US outland applicants' thread :)

[rockgurl1965]

Have a question, I immigrating to Canada, Lord willing, sometime early next year depending on how long the paper work takes. I will be 62, I am filing for SS in november of this year and having my funds direct deposit to Canadian bank. my question is , when I turn 65 do i have to sign up for Medicare even though I will be living in Canada. thank you

 

[kawai103]

technically you are supposed to change your registration/plates and license to the province you reside in after 60 days of becoming PR. After that, I believe it is technically illegal to be driving you car if you have not changed everything over by then. How much they crack down on this I don't know.

Thanks for the reply. But what if I still need to go back and forth to the states like twice a month since I still have a property there?

 

[kawai103]

Quebec allows you to drive it plated in New York for 6 months at a time, to account for the visitor visa you typically get at the border when visiting from the states. I know a PRs/Canadian citizen couple who make sure to flagpole the car at least every six months and maintain insurance on it through a residential address they have in Florida. It's pretty common for snowbirds to do this as well, since registration and insurance and fees are so much cheaper down south. The people I know sometimes get harassed by CBSA for their Florida plates but it's never been a huge problem for them.

My insurance company (GEICO) sent me a Canada-specific insurance ID card and I've had no issues with them at all. My truck and my insurance policy are registered in New York State, and it's all been fine for me. Even called roadside assistance once and they happily sent a tow truck from a company in Montreal.

Did you land it to Canada yet?
I don't know if it will cause a problem like changing my NY driver license to a Canadian one after I sell my property in US probably a year later

 

[deweysmith]

Did you land it to Canada yet?
I don't know if it will cause a problem like changing my NY driver license to a Canadian one after I sell my property in US probably a year later

I haven't. I don't plan on it, I plan to take it back to Utah and store it for when we come visit, or sell it. It's a lifted pickup, so RIV won't import it as is, and it's also financed by a bank in Utah, sooooo.

Thanks for the reply. But what if I still need to go back and forth to the states like twice a month since I still have a property there?

Many say it depends on where your primary residence is, but I really don't see it being too much of a problem for you. You may end up getting stuck under the boot of a CBSA officer who wants to be a jerk that day, or it may work just fine for you... It's a weird situation. I would say that as long as the registration and insurance are provably current, it's not illegal.

 

[Caribou]

Anybody from end of April/May received SA recently?

 

[missmegan]

Hello! Anyone here in Calgary?! I'm here waiting for DM and bored out of my
mind haha.


App Received 1/26/15

AOR 3/23/15

SA 3/26/15

 

[BeShoo]

WRONG! I have had a temp DL since I came to BC, not sure if it's the same in all provinces? Anyway, You'll want to apply for a Visitor record NOW; especially if your initial Visa is expiring in July, this should be good for a year, mine was! With it having the year expiry you can bypass the temp. and get the real deal.

Every province is different when it come to provincial matters like driver's licences and health insurance, etc. In Quebec, you absolutely can't get a driver's licence without at least a visitor permit that allows employment. (Also, I think it might have to be a year long.)

Also, I managed to get my partner on my car insurance for 6 months, but after that they would not allow him to drive my car without a Quebec driver's licence (which he couldn't get). I had to agree that I would never allow him to drive my car.

As soon as you receive SA (1st stage approval, took around 2-3 months) "Sponsorship Approval", you'll be able to get medical. Again here in BC; not sure why it would differ in another Prov.

BC is very generous with medicals, too, more than most other provinces. In Quebec, they wouldn't accept anything less than a CoPR and of course there is a three-month waiting period from the date that you land. There may be provisions for people with work or study permits. I can't remember because it didn't apply to our situation.

 

[EmSNYC]

Just opened Ecas and saw Decision Made. It took a bit given my history of changing countries I lived in but it feels great.
Thanks you everyone for you help and support, and good luck to those who are waiting.

 

[Majromax]

BC is very generous with medicals, too, more than most other provinces. In Quebec, they wouldn't accept anything less than a CoPR and of course there is a three-month waiting period from the date that you land. There may be provisions for people with work or study permits. I can't remember because it didn't apply to our situation.

Some work permits of greater than six months' duration permit the holder to register for health care as a "temporary resident of Québec." Doing so does not entitle the holder to coverage under the provincial prescription plan, but at the same time those so not-covered do not have to pay the premium on their income taxes.

If I remember the rules correctly, specified-employer work permits qualify as do post-graduation work permits in a special deal with the federal government. Overall, Québec's interest is that you get health care if you "have" to live in the province, not if you just reside there but work (or can work) somewhere else. In light of that, I do not know what the province's policy for in-Canada OWPs would be.

 

[mtn_air]

LOTS of October applicants getting DM this morning, us included!!! Can't believe it.

 

[jesmithers]

Just opened Ecas and saw Decision Made. It took a bit given my history of changing countries I lived in but it feels great.
Thanks you everyone for you help and support, and good luck to those who are waiting.

Congrats!!

 

[jesmithers]

LOTS of October applicants getting DM this morning, us included!!! Can't believe it.

Congrats!!!

 

[Aquakitty]

My spouse got his COPR in the mail a couple days ago (applied in March) whoo hoo! But, AFAIK we received no DM in the mail though, just the COPR, weird? I did request only online status updates and I got my AOR by email, but no DM.
Maybe it got stuck in spam?

 

[Majromax]

My spouse got his COPR in the mail a couple days ago (applied in March) whoo hoo! But, AFAIK we received no DM in the mail though, just the COPR, weird? I did request only online status updates and I got my AOR by email, but no DM.
Maybe it got stuck in spam?

DM refers to "decision made" in the online application status. Visa offices do not announce these status changes by e-mail.

 

[Aquakitty]

Oh ok, I assumed it meant people were sent a letter. I never checked the online status, the COPR came so fast I haven't had time to become impatient yet.