Canadian Becoming A US Citizen

First, just want to check if I have the right Forum.

Born Canadian; served 26 years in the Canadian Army, several on secondment to US Army (incl 82nd Airborne); wounded three times from different operations; retired as Major in 2000; have a homestead 15 minutes away in Bullard, Texas (on 3 acres of hills and trees), besides owned residence in Calgary; want to become an American citizen; application for US permanent residency just about ready to be sent off. Need advise on certain procedures and issues. Can anybody assist?

Bumpsy

procedures and issues regarding what specifically? That's kind of a broad question.

Just wanted to make sure this was an appropriate topic for this forum.

My immigration process may be a little weird and not as straight forward as the norm. I receive a CF military pension, VAC (Veteran Affairs Canada) medical pension (non-taxable here in Canada), and a long term disability insurance. I am married and have been to the same woman for 27 years, and there will be no change in my marital status. However, she is a Canadian, born and raised in Calgary and has no intent to become an American. She is though 1000% supportive of me fulfilling my dream of US citizenship (what a woman!). She will continue to reside at our home in Calgary, Alberta and visit Texas several times a year. I would return to Calgary once a year to visit my wife and grandsons not exceeding the maximum amount of time allotted under US Permanent Residency rules.

Currently, I have the application for permanent residency filled out. I'll be seeing the US Consulate office, Calgary, in a couple of weeks. However, I would like to have the low-down on some of the US considerations:



-

Medical insurance monthly costs, and recommendation on a few, fair medical insurance companies in the States.

-My pensions will continue as per normal but Canadian tax will not be deducted at source. The pensions are automatically deposited into a Canadian bank, TD. Can I leave this automated deposit as it is or do I have to switch to an American bank for deposit? If I must switch, and in light of the financial problems amongst US banks, which would be the best, nationally-based US bank, to open accounts in?

-I suspect my non-taxable medical pension from Veteran Affairs Canada will be taxable in the US.

-I would rather go for just my US citizenship and turn in my Canadian passport. However, because of my 'weird' circumstances would it be better to go for dual citizenship? Do I have enough cause to posses a dual citizenship in the eyes of the US? I

do know that they do not like dual citizenship.


This is just a start. I suspect other questions will arise.

Medical insurance monthly costs, and recommendation on a few, fair medical insurance companies in the States.

medical insurance is an independent thing, you'd really have to do your own research. Costs and coverages vary by company, and by State (different laws in every state).

-My pensions will continue as per normal but Canadian tax will not be deducted at source. The pensions are automatically deposited into a Canadian bank, TD. Can I leave this automated deposit as it is or do I have to switch to an American bank for deposit? If I must switch, and in light of the financial problems amongst US banks, which would be the best, nationally-based US bank, to open accounts in?

any income you make has to be reported to the IRS, regardless if it is from a Canadian source and deposited in a Canadian bank. As to whether you should switch to a US bank, again, that's an independent consideration. How easy is it for you to access funds from your TD account in the US? What are the withdrawl fees, exchange rate fees, etc etc etc...US banks are insured for deposits up to $250,000. If you have more cash than that, keep them in separate banks.

-I suspect my non-taxable medical pension from Veteran Affairs Canada will be taxable in the US.

any income is potentially taxable in the US. You're best off to ask a tax accountant who is knowledgeable about the Canada - Us tax treaty

-I would rather go for just my US citizenship and turn in my Canadian passport. However, because of my 'weird' circumstances would it be better to go for dual citizenship? Do I have enough cause to posses a dual citizenship in the eyes of the US? I
do know that they do not like dual citizenship.

once a Canadian, always a Canadian, its not just a matter of "just turn in your Canadian passport" and why the hell would you want to anyway? If you denounce your citizenship, I'd suspect there goes all your pensions and whatnot as well. There's loads of paperwork to denounce your citizenship.

The US does not recognize dual or multiple citizenships, however Canada does, and they don't care how many you have. The US will just consider you a US citizen, and Canada will consider you a Canadian citizen. Easy peasy.

As for your wife going back and forth, you do realize that if you do somehow manage to complete your US citizenship, this makes it more difficult for her to travel freely to the US? She'll have problems at the border when she says she's going to visit her American husband, and they may even deny her entry. Happens all the time to foreigners with US spouses.

Thanks for the info.

I know my pensions are safe no matter what citizenry I take up.

