US-based applicants, let's connect here

[chaulong]

I am in Rockville, MD.

Cool!

 

[ultron]

Hi Guys,

I am moving from USA (bay area) to Vancouver, Canada permanently. I am on my H1B visa here and working for a USA employer.

I have a few questions related to my move :

1) I got a job and hence, I will have to quit my USA employer. Is there any way wherein I can keep my H1B visa active? like a sabbatical or any other arrangements? This is for the future back door if in case!

2) I may not have any valid visa to re-enter the USA and hence, please let me know the things which I must take care before migrating to Canada. (things which are better to finish / should have been done before moving to Canada like financial or Tax related or investment or purchasing stuff or collecting any important documents from employer / IRS / banks / financial institutes / California state )

3) I have my bank accounts with chase and Citi with funds in it. I am planning to keep my accounts active and thinking of transferring my funds on a need basis and not dumping all funds to Canada in one go. Is this recommended? Will I have any trouble in the future for transferring my funds to Canada from us if I am not living in USA anymore?

4) For funds transfer, suggest good methods or applications? like bank transfer or Xoom etc.

5) Do I need to declare my funds which are in US bank at the customs and border? I am planning to take a handful of money like ~2k CAD. But for the other funds, I am planning to transfer as and when needed. So for each time when I transfer, do I need to declare/get permission from any authority?

6) what are good banks to open savings / checking account? also good credit cards?

7) Any way to transfer my credit score of US to Canada or do I need to start with a clean slate?

8) From my current employer, what documents do I need to collect before/after my leaving other than experience letter and payslips?

9) What should I do with my 401k account with Fidelity? should I keep it or close it? can it be transferred to Canada?

10) How about the stocks? should I sell it now or keep it?

11) I found cell phone plans in Canada is costly (may be wrong). should I purchase google FI like plan here?

12) To head start my life in Canada, things which I should do suggestions? like opening a bank account, getting SIN etc.

I know this is a long post with many questions being bombarded but I am sure the answers from the community can help many others like me!

Thanks a lot!!!

 

[dry.00]

Can anyone tell me how long the biometrics process takes at the USCIS office?
I'm thinking about going to San Antonio, TX office for it, and I'm trying to figure out how long I should expect to be stuck there

 

[ultron]

anyone going to Vancouver in this group?

 

[USProgrammer]

Hi. I just found this group post. Planning to do a soft landing at YYZ in October. My PPR packet arrived in Ottawa Friday.

 

[Mirapakay]

Hi Guys,

I am moving from USA (bay area) to Vancouver, Canada permanently. I am on my H1B visa here and working for a USA employer.

I have a few questions related to my move :

1) I got a job and hence, I will have to quit my USA employer. Is there any way wherein I can keep my H1B visa active? like a sabbatical or any other arrangements? This is for the future back door if in case!

2) I may not have any valid visa to re-enter the USA and hence, please let me know the things which I must take care before migrating to Canada. (things which are better to finish / should have been done before moving to Canada like financial or Tax related or investment or purchasing stuff or collecting any important documents from employer / IRS / banks / financial institutes / California state )

3) I have my bank accounts with chase and Citi with funds in it. I am planning to keep my accounts active and thinking of transferring my funds on a need basis and not dumping all funds to Canada in one go. Is this recommended? Will I have any trouble in the future for transferring my funds to Canada from us if I am not living in USA anymore?

4) For funds transfer, suggest good methods or applications? like bank transfer or Xoom etc.

5) Do I need to declare my funds which are in US bank at the customs and border? I am planning to take a handful of money like ~2k CAD. But for the other funds, I am planning to transfer as and when needed. So for each time when I transfer, do I need to declare/get permission from any authority?

6) what are good banks to open savings / checking account? also good credit cards?

7) Any way to transfer my credit score of US to Canada or do I need to start with a clean slate?

8) From my current employer, what documents do I need to collect before/after my leaving other than experience letter and payslips?

9) What should I do with my 401k account with Fidelity? should I keep it or close it? can it be transferred to Canada?

10) How about the stocks? should I sell it now or keep it?

11) I found cell phone plans in Canada is costly (may be wrong). should I purchase google FI like plan here?

12) To head start my life in Canada, things which I should do suggestions? like opening a bank account, getting SIN etc.

I know this is a long post with many questions being bombarded but I am sure the answers from the community can help many others like me!

Thanks a lot!!!

You wanted to move permanently to Canada and then again thinking to stay back?

 

[Ash_1917]

Hello everyone!

My husband and I are planning to fly to canada to complete the soft landing process in mid July. Our plan is to finish the landing formalities and return to the US. We will be moving permanently next year.

I wanted to be sure about a few things before flying to Canada:

1. Is it mandatory to get the SIN during the soft landing or can we do that later next year?
2. Do you have to be 100% correct while listing all the goods in the goods to follow form? For instance, we are not quiet sure if we are going to bring the car from US to canada next year. So what should we do about it?
3. What are the other things that we should take care of once we are done with the soft landing?

