ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
flames, I joined a beer club this week in South Orange, New Jersey. Monthly tastings are held in a brew-pub, where the brewski's are great and so is the food.

The theme this month was Belgian beers. Good, but too often too spicey for me. I asked if they ever did a Canadian theme tasting and got a blank stare. So I gave the importer a piece of paper that said "Brick Premium Lager." He said it would be expensive to get. I said, "We'll pay!"

brew-pub
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-16 08:07:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
Have run the gamut of emotions: thrill, fear, anxiety, panic, calm. Have gotten everything but my as* notarized and photocopied. Have driven my husband bonkers with my checklists. Have panicked about winter weather in Newark and Montreal. Have debated about bathing suits, since the Hyatt has a pool. Have bitten my nails down to scabs. Now I'll start all over again, only this time with a Sleeman's Cream Ale.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-15 19:50:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
Strangely calm. Or maybe just tired. It's one week to the interview and I've been wide awake since 4:00AM. Toasted an English muffin, sectioned a pink grapefruit, and brewed a pot of Starbucks.

This week-end, I'll give the Notary's seal a workout on the AOS I-134. Am already getting the forms ready for the next AOS (adjust status).

I can't remember being born, but there must have been a feeling of release, coming out on the other side, surfacing for air. I sense I'm getting ready to emerge onto the other side of this journey.

It has been bigger than high school, tougher than a Master's degree, and I've learned more in one year than all my years of book learning. People who persevere through this are fighting to life, because they know it can be good, if you work to make it so.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-12 06:32:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
Today I redeemed my Aeroplan points and booked a flight to Montreal. Also used hotwire.com to get 3 nights at the Hyatt Montreal for $100 U.S. a night, all in. It's one km to the Consulate and a 4-star hotel. After 10 months of celibacy, I want 600-thread-count sheets and room service, damn it!

The wheels are in motion, the countdown is clicking, and nothing can make me feel down, including the neighbour upstairs who wants to have me evicted for snoring, or the "senior graphic designer" at work who's threatened by a writer with a Mac who can lay out a page. I dare any New Jersey nutbar to stand in the way of a woman who's in the home stretch of a visa journey!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-05 22:53:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
I don't know what I would have done without all of you. Even though we never met in the flesh, we share a stronger bond than most people I see everyday at work.

The idea of risking thousands of dollars with a lawyer who probably isn't up on the latest immigration forms and procedures ... well ... But knowing I could ask my naive questions here, any day I had my Dumb Hat on, is very comforting and encouraging indeed.

So, to all of you perenially polite and helpful Canucks, a great big hug. And an invitation to visit Jersey, a very crowded place, where people are sleep deprived, rude, and put cheese on everything. But it's not as bad as California, where there's a class-action suit against a writer who plagerized parts of his book. The complaint is that when people read it, "he wasted their time"!

P.S. Billsgirl! All the best on your big day tomorrow! May you have all the happiness you deserve!

Edited by Jersey Girl, 05 January 2007 - 08:02 AM.

Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-05 08:00:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
It's now exactly two weeks to our Montreal interview. There has been a sea change in my focus and resolve. I'm determined and single-minded, getting all the papers in order and planning to cash in my Aeroplan points for a round-trip flight. He'll be coming from T.O. by train.

I'm thinking to opt for the cheapy hotel so we can spend a few nights together before we each go back to our respective homes and wait for Canada Post to deliver.

Had anyone told me 10 months ago that it would take this long, or cost this much emotionally, I'd have been scared s***less. But like The Fool in the Tarot deck, I merrily skipped along my way, never seeing the perils all around. And we're not out of the woods yet, since there'll be months of AOS.