Insofar as access to my Cdn bank accounts, as close as an ABM.

I suspect that my non-taxable medical pension is taxable in the US but I will have to dwelve into that further. I do know that there is an agreement for US and Cdn veterans that either take up permanent residence or citizenship in the other country. Just can't find it anywhere on the web. US Consulate will know.

The wife thing is very interesting. Did not think that would make more problems for the wife to visit. I thought the opposite.

Although becoming an American citizen has been a 30 plus year dream, I may have to settle for something less. The problem as it is now is that I can only spend six months less a day in the US before I have to return across the border, which then I can literally re-enter the States (at least by the book). Is there some other way to stay in the States longer than six months at a time?

Insofar as being Canadian, well I never really was Canadian by values. Americans, specifically in the south reflect my values that I hold to a 'T'. I am also bitter towards Canadians and the years of disrespect myself and tens of thousands of other Cdn soldiers had to suffer through. From lack of funding and support to being spat on while in uniform returning from an op, to the frustrations and poor funding that vets have to live with, to the blinders that Canadians in gerneral put on to see themselves in rose-coloured glass on the global stage. Hell, most people in the world don't even know what a 'Canadian' is. I often refer to Canadians as ostrichs with their heads stuck in a snow bank. Just my thoughts. Enough of that rambling.

Nevertheless, thinks for you help. If you can provide further suggestions/comments please do. You have provided a couple of points that need reconsideration, or at least more research.

CJ

Trust me, there are Americans who feel the same way about soldiers and war. Including soldiers lately! How many have jumped the border to Canada to try and claim refugee status? I'll hazard a guess that not all 30 million Canadians spit on soldiers. A select few stupid people doesn't make the entire country bad. Just those select few stupid people.

And there are a lot of Americans who have no clue about anything outside of their own county, can't name the 50 states, and couldn't point out their own country on a map. They know nothing of the world stage other than what they see on CNN, and only if they have cable. I think, generally speaking, Canadians are one up on that consideration at least.

No one is perfect, not anywhere. The entire planet is lousy with stupid people.

Your green card will allow you to stay in the US indefinitely, (I know plenty of people who've been in the US more than 40 years and never bothered to get citizenship) and may not cause your wife as many difficulties as your citizenship. The problem with her travelling to the US to see a US citizen spouse is that US CBP will consider her ties to the US stronger than her ties to Canada and will suspect she will attempt to stay illegally. I honestly do not know if she would have the same problem if you were only an LPR. Plus, even if your wife remains in Canada, you'd have to file your US taxes as married, and declare her income on the forms. Which really is a right pain in the arse.

I would seriously suggest you speak with a tax accountant familiar with the Canada - US tax treaty.

Again, thanks.

More food for thought.

CJ

Maybe I'm missing something here but how exactly do you qualify for LPR status? You can't just fill in an I-485 and show up at the consulate.

As for taxes, have a read of IRS publication 519, the first few pages explain how to move your tax home to the US. On your last T1 you check the box that says it is your final return. However being married to a Canadian who resides in Canada is going to make your tax situation very complex indeed because that is a residential tie as far as the CRA is concerned.

I don't think there is a way of moving your tax home to the US in that situation, because the US requires you to file jointly but she clearly resides in Canada. So that is going to be a problem, because LPR status requires you to move your tax home to the US. Basic principle of tax law is that your spouse must have their tax home in the same country as you do, otherwise tax avoidance would be a relatively simple thing to do (just make the wife a tax resident of the BVI or the Cayman Islands and transfer all your assets into her name).

Where your pension is paid to doesn't matter, but obviously you have to declare it on your tax return and pay tax on it. (Unless there's some sort of reciprocal arrangement but I don't think there is).

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Insofar as being Canadian, well I never really was Canadian by values. Americans, specifically in the south reflect my values that I hold to a 'T'. I am also bitter towards Canadians and the years of disrespect myself and tens of thousands of other Cdn soldiers had to suffer through. From lack of funding and support to being spat on while in uniform returning from an op, to the frustrations and poor funding that vets have to live with, to the blinders that Canadians in gerneral put on to see themselves in rose-coloured glass on the global stage. Hell, most people in the world don't even know what a 'Canadian' is. I often refer to Canadians as ostrichs with their heads stuck in a snow bank. Just my thoughts. Enough of that rambling.

fuck you bumpsey you american slut.