myaccount/

With CRA there is no proof or paperwork necessary. They simply take you at your word that you are either common-law or married, and what the effective date is. Of course in case of an audit, only then you may be asked for proof.

 

[amcpons]

Thanks for your answer!! So i dont have to send anything that says we changed his status?
Im sorry im just confused since everyone mentions this as such an important requisite!

I understand what you mean in case it gets audited but i do have to ask,how important is it to actually do it?

my partner doesnt even have access to his online account, is all with his accountant and I know next year there would be some extra paperwork he will have to do if he changes his status to common law, so could we actually wait more time to do this?
If i dont have to send proof with my application then maybe will be ok to wait longer to change the status and not have to deal with his accountant yet? hope i can get help to understand this betther and thank you sooo much!

 

[srfheat]

My partner had done her taxes through an accountant for the past few years.

It was fairly straightforward to register for the online access and change the status from there. Just needed to input my name and SIN number from what I remember. We then just took a screenshot of the page confirming the change with the effective date, which we will include with our application.

Good luck.

 

[Ponga]

My partner had done her taxes through an accountant for the past few years.

It was fairly straightforward to register for the online access and change the status from there. Just needed to input my name and SIN number from what I remember. We then just took a screenshot of the page confirming the change with the effective date, which we will include with our application.

Good luck.

IMHO, this could be problematic, if the effective date differs from the date that you are claiming to have been deemed common-law on your PR application. Most people have an "oh no...I had no idea that this should be changed" until long after they have in fact already been in a common-law relationship.



AFAIK, there's no need to include this with your application.

 

[Rob_TO]

Thanks for your answer!! So i dont have to send anything that says we changed his status?

To the CRA, no.

If you want to show that you changed tax status to common-law as proof in your PR application to CIC, then you can take a screen shot of the "my account" page that shows new common-law status and the effective date.

If you don't want to sign up for "my account", then I believe you can also change your status to common-law with CRA by sending them a form: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/rc65/README.html

I understand what you mean in case it gets audited but i do have to ask,how important is it to actually do it?

It is THE LAW. You are mandatory required to change your status to common-law in the year you become common-law, and to make the change effective as of EXACTLY 12 months from when you first started living together.

To not do this, or to keep doing taxes as single in a tax year you actually became common-law, is TAX FRAUD.

 

[amcpons]

thanks for your answers.

So just to be clear, the change of status with the CRA is a matter of tax law? I understand that we have to do it or you are breaking the law. As I understand this change of status has to be done by any other couple that becomes common law in canada, so this is not related to the visa application at all?
Does the CIC cares if we do it? Does giving a proof of it helps the application?

Is it ever mentioned as a common law application requisite or is it just something that has to be done for becoming common law but not for immigration purposes?

I am doing it,and I understand is important, Im just wondering the relationship of this with the actual immigration application.
Thanks!!

 

[srfheat]

IMHO, this could be problematic, if the effective date differs from the date that you are claiming to have been deemed common-law on your PR application. Most people have an "oh no...I had no idea that this should be changed" until long after they have in fact already been in a common-law relationship.



AFAIK, there's no need to include this with your application.

Of course the effective date is the same date as we became common law, which is the date given in our application. Why would it be different?

 

[Rob_TO]

thanks for your answers.

So just to be clear, the change of status with the CRA is a matter of tax law? I understand that we have to do it or you are breaking the law. As I understand this change of status has to be done by any other couple that becomes common law in canada, so this is not related to the visa application at all?
Does the CIC cares if we do it? Does giving a proof of it helps the application?

Is it ever mentioned as a common law application requisite or is it just something that has to be done for becoming common law but not for immigration purposes?

I am doing it,and I understand is important, Im just wondering the relationship of this with the actual immigration application.
Thanks!!

CRA and CIC don't really talk to each other that much. So no, it's not really a requirement that you must change status with CRA to common-law, for your PR application.

UNLESS the change in status happened in a previous tax year, and you then need to order your Option C printout. i.e. say you became common-law in tax year 2013, but don't apply for PR until middle of 2014. When you order your 2013 Option C printout or include your NOA, then if it still says SINGLE, CIC will indeed notice it and question why it doesn't say common-law, and it could be a problem.

And yes, showing you changed status with CRA is a great proof to CIC that you are common-law. You should definitely include it as such in your PR application.

 

[Ponga]

Of course the effective date is the same date as we became common law, which is the date given in our application. Why would it be different?

Why?

Because MANY people here have reported that they have been common-law for years, but only recently changed their filing status with CRA after discovering the need to do so by reading about it here in this forum.

 

[little_apple]

We changed our status online to common-law. As a proof for CIC we printed out our personal profiles, showing names, address and marital status.

You can change your status by phone or by mail as well.

Yes, CIC might ask for it to check if you actually claimed to be common-law.