moving to US

[landa 1]

My wife has filed for cr1, I have a disability and require many medications. All of my medications are covered by msp if i move to us i will lose my residency and won't be able to get my meds? is there anything i can do to move to us and still have a status in canada. is there any requirements?

[SapphireDreams 71]

You cannot keep residency in 2 countries. Either you move to the U.S. and become a U.S. resident and forfeit your Canadian benefits like your health benefits or you stay in Canada.

Sorry

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

You cannot keep residency in 2 countries. Either you move to the U.S. and become a U.S. resident and forfeit your Canadian benefits like your health benefits or you stay in Canada.

Sorry

SD is correct

Unfortunately.

Is there any way your wife can move to Canada?

[landa 1]

You cannot keep residency in 2 countries. Either you move to the U.S. and become a U.S. resident and forfeit your Canadian benefits like your health benefits or you stay in Canada.

Sorry

If she comes here we'll both be unemployed, she has a good job there and will lose all the benefits she has, she would have to start all over again. i don't have work issue but stupid medicals issue. tough situation

[SapphireDreams 71]

Would you be able to get health insurance through her employer? Might be a bit expensive, but less expensive then outright purchasing the medication or having her be unemployed in Canada.

Definitely a tough situation.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

Would you be able to get health insurance through her employer? Might be a bit expensive, but less expensive then outright purchasing the medication or having her be unemployed in Canada.

Definitely a tough situation.

This would work but remember it may take some waiting time to get on it.

I live in New Jersey and I applied for my SSN almost 6 weeks ago and I cannot get on my husbands medical insurance without a SSN. So I'm here, not covered.

Hopefully where you are moving it's quicker, some get a SSN within 2 weeks and under after applying. (Wait approximately 2 weeks after entry then go to your local SSN office and apply)

I would stock up on meds before you move just in case you have to wait a little longer. If you can get on your wife's insurance without a SSN, all the better.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Cr-1 usually get their SSN fairly quickly!!

[landa 1]

Would you be able to get health insurance through her employer? Might be a bit expensive, but less expensive then outright purchasing the medication or having her be unemployed in Canada.

Definitely a tough situation.

This would work but remember it may take some waiting time to get on it.

I live in New Jersey and I applied for my SSN almost 6 weeks ago and I cannot get on my husbands medical insurance without a SSN. So I'm here, not covered.

Hopefully where you are moving it's quicker, some get a SSN within 2 weeks and under after applying. (Wait approximately 2 weeks after entry then go to your local SSN office and apply)

I would stock up on meds before you move just in case you have to wait a little longer. If you can get on your wife's insurance without a SSN, all the better.

what are the chances of me being covered by her medical insurance since i have a disability? i thought no insurance company will look at you if you have a medical condition. i forgot to mention, i had health care insurance when i was working before my disability which covers me for meds up to 2500 a year will that affect with the move?

[Caladan 19]

If her insurance is through a group plan from her employer, she'll be able to add you and your pre-existing condition won't be a problem. You will need to get a SSN, usually, before she would be able to add you to her plan. You'll have to read up on the details of her policy through work; every policy varies. But on the assumption that you two marry, and her plan is through work, and it covers prescriptions, she'd be able to add you and you could get your meds through that plan here.

[Reba 2]

Are you a Canadian citizen, or Canadian LPR?

If you're already on disability, you can continue your Canadian disability payments from the federal government no matter where you're living AFAIK. Talk to them before your immigration interview and work out how the payments will be continued.

As for getting on your wife's insurance in the US, it really depends on the plan she's got, no one here can answer your questions, only the plan adminstrator could. She'll have to talk to them to find out if you're eligible, and how much the premiums would be.

[Wis-Can 0]

You might want to check this website out. You will have to copy and paste it. But YOU CAN be a citizen of two countries. Canada and the US both recognize dual citzenship, they don't encourage it as there are issues with it, taxation etc. You can still maintain your rights to certain social programs such as pensions etc. I am not sure what your disability is, but mine is from a work related accident. I receive a partial pension for it. When I eventually, hopefully get our K-1 Visa, my entitlement does not stop because I move to the US. My monthly cheque will continue, I just have to maintain the Canadian Bank Account. I've checked this with both a lawyer, and the WCB in my province. Regardless of where in the world I live, the accident happened in Canada and as such will be paid from there. This includes for me, any medicines, and other expenses related to the injury. Again, I do not know what your particular situation is. It sounds though, as her moving to Canada would be a better option for you both. If she has to end up covering your medical expenses, good job or not, it won't be long before it will be too much for the both of you. Anyways, I wish you both well. Take care,

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/pubs/dual_citizenship-en.asp#1

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Dual citizenship is different than dual residency. You can only be resident in one country at a time. If you retain residential ties to Canada then that negates your US green card and you are not considered a US resident and must leave the country after a maximum of a 6 month time period within the US. If you are resident in the US you cannot receive Provincial health coverage. If you are in receipt of a CPP Disability pension you can still receive that pension although there is a foreign tax issue involved. If you are in receipt of a private pension you will need to check the fine print on the coverage to see if it extends outside of Canada and how to make a claim for non-Canadian prescriptions.