Somebody needs to write a book. Not about the forms, since they change all the time. But about the stress of waiting, hoping, being apart, falling apart, self abuse of every kind, Canadian beer as medicine, and a deeper understanding of how the other person completes us in all the best ways.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-04 20:02:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
Okay, I'm calmer now, trying to absorb my fate and make the best of things. Our plan at this moment is to meet in Montreal for the interview and then go our separate ways so he can wait in Toronto for his visa. :crying:

But there's a slim possibility I can take off two weeks (between jobs) and hang in the Great White North with him. It's just a dream. Like the one where I drive 6 hours to Montreal and there's no snow in January. Then we drive to Toronto and the 401 is warm and dry. Then we pack up his things and drive down to Jersey with the Rainbow Bridge as POE. Again, the weather is perfect. Okay, maybe I'm not thinking clearly after all ...
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-12-22 07:48:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
F**K it! Who cares about tea any more? I want a double order of 222s!!!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-12-18 18:36:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
Buttons, quit laughing out loud, or wishing me lots of luck or whatever LOL means, and pour me another glass quick, eh?!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-12-18 18:28:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
It's now exactly one month until our Montreal interview. And the scuttlebutt is that we can no longer pick up the visa the next day!

I don't know how to control myself except to pour another glass of pinot noir. It means more time, angst and expense, waiting for the infamous Canadian Post Office to deliver the visa to Toronto! The last letter took 3 f'ing weeks to go from Montreal to Toronto!!!

Please, Santa, I've been a good girl this year and want my very own defibrillator! :wacko:
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-12-18 18:21:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary

Will you be seeing your husband over the holidays?

No. He'll be with his family in Toronto and I'll be with mine in New Jersey. But when he gets here in January, we'll celebrate. Everybody in my family adores him. And he has always been a huge New Jersey Devils hockey fan, so he can see the home games in person. We're looking forward to a nice reunion in Montreal (room service!) and a welome-home party when he finally lands.

This has been a much longer journey than anticiapted, with many lessons along the way. Mother Teresa said it best: Wanna make God laugh? Just tell Him your plans!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-12-03 20:21:00
CanadaJersey Girl's Interview Diary
December 3

January in Montreal is "no day at the beach," as we say in Jersey. Too dicey to drive. So I'll be flying from Newark to Pierre Elliot Trudeau airport. Isn't that Mirabell? The white elephant out in the middle of nowhere?

Today I bought a suitcase in Target. Red. Because Canadians tend to choose drab colours and this will stand out.

Did I tell you I'm a dual? An American who lived forever in Toronto. Never knew when to celebrate Thanskgiving. Always said "Gee, I'm sorry" when I flipped somebody the bird.

Now I've married a Canadian who was born in the Azores. He'll fit in just fine in the Portuguese section of Newark.

You know, it's easy to find Canadian beer in the States. But if you ask for a cup of tea, they stick a mug with a single bag under the hot water faucet.

Maybe I could have high tea at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. It's not far from the Embassy.

BTW, how do you say "Gee, I'm sorry" in French?
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-12-03 18:08:00
CanadaActivating K-1 Sunday
Carla, your life is unfolding and you'll be having new adventures! Don't feel sad, because you'll always have your friends and family no matter where you live. Enjoy!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-16 08:00:00
CanadaVisa Granted
Excellent news! Happy to hear it!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-22 19:51:00
CanadaMY K3 VISA APPROVED TODAY IN RAINY VANCOUVER!!!
Happy to hear your good news!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-23 08:07:00
CanadaVisa arrives in Toronto
It's early days with Montreal's new system, so who knows if visas will arrive this quickly going forward. On one hand, it's good to have it quickly. On the other hand, this new process adds more time, travel, and expense.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-23 22:22:00
CanadaVisa in hand! - Vancouver Review
Great news! Glad everything went smoothly for you!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-23 22:38:00
CanadaNerves, excitement, and anxiety....OH MY!
Cass, you're a control freak like me, which means you're overly prepared, as I was, and you'll have a successful interview, just as we did. So here's a thought: stop checking the documents, because there comes a point where your mind turns to mush and you forget everything you know. Trust yourself!

Also, forget about Craig and his first flight. It's out of your hands!

Plan something easy for the rest of the day after the interview, because you'll be in shock, a daze, a fog. And you won't realize how much you've had to drink!

