Citizenship with the intention to leave

[redeemedson 0]

Hello, this may be an odd or maybe disliked question, but my wife and I are planning on moving to Canada in the next year. I immigrated here about 5 years ago and have been living as a permanent resident since. My wife and I are planning on moving to Canada in about a years time, and filing my wife's Canadian application in a month. I'm looking into obtaining American citizenship before leaving, and would be filing my citizenship forms at the same time that my wife files her residency papers for Canada. My question is, is there a possibility of filing these forms at the same time going to cause conflict? Could I be denied citizenship on the basis that I may leave?

Any wisdom helps, and thank you!

ps- I love America!

[Shub 78]

USCIS won't know your wife applied for immigration benefits in Canada, and if they knew, they wouldn't care. You can get your citizenship, leave and never set foot in the US again if you so choose. Of course you'll still have to file a federal tax return every year.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

But you will be obligated to file taxes every year

[redeemedson 0]

Appreciate the advice. I didn't think they would care, but I want to try not to cause a fuss if not needed. I've heard about the taxes but from what I can see, Canada and the U.S. have a tax treaty that would exempt me from paying taxes to both countries though I do have to file each year.

[NikLR 13,228]

As long as you don't make over the exemption amount anyhow.

But you should get your citizenship. However, I'd stay in the USA to do it. (Unlike the USA you and your wife can move to Canada together and do all the work you need from there vs waiting it out in the USA. )

[BigDaddy28 228]

I just want to give you a warning, if you apply for residency before you become a citizen in the US you want be eligible for citizenshIp. Canada doesn't hold such info from the US and same with the US. I hope you are moving after you are become a citizen moving before that could make you lose residency here. If you become a citizen in the US and you move to Canada the next day, you are free to do so. There is no restriction on citizen for how long they want to stay outside of the US. USCIS didn't care About your wife since she is a citizen. In the citizenship application the light is focused on you and a little bit about marriage union. But don't apply for residency in Canada before you become a citizen here USCIS will find that and they could use it against you. I hope i helped and good luck

[BigDaddy28 228]

I just want to give you a warning, if you apply for residency before you become a citizen in the US you want be eligible for citizenshIp. Canada doesn't hold such info from the US and same with the US. I hope you are moving after you are become a citizen moving before that could make you lose residency here. If you become a citizen in the US and you move to Canada the next day, you are free to do so. There is no restriction on citizen for how long they want to stay outside of the US. USCIS didn't care About your wife since she is a citizen. In the citizenship application the light is focused on you and a little bit about marriage union. But don't apply for residency in Canada before you become a citizen here USCIS will find that and they could use it against you. I hope i helped and good luck

[wrenchguy 0]

Not sure why you want to get US citizenship and then move to Canada. The tax thing is a lot more hassle than you might think. Unless of course you don't need to work in Canada. Canadian income taxes are proportionally more than double what they are in the US. I know as I work in Canada and live in the US ( border town). Any RRSP's or other investments over $10000 have to be disclosed to the US. Canadian mutual funds have horrendous management fees, I know. I finally scuttled all my RRSP's and bit the bullet and transferred them into Roth IRA's. Got lucky with a 2% exchange rate.

People talk about the cheap health care in Canada, well I have news for you, what do you think the high income taxes are for? Fraser Institute says Canada health care for a family of 4 is over $1000 per month. And its about 20th spot in the G40 for quaity/value. Just my 2 cents worth.

[NikLR 13,228]

Not sure why you want to get US citizenship and then move to Canada. The tax thing is a lot more hassle than you might think. Unless of course you don't need to work in Canada. Canadian income taxes are proportionally more than double what they are in the US. I know as I work in Canada and live in the US ( border town). Any RRSP's or other investments over $10000 have to be disclosed to the US. Canadian mutual funds have horrendous management fees, I know. I finally scuttled all my RRSP's and bit the bullet and transferred them into Roth IRA's. Got lucky with a 2% exchange rate.

