IR-1/CR-1 Montreal DQ'd private message group goes public CONTINUED

[plvt 21]

12 hours ago, han21 said:

Hi guys, 

 

I did have my interview done in Dec 10th last year in Montreal, but I am still in Canada because I have a couple issues to deal with.

I am packing up and am preparing to cross the border to activate my visa in a couple of month, but I encountered some questions. 

 

1. When I asked to the officer who interviewed me that how much time I have in Canada, he said I have 6 month after my interview. However, I found in FAQ that I need to leave in 6 month after my medical exam. Who is correct? 

 

2. I do have some cash accounts, TFSA, and RRSP. I find it extremely hard to get hold of anyone in CRA to ask about my accounts. I found this is FAQ

 

' You get charged on certain investment accounts if you are not a resident of Canada (e.g. TFSA, RRSP, RESP, etc)'  

 

From my research in google, it says 

 

Any individual that is a non-resident of Canada who has a valid SIN and who is 18 years of age or older is also eligible to open a TFSA. However, any contributions made while a non-resident will be subject to a 1% tax for each month the contribution stays in the account.Jan. 25, 2021

If you hold a TFSA when you leave Canada, you can keep it and continue to benefit from the exemption from Canadian tax on investment income and withdrawals. However, you cannot contribute to your TFSA while you are a non-resident of Canada, and your contribution room will not increase.Jan. 18, 2021

 

I would like to keep all my accounts if possible. Does one of you have any experience?  even with RRSP? 

 

3. I do have a vehicle to import to US. I am moving from Vancouver to Washington state. Has any of you have experience of importing a vehicle with no TPMS to Washington state recently through Peach Arch or Pacific highway?. I read a lot of reviews of it but most of them were from different provinces. I bought the aftermarket TPMS in case. I guess I have still 1 year to drive in WA. However, eventually I will need to bring it back to sell it in Vancouver. Should I try Aldegrove or Sumas hoping they are less strict about it? 

 

 

So I've been doing a ton of research regarding this. This is what I've found:

 

1. Close out your TFSA's because you will be taxed on it ALL every year, regardless of capital gains/losses. There is no fee to close out your TFSA. You are also correct regarding the non-resident contribution 1% tax. It is better to contribute to an American retirement account such as a Roth IRA

2. You can keep your RRSPs without penalties due to the Canada-USA Tax treaty. Keep in mind the treaty is a federal agreement and states are not bound to it. Some states do tax your gains. I do know California, CT, NJ do tax your income yearly on RRSP. I will try to find out which other states are included. I personally would not contribute to a RRSP as a Canadian non-resident because you cannot defer your taxes. 

3. You are able to keep a checking account in Canada when you become a non-resident. Be sure to change your address with the bank. If over $10k you have to file a FBAR (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts ).

 

From the IRS website: 

"... you don’t need to report foreign financial accounts that are:

• Correspondent/Nostro accounts,
• Owned by a governmental entity,
• Owned by an international financial institution,
• Maintained on a United States military banking facility, 
• Held in an individual retirement account (IRA) you own or are beneficiary of,
• Held in a retirement plan of which you’re a participant or beneficiary, or
• Part of a trust of which you’re a beneficiary, if a U.S. person (trust, trustee of the trust or agent of the trust) files an FBAR reporting these accounts.

 

I can't offer any advice on importing cars, not knowledgeable on that topic. Hope this helps!

[YYZ&MIA 117]

55 minutes ago, plvt said:

So I've been doing a ton of research regarding this. This is what I've found:

 

1. Close out your TFSA's because you will be taxed on it ALL every year, regardless of capital gains/losses. There is no fee to close out your TFSA. You are also correct regarding the non-resident contribution 1% tax. It is better to contribute to an American retirement account such as a Roth IRA

2. You can keep your RRSPs without penalties due to the Canada-USA Tax treaty. Keep in mind the treaty is a federal agreement and states are not bound to it. Some states do tax your gains. I do know California, CT, NJ do tax your income yearly on RRSP. I will try to find out which other states are included. I personally would not contribute to a RRSP as a Canadian non-resident because you cannot defer your taxes. 

3. You are able to keep a checking account in Canada when you become a non-resident. Be sure to change your address with the bank. If over $10k you have to file a FBAR (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts ).

