Bringing my mom here...

[Kev 0]

Hi Folks!

So I have a 10 year green card..been here 5 years and I'm eligible for US Citizenship..Being from Canada I was doing just fine witht he 10 year green card because the taxed around the world for US Citizens kina bothers me i.e. If I want to retire in Canada the US would want me to still be filing taxes,,So 2 questions if you please..

1. Say 20 years I went back to Canada and wanted to revoke my US citizenship for tax purposes..could I do this?

2. On that N-400 form there is some part about "denouncing your foreign country or something to that effect...What EXACTLY does that mean??? I intend to have dual CAnadian and US Citizenship and I know that CAnada would not force me to give up that right with their "once a Canadian..always a Canadian.." motto..but WHAT does that mean on the N-400? Makes me nervous...

Thanks for your time.Appreciate it.

Kev

[Inky 1,111]

America does NOT recognize Dual Citizenship. You are American to them and that is IT. BUT luckly Canada recognizes it, and we are lucky because few countrys do. In the cerimony you "denounce" all other citizenship in order to be American but for canada its like crossing your fingers *in a way* and you become dual and use two passports, one to enter canada and one to enter america. You enter canada as a canadian with a canadian passport, you enter america as an american with an american passport.

To denounce being american I believe you have to move back to canada, file forms and you get an " interview " at one of the american consuls where you turn over your passport and american government documents. - Im not completely sure on this but when I was in montreal in August 09, they had a sign on the door for this stating interview times to relinquish american citizen ship and what to bring with you. Someone else may know about that more.

- Posting in the canada forum might get you better answers since this is country specific as well.

Edited September 2, 2010 by Inky

[v333k 59]

Well, you are looking too deep into it.

1. Even with a GC, you need to file taxes regardless of where you live. You also need to maintain residency in the US as long as you are a LPR. I think you can always give up your US citizenship, especially that you got naturalized and not from birth.

2. The US looks at you as a USC once you get naturalized. They do not force you to give up other citizenships, but they do not recognize other citizenships once you are a USC. You MUST use your US passport to enter/exit the US and nothing else.

[Boiler 46,359]

It is much easier to renounce Permanent Residency than Citizenship.

I guess it only really matters if you are going to retire to somewhere more tax beneficial. I doubt you would have any US taxes to pay if you moved to Canada, Canada would get first bite.

(Canada is not interested in anything you say during a US Naturalisation process)

[Anh map 2,098]

Hi Folks!

So I have a 10 year green card..been here 5 years and I'm eligible for US Citizenship..Being from Canada I was doing just fine witht he 10 year green card because the taxed around the world for US Citizens kina bothers me i.e. If I want to retire in Canada the US would want me to still be filing taxes,,So 2 questions if you please..

1. Say 20 years I went back to Canada and wanted to revoke my US citizenship for tax purposes..could I do this?

2. On that N-400 form there is some part about "denouncing your foreign country or something to that effect...What EXACTLY does that mean??? I intend to have dual CAnadian and US Citizenship and I know that CAnada would not force me to give up that right with their "once a Canadian..always a Canadian.." motto..but WHAT does that mean on the N-400? Makes me nervous...

Thanks for your time.Appreciate it.

Kev

Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) are also required to report worldwide income. http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc851.html

[Captain Oates 911]

You don't have to file a US tax return if you do not owe US tax...

Many Americans go overseas go for years without filing a tax return and there is no penalty if nothing is owing

Renouncing US Citizenship is a piece of cake - ok you can't just file a form as you can with a GC, but it means a 10 minute job at the nearest US Embassy and they ask if you are serious about wanting to renounce citizenship of the finest country that has ever existed in the history of the world (Quote Mitt Romney)

When you say yes then thats it and you are out from under

They only give you a hard time for tax after that if you have millions in the bank and they can prove you only renounced to SAVE tax. If you renounced to save the bother of doing tax forms then thats different and they can't get you.

You can still visit the US on visa waiver after renouncing but you can't buy a gun in the US - that's the only prohibition I know of.

I looked at all this very hard and for a long time before I filed the N400.

Nothing is forever

[NickD 203]

Doing a net search on this subject, learning a lot of retirees on SS are moving out of this country. One key reason, for what SS pays, can't afford to live here. Not exactly sure how Medicare works, but see SS will send your checks to practically any country with exception of North Korea and Viet Name to name a couple. Can't remember the other ones, but places you wouldn't want to go to anyway.

