border patrol

Every province is different but some with say a 180 day limit start the clock when you return. So you could be in the USA, return to your home province and then visit other provinces without losing health coverage. The Provinces have chosen to interpret the Canada Health Act so that we get shafted! Tommy Douglas is turning over in his grave. Every year we get less coverage and longer waits. Soon the entire system will become useless.

Moisheh

Ok, I think I have read enough of your opinions. As I see it, the only reason for someone retired and no longer 'making' money at a taxable level to be worried is the health insurance/coverage issue.

We have been filling out that 8840 form for a couple of years and will continue to do so as long as the numbers dictate we should. As suggested, that form is for IRS purposes and possible income taxation. However, if you are below the basic exemption level for income tax, this would be a moot point and of no consequence to the IRS. As a group, we Canadian and American snowbirds are in the southern US spending money that is welcome to the many southern communities and resulting in employment for the cities and states we visit. Most, if not all are thankful for the snowbird migration. We are net beneficial to the local economies as long as we do not take away jobs from the US citizens or stress out public services. The positives outweigh the negatives as I perceive it.

I know several Canadians who count the 182 days and have for several years considered that the penalty free allowance. Some of them have faithfully filled out the 8840 form, if they have income, and others have not and have never been questioned about time in the US. I also have american friends, some with military officer backgrounds, that do not think their government would have much interest in us nor do they believe their government is tracking or talking to our government about our comings and goings. Think about crossing over into Mexico. The Mexicans don't ask us for a passport or anything when we cross over. We are only asked for passports when coming back into the US.

Anyway, I just thought I'd throw out this topic to see what you all thought about this issue.

JaxDad wrote:

John & Angela wrote:
The IRS issue is different. They don’t care how long you are in the country as long as you start paying taxes once you are in the country for more than 120 days (unless you show closer ties to Canada via the 8840 form. Then it’s 183 days).

That’s not quite true. Canada and the US have a tax treaty. Income tax paid in one country is credited in the other, it is to prevent double taxation.

The only issue would be if you somehow paid less taxes in Canada than would be owing on that income in the US. There’s not much chance of that happening.

Truedat.

John & Angela wrote:
The IRS issue is different. They don’t care how long you are in the country as long as you start paying taxes once you are in the country for more than 120 days (unless you show closer ties to Canada via the 8840 form. Then it’s 183 days).

That’s not quite true. Canada and the US have a tax treaty. Income tax paid in one country is credited in the other, it is to prevent double taxation.

The only issue would be if you somehow paid less taxes in Canada than would be owing on that income in the US. There’s not much chance of that happening.

rbcamping wrote:
just thought of something interesting, If you were to go to a Canadian embassy, if there is such a thing, wouldn't that count as returning to Canada and you could start the clock all over?

All embassies are considered territories of the countries they represent.......Just thinking outside of the box.

Can you say that you are ruled? how's freedom looking?

Nope. The (implied) visa is for 180 days out of 365 in the country. It is essentially a B1 visa.

The IRS issue is different. They don’t care how long you are in the country as long as you start paying taxes once you are in the country for more than 120 days (unless you show closer ties to Canada via the 8840 form. Then it’s 183 days).

Canada has no limits on how long you can be out of the country although depending on your province or territory you may temporarily lose some benefits until you have been back in the country for 90 days. Health care, Old age supplement. Some provinces have 180 day limits before you temporarily lose those benefits, some are 210, I think one is 240 and I believe one of the territories is 364 days.

just thought of something interesting, If you were to go to a Canadian embassy, if there is such a thing, wouldn't that count as returning to Canada and you could start the clock all over?

All embassies are considered territories of the countries they represent.......Just thinking outside of the box.

Can you say that you are ruled? how's freedom looking?

navegator wrote:
Thanks for the info on the 14 days of detection, that I did not know that we were told that they are sensitive, fire fighters also carry radiation monitors and those are also sensitive, I have gone through Homeland Security training.

Thanks again

navegator

No problem. Glad to help. Thanks for taking the time to do the HS training. The more people with the knowledge, the better we all are at being vigilant.

Lakeside

Thanks for the info on the 14 days of detection, that I did not know that we were told that they are sensitive, fire fighters also carry radiation monitors and those are also sensitive, I have gone through Homeland Security training.

Thanks again

navegator

navegator wrote:
The next time you go across the border watch the white square box with the dark square glass on the left side, there are three, two up front one pointed down low taking photo of license plate and the other one the passengers and driver and you will see a flash, smile you are on Uncle Sam's candid border camera the third is in back taking photo of the rear of the vehicle with the plate, there are also white plastic looking boxes all on the left side that scan and pic up the information on the border crossing cards, if you do not have one of those they swipe the card or passport, if the passport does not have a magnetic stripe they enter your data in the computer manually, the yellow big square boxes are radiation monitors, they are so sensitive that they pic up on a person that had a radiation therapy the day before and that can get interesting for every one involved.

Big brother is watching on both sides of the USA and the Canadian border, on the Mexican border it is slowly catching up, the time allotted for Mexico is 180 DAYS not six months as some tend to count and forget that some months have 31 days instead of just 30 and that is how they get in trouble, I do not know about Canada and the USA how much time per visa.

navegator

Your statement is generally accurate. The only part I would correct is about the Radiation Protection Monitor (RPM). Radiation from a medical procedure may be detected up to 14 days (or longer) after you have under gone the process depending on the actual dosage you received during your procedure and the type of radioactive isotope you ingested.

BIG BROTHER is watching across many platforms. Since 9/11 our definition and perceived expectation of privacy has changed. Over 3000 souls died that day. BIG BROTHER is doing it's best to protect us from experiencing another devastating event.

Lakeside

The next time you go across the border watch the white square box with the dark square glass on the left side, there are three, two up front one pointed down low taking photo of license plate and the other one the passengers and driver and you will see a flash, smile you are on Uncle Sam's candid border camera the third is in back taking photo of the rear of the vehicle with the plate, there are also white plastic looking boxes all on the left side that scan and pic up the information on the border crossing cards, if you do not have one of those they swipe the card or passport, if the passport does not have a magnetic stripe they enter your data in the computer manually, the yellow big square boxes are radiation monitors, they are so sensitive that they pic up on a person that had a radiation therapy the day before and that can get interesting for every one involved.

Big brother is watching on both sides of the USA and the Canadian border, on the Mexican border it is slowly catching up, the time allotted for Mexico is 180 DAYS not six months as some tend to count and forget that some months have 31 days instead of just 30 and that is how they get in trouble, I do not know about Canada and the USA how much time per visa.

navegator