Thank you!

 

[Mrs. Kow]

Hello everyone!

My husband and I are planning to fly to canada to complete the soft landing process in mid July. Our plan is to finish the landing formalities and return to the US. We will be moving permanently next year.

I wanted to be sure about a few things before flying to Canada:

1. Is it mandatory to get the SIN during the soft landing or can we do that later next year?
2. Do you have to be 100% correct while listing all the goods in the goods to follow form? For instance, we are not quiet sure if we are going to bring the car from US to canada next year. So what should we do about it?
3. What are the other things that we should take care of once we are done with the soft landing?

Thank you!

1. It's a good idea to get your SIN during the soft landing. We needed ours to open a Canadian bank account, which you'll probably want to do during your soft landing so that you can start transferring funds to Canada ahead of your move. In addition to getting your SIN and opening a Canadian bank account, you might want to do some apartment/house hunting. Even if you're not ready to sign a lease yet, it would be useful to see some buildings and neighbourhoods in person to get an idea of what your local rental market is like.
2. If you think that you might bring the car, list it. There's no penalty for not bringing something that you put on your list of goods to follow, but if you don't put it on your list and end up needing to bring it, you might be required to pay taxes on it.
3. Save/print out all important employment related documents from your current jobs and ask for letters of reference from supervisors and colleagues as soon as you feel comfortable telling them that you are leaving. If you are in a regulated profession (I'm a teacher), begin the process of applying for licensure in the province you are planning to move to so that you will be able to start working as soon as you arrive. Depending on your situation, start brushing up on French. There are a lot of job opportunities for people who are bilingual.

 

[Ash_1917]

1. It's a good idea to get your SIN during the soft landing. We needed ours to open a Canadian bank account, which you'll probably want to do during your soft landing so that you can start transferring funds to Canada ahead of your move. In addition to getting your SIN and opening a Canadian bank account, you might want to do some apartment/house hunting. Even if you're not ready to sign a lease yet, it would be useful to see some buildings and neighbourhoods in person to get an idea of what your local rental market is like.
2. If you think that you might bring the car, list it. There's no penalty for not bringing something that you put on your list of goods to follow, but if you don't put it on your list and end up needing to bring it, you might be required to pay taxes on it.
3. Save/print out all important employment related documents from your current jobs and ask for letters of reference from supervisors and colleagues as soon as you feel comfortable telling them that you are leaving. If you are in a regulated profession (I'm a teacher), begin the process of applying for licensure in the province you are planning to move to so that you will be able to start working as soon as you arrive. Depending on your situation, start brushing up on French. There are a lot of job opportunities for people who are bilingual.

Thank you! Getting SIN during soft landing now makes sense!

 

[Ash_1917]

Also, wanted to know if july 4th is an ideal time to complete the landing formalities in Canada. We are planning to fly to Canada on July 3rd complete the landing formalities and fly back on July 6th or 7th.

 

[21Goose]

Also, wanted to know if july 4th is an ideal time to complete the landing formalities in Canada. We are planning to fly to Canada on July 3rd complete the landing formalities and fly back on July 6th or 7th.

Yeah that should be fine. Canada Day weekend will be over by July 3rd.

 

[Ash_1917]

Yeah that should be fine. Canada Day weekend will be over by July 3rd.

Thank you!

 

[D-source]

Hi All,
I have a question about submitting passports once we get the PPR. My child is a US citizen, where as my wife and I are Indian citizens. We received the PPR and are in the process of sending the passports.

For my son, who has US passport, do we need to submit the photo page of passport only and NOT actual passport? Also, which passport pages photocopy required to be send.

Have any of you done the same for your child, or did you submit the Passport as well?

Many Thanks!

 

[USProgrammer]

PPR email says:

· If you are holder of passport(s) from countries whose citizens need an eTA to travel to Canada or a holder of passport(s) from the United States, you will need to submit one photocopy of the photo page and any pages containing amendments of the passport for you and for each accompanying family member. Please do not send your original passport(s). Your passport(s) should be valid for at least 6 months.

I'd say the baby should just send the passport copy like I had to do. I just did a color copy of the biographical (photo) page. I don't have any "amendments" and I doubt your baby does either. I think on a US passport they would be on pages 26-28 or something.

 

[lampbreaker]

Hi All,
I have a question about submitting passports once we get the PPR. My child is a US citizen, where as my wife and I are Indian citizens. We received the PPR and are in the process of sending the passports.

For my son, who has US passport, do we need to submit the photo page of passport only and NOT actual passport? Also, which passport pages photocopy required to be send.

Have any of you done the same for your child, or did you submit the Passport as well?

Many Thanks!

Photocopy of data page only.