A country like Costa Rica will let you buy property and live there as long as you can prove you have a steady income of a thousand bucks per month. Guess there isn't any country that wants a freeloader,

See on the 1040 if you don't have any other income besides SS or even some income, should be tax free. In this country, every contractor or employer has to submit either a 1099 or a W2 to the IRS or statements of interest earned or dividends also get reported. That is how they know your income. But if you are raking leaves for a couple of bucks in a foreign country to earn extra income, how would the IRS know that?

Its not like I am planning to change countries, heck, already have homes in Venezuela and Colombia, really don't want to leave my grandkids and my wife loves it here. But this tax issue comes up from time to time. Understand the minimums where you have to file are much greater in a foreign country than here. Also understand that crooks don't pay taxes, could become a crook or a politician, not much difference.

[antda 13]

(I posted this before on VJ, but I thought it would help you here too, Kev..)

Hi,

Lol...As a Canadian and have "been there, done that"....let me take a crack at answering this question...

Once your AOS is complete you will have a US 2yr Green Card. And then 2 years later you will do a ROC (removal of conditions) and will have a US 10yr Green Card. Throughout this time, you will still be a Canadian citizen and a US permanent resident, and will travel with a Canadian passport and a US green card. Travelling with both of these documents, you should have no problems.

You can then choose to apply for US Citizenship, based on the 3yr or 5 yr rule (see VJ guides and USCIS website for more info). But this is optional, and you will have to carefully consider such a decision. When you apply for US Citizenship, you will get a certificate of citizenship and will become a US Citizen. And from there, you can apply for a US Passport, as US passports are only available for US Citizens..

Now, as far as Canada is concerned, you are still a Canadian citizen, as Canada allows dual/multiple citizenships and as a Canadian citizen you can still carry a Canadian passport (lol..I still do)...

You are still a Canadian, unless you formally renounce such.

And rest assured, once you have US Citizenship, you can still keep your Canadian citizenship, with no problems.

However, when entering the USA, you are considered an American citizen only, and will have to travel back to the USA with a US passport.

In other words..

Canada = Canadian citizen and American citizen

America = American citizen only

And like someone else said earlier in another post...

"Luckily for you, for Canadian citizens it's no problem to hold two citizenships, so you will always have to use your US passport when leaving or entering the US, and have to use your Canadian passport when entering or leaving Canada. Outside those two countries you have a choice on what passport to use."

Hope this helps. Good luck on your journey too.

Ant

P.S. Feel free to join us on the "Canada" VJ forum to discuss more Canadian related issues too....VJ Canada Forum: http://www.visajourn...orum/93-canada

P.P.S. As for giving up your US Citizenship in the future for 'tax purposes'

I think you are going to have a hard time convincing the US government about doing such for you...lol....

Once a US citizen...Umm...They want you to pay taxes if you have to pay taxes....

So I don't think they are going to let you off the hook that easily...lol..

For other reasons, as to why you want to give up citizenship, that's another story...

But frankly, if you are going to be a US citizen and then later on 'cancel' it just doing this to avoid taxes...

Then you're better off not being a US Citizen in the first place...

Why 'commit' yourself as a US Citizen, when you don't fully want to be such later on down the road..

(by the way. there's nothing wrong with still being just a permanent resident..lots of people are just that...)...

Bottom line...Think carefully before becoming a US (or any other) citizen of any other country...As that is a big commitment to take on, and it should be taken seriously...

Hope this helps too. Good luck....

Hi Folks!

So I have a 10 year green card..been here 5 years and I'm eligible for US Citizenship..Being from Canada I was doing just fine witht he 10 year green card because the taxed around the world for US Citizens kina bothers me i.e. If I want to retire in Canada the US would want me to still be filing taxes,,So 2 questions if you please..

1. Say 20 years I went back to Canada and wanted to revoke my US citizenship for tax purposes..could I do this?

2. On that N-400 form there is some part about "denouncing your foreign country or something to that effect...What EXACTLY does that mean??? I intend to have dual CAnadian and US Citizenship and I know that CAnada would not force me to give up that right with their "once a Canadian..always a Canadian.." motto..but WHAT does that mean on the N-400? Makes me nervous...

