IO forgot to stamp passport...drive back to border?

[x5-452]

So i went to apply my wife for Alberta health care and the lady says that my wife's passport didn't have a stamp for when she entered the US. I looked and sure enough no f'n stamp. She would have given us a health care number had we had that stamp. I went to the immigration office and they told me to fill out an visitor visa application to vegreville and it would take 3 months to process. Problem is my wife is prego's and due in March. Can't wait 3 months!

I've been thinking of driving down to the montana border and coming through again but after reading through the forum i'm getting second thoughts cause i am taking a risk of my wife being rejected at the border. Does anyone have any advice or path we can take?

btw, we are waiting for the PR process and recently received the AOR. Crossing our fingers we get a PPR soon.

 

[doctorkb]

In theory, only residents qualify for healthcare.

I know BC Health Insurance is really sticky about that -- we've sent in the application but they're wanting either a work or study permit. I've submitted all my wife's visa stamps showing her entry, along with proof that we have applied for permanent residency (a copy of the $1040 receipt and the receipt and tracking information for the application that was sent) but haven't heard back yet.

I hope Alberta is more lenient, for your sake!

I read (recently) on one of the immigration forums about an individual whose wife was in the process of immigrating, but didn't have health insurance when she delivered their son. They have a debt with the local (Kamloops) health authority for in excess of $20,000.

 

[Karlshammar]

Even if you have a visitor stamp your wife would not be given health coverage, I'm afraid. Visitors are not eligible, stamp or not.

 

[patiently_waiting]

Even if you have a visitor stamp your wife would not be given health coverage, I'm afraid. Visitors are not eligible, stamp or not.

To add to Karlshammer's post: 183 days after becoming a permanent resident, your partner will qualify for health care. You can use the paperwork from landing to confirm that date if you do not have a passport stamp.

An eligible resident of Alberta is a person who is:

•Legally entitled to be or to remain in Canada and makes his/her permanent home in Alberta;
•Committed to being physically present in Alberta for at least 183 days in a 12 month period (NOTE: Periods of temporary absence will be counted as being physically present in Alberta. If you are planning to be away for more than six months, contact our office.);
•Not claiming residency or obtaining benefits under a claim of residency in another province, territory or country;
•Any other person deemed by the regulations to be a resident not including a tourist, transient or visitor to Alberta.
http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/Q-who-is-eligible.html

 

[PMM]

Hi

To add to Karlshammer's post: 183 days after becoming a permanent resident, your partner will qualify for health care. You can use the paperwork from landing to confirm that date if you do not have a passport stamp.

An eligible resident of Alberta is a person who is:

•Legally entitled to be or to remain in Canada and makes his/her permanent home in Alberta;
•Committed to being physically present in Alberta for at least 183 days in a 12 month period (NOTE: Periods of temporary absence will be counted as being physically present in Alberta. If you are planning to be away for more than six months, contact our office.);
•Not claiming residency or obtaining benefits under a claim of residency in another province, territory or country;
•Any other person deemed by the regulations to be a resident not including a tourist, transient or visitor to Alberta.
http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/Q-who-is-eligible.html

Actually Permanent residents are eligible for Health car in Alberta from Day 1.

 

[patiently_waiting]

Hi

Actually Permanent residents are eligible for Health car in Alberta from Day 1.

PMM quick question, where it says committed to 183 days within 12 months.. what happens if it is shown they aren't? Do they have to reimburse the province?

 

[PMM]

Hi

PMM quick question, where it says committed to 183 days within 12 months.. what happens if it is shown they aren't? Do they have to reimburse the province?

What it means if you move out of Alberta for more than 183 days in a year, your Alberta Health Insurance will not longer be valid.

 

[Baloo]

Even if you have a visitor stamp your wife would not be given health coverage, I'm afraid. Visitors are not eligible, stamp or not.

A good job really, imagine the queues at drop in clinics !

 

[x5-452]

Isn't having a PR app in process and my wife being married to a canadian citizen categorized as being "implied status"? I've read somewhere that with implied status you can get healthcare.

Also, i did ask the lady at the AHC office and she said if I had that stamp on the passport she would have given it to me. I might go back to the office and verify that she is 100% sure in her statement or else i'd be running back to the border with my wife for nothing.

 

[suenim]

Isn't having a PR app in process and my wife being married to a canadian citizen categorized as being "implied status"? I've read somewhere that with implied status you can get healthcare.

Also, i did ask the lady at the AHC office and she said if I had that stamp on the passport she would have given it to me. I might go back to the office and verify that she is 100% sure in her statement or else i'd be running back to the border with my wife for nothing.

If you applied inland... your spouse can get provincial coverage after receiving AIP. You applied outland so you would have to wait for PR to qualify for provincial care.

 

[prof456]

Different provinces, different rules. Some provinces will cover your spouse if you show a receipt of payment ($550) for the PR sponsorship plus the stamp. Other provinces will only cover you when you are a PR. I'm not familiar with AB but if you say the health admin was going to issue your spouse coverage but for no-stamp, I'd not hesitate to cross the bother again. Prior to crossing, you may want to visit the office and tell them why you want to flagpole.

 

[x5-452]

Yup the lady says all she needed was the stamp in order to give me the HC. I am going back to confirm with their office so i don't waste time and effort going back to the border.

 

[Karlshammar]

I don't think she meant any old stamp. The rules in Alberta are quite clear that visitors don't get health coverage. If you do find an employee that's silly enough to approve it just because she sees a stamp, and doesn't even bother to check what the stamp is for, I say go for it and get your health care!

Yup the lady says all she needed was the stamp in order to give me the HC. I am going back to confirm with their office so i don't waste time and effort going back to the border.

 

[ditta]

Well, I am living in Alberta and visitors cannot get HC. You need a temporary work permit or PR for that. Even if you are on implied status, you are not eligible. I tried as I`m currently on it, waiting for my PR application being processed and my WP extension. They are not flexible. I can show the PR fee receipt, the WP receipt, that I am still working- they don`t care, they need an official document from CIC before I get it back. Do not bother to go back to the border, you just waste your time. Your wife need to wait the AIP to get health coverage.

 

[x5-452]

Ya i'm a bit sketchy on her statement about just requiring a stamp as i've done a bunch of searching around the web. It really can't be that easy but i'm willing to try anything to get my wife on AHC so i don't have to pay the bill when she delivers. I would want to talk to her and a supervisor if at all possible and have something in writing about the requirements and then if it's simple as getting a stamp based on what they require to get AHC then i'll go through all the trouble in going back to the border.