 

From the IRS website: 

"... you don’t need to report foreign financial accounts that are:

• Correspondent/Nostro accounts,
• Owned by a governmental entity,
• Owned by an international financial institution,
• Maintained on a United States military banking facility, 
• Held in an individual retirement account (IRA) you own or are beneficiary of,
• Held in a retirement plan of which you’re a participant or beneficiary, or
• Part of a trust of which you’re a beneficiary, if a U.S. person (trust, trustee of the trust or agent of the trust) files an FBAR reporting these accounts.

 

I can't offer any advice on importing cars, not knowledgeable on that topic. Hope this helps!

Amazing. Thank you so much for sharing.

[Jay&Sid 211]

On 3/1/2021 at 7:04 AM, bort_s said:

I had my interview this morning at 8:00. Questions and process were much the same as what’s been described previously.  

Was asked a few questions about kids, what my wife does, and what I’ll do for work in the US.  Was also asked how/where we met. 

Thx for sharing your experience.

What type of questions they asked about kids? 

This will help me to prepare our interview.  

 

2 hours ago, plvt said:

So I've been doing a ton of research regarding this. This is what I've found:

 

1. Close out your TFSA's because you will be taxed on it ALL every year, regardless of capital gains/losses. There is no fee to close out your TFSA. You are also correct regarding the non-resident contribution 1% tax. It is better to contribute to an American retirement account such as a Roth IRA

 

Awesome! Thx for sharing your hardworking. 

[bort_s 63]

2 minutes ago, Jay&Sid said:

Thx for sharing your experience.

What type of questions they asked about kids? 

This will help me to prepare our interview.  

 

Awesome! Thx for sharing your hardworking. 

She asked if my wife and I had kids together and details about our kids from our first marriages and if any of them were adults.  I just explained my 8 year old daughter would continue living in Canada with her mom and that my wife's youngest daughter was the only child living with us as the other 2 are living elsewhere since they are over 18.  Just speak confidently.  

[mam521 2,062]

3 hours ago, plvt said:

So I've been doing a ton of research regarding this. This is what I've found:

 

1. Close out your TFSA's because you will be taxed on it ALL every year, regardless of capital gains/losses. There is no fee to close out your TFSA. You are also correct regarding the non-resident contribution 1% tax. It is better to contribute to an American retirement account such as a Roth IRA

2. You can keep your RRSPs without penalties due to the Canada-USA Tax treaty. Keep in mind the treaty is a federal agreement and states are not bound to it. Some states do tax your gains. I do know California, CT, NJ do tax your income yearly on RRSP. I will try to find out which other states are included. I personally would not contribute to a RRSP as a Canadian non-resident because you cannot defer your taxes. 

3. You are able to keep a checking account in Canada when you become a non-resident. Be sure to change your address with the bank. If over $10k you have to file a FBAR (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts ).

 

Before I moved to the US the first time, PWC through work was handling my income tax and the guy said the same thing - ditch and TFSA's.  

 

You'll make WAY more money on your 401K investments in the US anyway.  Mine are doing really well and have long surpassed any RRSP's I have in Canada value wise in a much shorter amount of time.  I'm far more confident in meeting our financial retirement goals in the US than I was in Canada.  

[Tofu 343]

I found this article explains RRSP options very well.  Note that it is from 2017 so may be stale-dated info. Just a good starting point. 

 

https://cardinalpointwealth.com/2017/02/02/income-tax-implications-of-rrsp-withdrawals-as-a-non-resident-of-canada/

[OhSoFaizy 12]

Hello,

 

After my interview on March 1, I checked my application status on ceac.state.gov which was updated today....it says the visa is ISSUED but then it also says that it is going under admin processing. Is this typical? How long can potentially this AP go on for given that they kept my passport? Some people say it could take months? The officer did however say that i should expect my passport in 2 - 3 weeks. 

[Jay&Sid 211]

41 minutes ago, OhSoFaizy said:

Hello,

 

After my interview on March 1, I checked my application status on ceac.state.gov which was updated today....it says the visa is ISSUED but then it also says that it is going under admin processing. Is this typical? How long can potentially this AP go on for given that they kept my passport? Some people say it could take months? The officer did however say that i should expect my passport in 2 - 3 weeks. 

This question is answered in detail in CR1/IR! Montreal FAQ document under visa status post interview. 