Thanks for your time.Appreciate it.

Kev

Edited September 4, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[Captain Oates 911]

Just to confirm about US Citizenship and taxes.

You can renounce US Citizenship at any time but it must be done in person at an Embassy. It's no big deal but they will look at you like you are giving up your chance of immortality.

This DOES relieve you of the duty to file or pay US taxes for the rest of your life if you are living outside the US UNLESS

A You have renounced for the purpose of evading US taxes (more than avoiding the incovenience of filling tax forms in)

B You have a large net worth in the millions

You can revisit the US afterwards

The 'follow you forever' rules were brought in to catch billionaires who located to zero tax countries such as some in the Caribbean and few if any on VJ need be concerned with these provisions. Where it applies, it applies to USC's AND GC holders so becoming a USC does not expose you more than you are already exposed.

I am not without a few shekels so I looked into this extensively before filing N400.

A marriage that can never be unwound or a citizenship that is forever is nothing I would sign up to. Heck, even life isn't forever.

Edited September 4, 2010 by saywhat

[Kev 0]

Hey Thanks for all the posts here..appreciate it!!!...Just to clarify I already hold a 10 year green card permanent rez and was quite happy with that status...good job etc...But my understanding is a permanent resident cannot bring a relative here so....The decision to become a US Citizen but I guess I freaked when I saw the "denounce bit" in the N-400(even though I was aware of Pierre Trudeau and the new law in 1977.."Once a...always a Canadian...." .

Apprecaite the info folks..

Best,

Kev

[Captain Oates 911]

Hey Thanks for all the posts here..appreciate it!!!...Just to clarify I already hold a 10 year green card permanent rez and was quite happy with that status...good job etc...But my understanding is a permanent resident cannot bring a relative here so....The decision to become a US Citizen but I guess I freaked when I saw the "denounce bit" in the N-400(even though I was aware of Pierre Trudeau and the new law in 1977.."Once a...always a Canadian...." .

Apprecaite the info folks..

Best,

Kev

I spent a year doing my head in about the USC thing and dithering but I am content with it now - totally. I will still be a snotty Brit who eats with a knife AND fork until the day I die and that can't be changed. I will never feel at one with Pat Robertson and that can't be changed. It's just an admin thing which will work for me. It should be fun and I get the short lines at the airport in UK and Seattle. I will be a heck of a better citizen to the US than Paris Hilton and I will pay all my taxes here and break no laws - but that doesn't mean I have to change my personal values or culture any more than the pizza eating Italians in Chicago who are more than tolerated..

A GC holder can bring relatives in but the lines are like 20 years so forget it. Many sponsors die while waiting and so do the sponsored.

Edited September 4, 2010 by saywhat

[NickD 203]

Topic title is bringing my mom here, but certainly not the topic of discussion. Something I have wondered about with my wifes' mom, don't get me wrong, she is an angel. But has full health insurance in her home country with no possibility of her getting that here at her age. Doesn't want to come here anyway, her entire family is down there, only her daughter is the wayward one.

But wondered about people bring their parents here if they are at retirement age, what do they do about health insurance? Even if they don't have preconditions, still would cost both arms, legs, head, and body to buy because of their age group.

[Boiler 46,359]

I have asked this for years and never got an answer.

I think the ways it works is that you have Parents from countries where there is no real health cover, then bad as the US is it might be better. At least you will get treated for life threatening conditions and you are no worse of for anything else.

If you come from countries who do have national health schemes than moving to the US is just not sensible.

[NickD 203]

I have asked this for years and never got an answer.

I think the ways it works is that you have Parents from countries where there is no real health cover, then bad as the US is it might be better. At least you will get treated for life threatening conditions and you are no worse of for anything else.

If you come from countries who do have national health schemes than moving to the US is just not sensible.

Don't you have to sign an I-864 to bring your parents here? And if so, won't you be liable for all their medical bills? Really, the only ones getting free emergency medical treatment for free that I know of are illegals. Wouldn't be more advantageous to bring them here illegally?

[Boiler 46,359]

Don't you have to sign an I-864 to bring your parents here?

Yes

And if so, won't you be liable for all their medical bills?

No