Option C Printout

[cforney]

I am a dual Canadian/American Citizen, living in America the past 4.5 years

I am sponsoring my American spouse to come to Canada.

Under Supporting Documents, number 17, Option C Printout:

If I have not filed my Canadian taxes in over 3 years (but intend to once I move back to Canada) because I was a permanent resident of the United States and not living in Canada, do I need the Option C Printout or can I explain my residence status?

Besides, I've been calling their number to get a printout and it's been busy for the past 4 hours every 15 minutes I call

 

[screech339]

Since you haven't been filing taxes in Canada for a long time, there is no point in asking for option C print, unless you want a printup on your last filing year, which is pointless. The purpose of option C is to prove to CIC that you haven't been on welfare for the past year.

You can explain in application that you have been living in US for so many years and thus didn't file Canadian taxes thus option C printout of last year is not available.

You will need to show your intent to move back to Canada though.

 

[screech339]

For me, I have been filing Canadian taxes while living in US for 5 years. Been filing it as a Non-resident. So I was able to get a Option C printout of my investment income only of the year while I was in US.

 

[cforney]

Thanks! Yeah I was filing at first during the first few years that I was in the states, as a non-resident.

But when I found out I was moving back (and had a definite date), my parents said it was pointless since I was constantly filing "nothing" since I had no investments to claim, nothing. They recommended that I file a couple years all at once when I returned.

Thanks for the clear up about the Option C. I wasn't sure what they were trying to check with that.

 

[screech339]

Thanks! Yeah I was filing at first during the first few years that I was in the states, as a non-resident.

But when I found out I was moving back (and had a definite date), my parents said it was pointless since I was constantly filing "nothing" since I had no investments to claim, nothing. They recommended that I file a couple years all at once when I returned.

Thanks for the clear up about the Option C. I wasn't sure what they were trying to check with that.

In my case, I wanted to keep filing it as I had a home buyer plan that I had to pay back. Little did I know that I was suppose to pay back all the money on the loan if I filed as non-resident. Lucky for me, CRA didn't pick up on that little tidbit during the 5 years I was filing as non-resident in US. Otherwise I wouldn't have bothered filing either.

There is another tidbit I didn't know. As a non-resident Canadian moving back to Canada, you cannot claim moving expenses on your Canada income tax. So if possible, have your new employer in Canada pay for your moving expenses if possible. Otherwise you are on your own. I find this out when filing my taxes last year. Spoke with CRA agent and everything.

Screech339