People talk about the cheap health care in Canada, well I have news for you, what do you think the high income taxes are for? Fraser Institute says Canada health care for a family of 4 is over $1000 per month. And its about 20th spot in the G40 for quaity/value. Just my 2 cents worth.

By all means, go work a US job then and give a Canadian who needs one in Canada back theirs. In Alberta I didn't pay a dime for health care and was paid $4.50 more per hour for the same job I work in the USA; it equals out to taking home an entire extra pay check a month! I wouldn't be in the USA if it wasn't for my husband and the fact he got his dream job. I'd rather not have to fill out forms just to get health care. I think it's dumb to have to worry if I'm going to the "right hospital" or seeing the "right doctors". Oh and thankfully we are able to get good insurance at a good price because I can't imagine how it must be to only get 1/2 your pay check because you pay so much in insurance like people at my work do. But hey, just my 2 cents worth.

Edited January 22, 2014 by NLR

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

The United States and Canada share immigration and residency information freely. What that means is that you can't establish residency in Canada again before you have become a US citizen, which happens once you have taken the Oath of Allegiance and have picked up your Certificate of Naturalization. If you take formal steps to become a Canadian resident again as long as you are still a US resident, you automatically were to voluntarily abandon your US residency and your Green Card would become invalid after the fact.

I do not know the first thing about Canadian immigration, so I don't know if you can petition for your wife's immigration without being a resident there, as it's the case with the United States where you can submit an I-130 from the farthest corner of the world, as long as you intent to establish residency in the US not later than the petitioner.

That's something you'll have to find out before doing anything else. The United States once had a residency requirement, where the American-to-be had to reside at least another 3 years after the date of naturalization in the United States. That's long gone. I still would not bring this up at the N-400 interview, for obvious reasons.

[warlord 73]

The USCIS won't care what you do after becoming a USC. And yes there's the tax reporting thing of course, but any mutual funds and stuff over the 10,000 just have to be disclosed to to the IRS which is a simple FUBAR form you fill out each year. You don't actually pay anything on those investments (I have 2). So you just have to file taxes in both countries regardless if you don't even owe anything in the US.

There are a number of reasons people do this, one of the big ones is they may find living in Canada might be easier for the short duration, but either are planning down the road to move back to the US or always just wanting to have that option. So there is nothing wrong with that and it happens all the time. After all once you're a citizen you can come and go and live anywhere you want without penalties unlike the Green Card...

[Nsp 0]

The United States and Canada share immigration and residency information freely. What that means is that you can't establish residency in Canada again before you have become a US citizen, which happens once you have taken the Oath of Allegiance and have picked up your Certificate of Naturalization. If you take formal steps to become a Canadian resident again as long as you are still a US resident, you automatically were to voluntarily abandon your US residency and your Green Card would become invalid after the fact.

I do not know the first thing about Canadian immigration, so I don't know if you can petition for your wife's immigration without being a resident there, as it's the case with the United States where you can submit an I-130 from the farthest corner of the world, as long as you intent to establish residency in the US not later than the petitioner.

That's something you'll have to find out before doing anything else. The United States once had a residency requirement, where the American-to-be had to reside at least another 3 years after the date of naturalization in the United States. That's long gone. I still would not bring this up at the N-400 interview, for obvious reasons.

The United States and Canada share immigration and residency information freely. What that means is that you can't establish residency in Canada again before you have become a US citizen, which happens once you have taken the Oath of Allegiance and have picked up your Certificate of Naturalization. If you take formal steps to become a Canadian resident again as long as you are still a US resident, you automatically were to voluntarily abandon your US residency and your Green Card would become invalid after the fact.

I do not know the first thing about Canadian immigration, so I don't know if you can petition for your wife's immigration without being a resident there, as it's the case with the United States where you can submit an I-130 from the farthest corner of the world, as long as you intent to establish residency in the US not later than the petitioner.

That's something you'll have to find out before doing anything else. The United States once had a residency requirement, where the American-to-be had to reside at least another 3 years after the date of naturalization in the United States. That's long gone. I still would not bring this up at the N-400 interview, for obvious reasons.