VintageRacer
Dundas, Ontario
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I have a question about how long Canadians are allowed to stay in the US. I guess I've always just felt that we are allowed to stay up to six months, and that was a US Immigration rule. It occurred to me that I didn't know it there were also Canadian rules about how long we can be outside the country, and that I didn't know if the US rule was 6 months at a time, or 6 months of a 12 month period, or 6 months in a calendar year, or some other variation. Could I stay for 6 months, come back for a month, then visit again? Or if I have stayed for 6 months am I done for some period of time and can't visit again? What about 7 one month stays, returning for a week in between each?
Not thinking of doing this, mind you, just realized I didn't know and am curious.
thanks very much, Brian
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vic46
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
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Have a dig here.
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/nnrsdnts/cmmn/rsdncy-eng.html
Another serious issue is health care coverage. Your province of residence may well have rules about annual time out of Canada.
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jim & pat
avenel nj
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Joined: 06/27/2006
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canadaians i have spoke to told me. that thay would have to purchase an extended policy which is costly. cheaper to fly back to canada for a day or two then buy the policy
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moisheh
North America
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As far as Canada is concerned you can stay away as long as you like. Your Ontario Health does care how long you are out of the PROVINCE (not the country). I think it is 7 months for Ontario per calendar year. The clock does not reset if you return to Canada for a few days.
Moisheh
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Jack_Diane_Freedom
Milton Ontario, and Gulf Coast Florida
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Go to the Snowbirds Association of Canada web site and it will provide all the information you need. There actually is a formulae based on prior year's time in the US and when you need to complete the 'Closer Connection Form' for the US. Agree on the Provincial Health Coverage which in Ontario you lose it if they find out you have been out of the Province for over 6 months.
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John & Angela
Full Timers in Canada, USA and Mexico
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moisheh wrote:As far as Canada is concerned you can stay away as long as you like. Your Ontario Health does care how long you are out of the PROVINCE (not the country). I think it is 7 months for Ontario per calendar year. The clock does not reset if you return to Canada for a few days.
Moisheh
Bingo. Canada doesn't care how long you are out of the country. Stay as long as you like BUT
* The visa limit for Canadian, British and Australian citizens in the US is 180 days. Everybody else in the world is 90 days.
* The IRS has a formula for calculating how long you can stay in the US before filing a US tax return. (easy to google). They also don't care how long you are in the states as that is the imigration departments problem. Canada and the US have tax agreements so you don't have to pay tax to two countries but you would still have to file if certain conditions are met.
* As Moisheh said your provincial health care will run out at a pre determined period. Most provinces are 6 months, Ontario is 7 months and one of the territories is longer. You can deal with this by sending them a letter explaining your situation and why you want an extension. There are a bunch of valid reasons and some provinces are very accomodating. The other option is to get expatriot insurance which will run you from 300 to 600 per month depending on age, deductible etc. If not travelling or living in the US it is quite affordable but gets real pricey if you intend to travel in the states. Google expatriot insurance and you can get on-line quote.
Many people extend there stay in the sun belt by spending two or three months in Mexico and 4 or 5 months in the US. How you deal with the health care insurance is up to you.
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VintageRacer
Dundas, Ontario
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good info, thanks very much. I never even considered OHIP.
Brian
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Don in Niagara
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
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We flew back home in Feb for a week because our "out of country" extended health care is only good for 62 days, but is not limited as to the number of trips out of the country.
Round trip on South West from Phoenix to Buffalo was about half the cost of buying an additional 62 days coverage.
Then again, another reason we flew home was to help celebrate our grand daughter's 1st birthday.
jim & pat wrote: that thay would have to purchase an extended policy which is costly. cheaper to fly back to canada for a day or two then buy the policy
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toban
Canada
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Joined: 10/31/2003
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The "Closer Connection IRS Form" is becoming an even more important document for ALL snowbirds who are the U.S. The form is to be filed by June 15th each year if you are over the days limits. If you are in the U.S for more than 182 days over a 3 year period based on the formula, you are considered to be a U.S citizen in the U.S. for tax reasons. Also,if you are in the U.S. for more than 182 days in a calender year, you are also considered the same. We know 2 people who have been contacted by the IRS about their time spent in the U.S. I guess the Depts are talking and communicating more than they used to. It can be a real mess and hassle I've been told. By filing the form, it exempts you. You cannot file once you've been contacted. The snowbird manual they put out has quite a detailed section on this. Then, the health coverage in each province is another separate requirement.
Toban
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