Bring with you a copy of your medical records as well as proof of your medical insurance coverage if you relocate to the US. Your wife's employment health insurance will probably have an existing condition clause that disallows coverage for a specific rate of time UNLESS you can prove you have been covered by insurance immediately preceding the US application for inclusion. Your wife needs to check into what is involved in adding you to her work insurance. Many require a SSN as well as offer a limited 'window' of opportunity in which to add someone - ie. 30 days after a life changing events like marriage or birth, or immediately prior to the anniversary of the policy's renewal.

If you plan ahead you should be able to put something into place. You definitely don't want to be living in the US with a medical condition and no medical insurance coverage.

Good luck.

Edited September 26, 2008 by Kathryn41

[Wis-Can 0]

Dual citizenship is different than dual residency. You can only be resident in one country at a time. If you retain residential ties to Canada then that negates your US green card and you are not considered a US resident and must leave the country after a maximum of a 6 month time period within the US. If you are resident in the US you cannot receive Provincial health coverage. If you are in receipt of a CPP Disability pension you can still receive that pension although there is a foreign tax issue involved. If you are in receipt of a private pension you will need to check the fine print on the coverage to see if it extends outside of Canada and how to make a claim for non-Canadian prescriptions.

Bring with you a copy of your medical records as well as proof of your medical insurance coverage if you relocate to the US. Your wife's employment health insurance will probably have an existing condition clause that disallows coverage for a specific rate of time UNLESS you can prove you have been covered by insurance immediately preceding the US application for inclusion. Your wife needs to check into what is involved in adding you to her work insurance. Many require a SSN as well as offer a limited 'window' of opportunity in which to add someone - ie. 30 days after a life changing events like marriage or birth, or immediately prior to the anniversary of the policy's renewal.

If you plan ahead you should be able to put something into place. You definitely don't want to be living in the US with a medical condition and no medical insurance coverage.

Good luck.

If you go back and read my post, you will see I wrote dual citizenship, not residency. I plan on keeping my house here in Canada which is why I would go the dual citizenship route. Some social programs may be available to the original poster if he were to go the dual citizenship route, which is what I was saying,... that's all. Since I don't know the details of his disability its hard to comment on whether he was entitled to coverage or not, and from who. I am very lucky as my disability pension continues no matter where I live. I have a friend, who was married to a man in Texas, who came home for medical treatment as they just couldn't afford it. She stayed a green card holder and didn't want to do the naturilization route. Its hard to comment when you get so few details....hopefully with what everyone posted he can find some answers...take care.

[melusine 5]

Wis-Can....

Social programs would most probably available if he do have the residency (means he live there) for at least 3 months.

[i am dual canadian and french]

[Cassie 8]

If you go back and read my post, you will see I wrote dual citizenship, not residency. I plan on keeping my house here in Canada which is why I would go the dual citizenship route. Some social programs may be available to the original poster if he were to go the dual citizenship route, which is what I was saying,... that's all. Since I don't know the details of his disability its hard to comment on whether he was entitled to coverage or not, and from who. I am very lucky as my disability pension continues no matter where I live. I have a friend, who was married to a man in Texas, who came home for medical treatment as they just couldn't afford it. She stayed a green card holder and didn't want to do the naturilization route. Its hard to comment when you get so few details....hopefully with what everyone posted he can find some answers...take care.

If you are not physically present in a province for a certain amount of time each year, you will not be covered, citizenship or not. Each province has their own rules and regulations when it comes to residency and covering healthcare expenses.

For example, here are the eligibility requirements for the province of Nova Scotia:

To be eligible for Nova Scotia Medical Service Insurance (MSI) benefits you must be:

* a Canadian Citizen or �Permanent Resident� (Landed Immigrant)

* a resident who makes his/her permanent home in Nova Scotia and is present in the province 183 days every calendar year.

* You must be registered with MSI to be eligible for benefits.

You can keep your home in Canada all you want, but if you don't plan on staying in it for the bulk of the year, you won't be covered, sorry!

Edited September 26, 2008 by Cassie