Here is link. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k927pE5wqzTN5n0lPYZ1JQxgbmnzmNWX5hSteyii0BY/edit

[Abhikochar 102]

Hey guys, we have a bit of a situation on our end. All this while we were waiting for my husband's interview. We finally got the IL in Feb for interview on March 26th. But his Canadian police clearance doc expired in Feb 2021. My husband went to get a new police clearance the day he received the IL, but UPS probably lost it as we still haven't received it. So my husband got another one done yesterday which might not arrive before his interview date. Has anyone been in this situation having to go to interview with an expired police clearance cert? Do they even interview you or do they send you back? I am anxious at this moment. Not sure if we should just wait and keep this Interview date and mail the consulate the new police clearance after the interview is done or should we ask for another interview date? 

Please advise your thoughts if anyone has gone through this situation. 

[LisaD1234 28]

1 hour ago, Abhikochar said:

Hey guys, we have a bit of a situation on our end. All this while we were waiting for my husband's interview. We finally got the IL in Feb for interview on March 26th. But his Canadian police clearance doc expired in Feb 2021. My husband went to get a new police clearance the day he received the IL, but UPS probably lost it as we still haven't received it. So my husband got another one done yesterday which might not arrive before his interview date. Has anyone been in this situation having to go to interview with an expired police clearance cert? Do they even interview you or do they send you back? I am anxious at this moment. Not sure if we should just wait and keep this Interview date and mail the consulate the new police clearance after the interview is done or should we ask for another interview date? 

Please advise your thoughts if anyone has gone through this situation. 

I've seen this answered here lots of times.  They will just have you provide a updated one after the interview.  Not a huge deal, just delays your process a bit.  No need to cancel the appointment, I would still go, you've waited long enough! 

[darth vader 133]

2 hours ago, Abhikochar said:

Hey guys, we have a bit of a situation on our end. All this while we were waiting for my husband's interview. We finally got the IL in Feb for interview on March 26th. But his Canadian police clearance doc expired in Feb 2021. My husband went to get a new police clearance the day he received the IL, but UPS probably lost it as we still haven't received it. So my husband got another one done yesterday which might not arrive before his interview date. Has anyone been in this situation having to go to interview with an expired police clearance cert? Do they even interview you or do they send you back? I am anxious at this moment. Not sure if we should just wait and keep this Interview date and mail the consulate the new police clearance after the interview is done or should we ask for another interview date? 

Please advise your thoughts if anyone has gone through this situation. 

Keep the interview appointment. Explain that you have ordered new police certificate. You will get a 221g for the Canadian police certificate, which you can upload after the interview (the 221g letter will tell you how and where to upload it). You will have to wait a bit after submitting the police certificate for visa approval (could be a few days or few weeks), but cancelling the interview would also result in waiting, and if the interviews are suspended again you may have to wait a long time. Keeping the current interview seems most prudent thing you can do.

Edited March 4, 2021 by darth vader

[BunyanP 89]

13 hours ago, OhSoFaizy said:

Hello,

 

After my interview on March 1, I checked my application status on ceac.state.gov which was updated today....it says the visa is ISSUED but then it also says that it is going under admin processing. Is this typical? How long can potentially this AP go on for given that they kept my passport? Some people say it could take months? The officer did however say that i should expect my passport in 2 - 3 weeks. 

Mine has been saying that since the day of my interview in Feb 26th. Saw 2 people get theirs back on Monday (interview 24 and 26th.) I was also told 2-3 weeks , but of course knowing some have had it that fast is making me impatient lol. 

[MTLSINGHZ 26]

@Hawk Riders hope you’re doin well can you please add me on the ir1/cr1 chart (MONTREAL) i was DQ’D on 06 NOV 2020 thanks!!!

[T&S_MTL 113]

15 minutes ago, MTLSINGHZ said:

@Hawk Riders hope you’re doin well can you please add me on the ir1/cr1 chart (MONTREAL) i was DQ’D on 06 NOV 2020 thanks!!!

You ll have to fill your timeline to get access to it, this is the only requirement 😊

[Hawk Riders 814]

1 hour ago, MTLSINGHZ said:

@Hawk Riders hope you’re doin well can you please add me on the ir1/cr1 chart (MONTREAL) i was DQ’D on 06 NOV 2020 thanks!!!

 

1 hour ago, T&S_MTL said:

You ll have to fill your timeline to get access to it, this is the only requirement 😊

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=384125 @MTLSINGHZ