This journey is a very emotional experience, and when you finally get to the finish line, you'll O.D. on happiness. It's the best part about being a maniacal control freak! Good luck!

Edited by Jersey Girl, 23 January 2007 - 07:58 AM.

Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-23 07:57:00
CanadaThose Idiots at Scotiabank !!!

the previous money order payment isn't showing on the statement.

Not good. Make some calls. There's probably some confusion on their end because the bank drones don't know what to do. Where did you buy the MO? Check your receipt. Call them, too. There may be some sort of insurance if it never arrived.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-05-22 19:54:00
CanadaThose Idiots at Scotiabank !!!

Is there a way to track money orders. I am wondering if one of the payments never made it there?

There's usually a carbon for a MO, but I'm not sure why you'd want to track. If they credited the whole amount to your credit card, then you know it got there.

cmartyn's strategy is a good one, as long as there's enough lead time to pay your card with the LOC and then send a MO for the LOC. It may be easier to send a separate MO for each account. Pay them down regularly. You may want to use your good credit history in Canada to help you get a credit card in the U.S. MBNA is one of the few cards that will check this for you.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-05-22 19:24:00
CanadaApproved in Montreal! My interview experience & tips!
Thank you for describing your experience and giving us an idea of what to expect. Congratulations!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-05-11 18:30:00
CanadaI Married My Best Friend May 16
Congratulations to you both. Sounds like you'll have many happy memories of the day and your family for years to come!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-05-30 13:41:00
CanadaCanada Day Parade in Montreal?
Quebecers aren't big on Canada Day. Their big celebration is June 24, Saint Jean Baptiste Day. If you want parades and fireworks on July 1, go to Ottawa.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-07 14:33:00
CanadaMore Canada Day celebrations
Thanks, Kathryn41. The nearest party in New Jersey is an hour and a half away. But since it's my patriotic duty, as a dual citizen, to drink the better part of a 2-4, I've decided to celebrate at home, getting in shape for the Fourth of July. Gosh it's hard eating all these hot dogs and drinking all these Blues!

Maybe I'll throw a party of my own and give prizes for a game of Canadian Trivial Pursuit. Who is the Prime Minister? (no, it's not Tim Horton) What's the national sport? (no, it's not hockey)
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-08 19:02:00
CanadaMoving to canada
So you're the immigrant! At least for now. Once you're married and established in Toronto, you might apply for DCF and move back to Boston. Then she'll be the immigrant.

Her daughter is the wildcard. I can't imagine a court making it legal for an 8-year-old to decide who she wants to live with. This may be just a verbal understanding between the parents that goes away in the upcoming court battle. You could have a very long stay in Canada if the court makes it impossible to take the child out of the country or even out of the Toronto area until she's 18. Better add 15 years to your Toronto timeframe.

In any case, you're not a K3 customer. Once you've established residency in Canada, you might try DCF.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-09 13:48:00
CanadaMoving to canada
The thing is, you can't just take up residence in a foreign country without some kind of status. Do you plan to become a Landed Immigrant? Is there some kind of Work Visa for Canada? The fact that your employer is in Boston is a red herring. If you live in Canada legally, and have income there (from anywhere) you'll be on the hook for Canadian as well as U.S. taxes.

Or did you plan to do all this under the table? Maintain your Boston home and address, have your salary done by direct deposit to a U.S. bank, and somehow transfer it to Canada? Then you're at risk for immigration fraud, and possibly tax sanctions, and so is your employer.

It could be a long time before your girlfriend's affairs are settled. Do you plan to camp out in Toronto for months or years? And possibly make things worse for her just by your presence?

There's a Canadian girl here in Jersey who married a Yank and had two kids. Her divorce stipulates that she cannot move back to Canada with her teen-age boys until they're 18. She's homesick and miserable. Especially since her kids grew up in the States and don't want to move to Canada.

I say this because you're caught in a custody battle. You're miles away from a K3. When it's possible for her to marry again, she may not be able to take her daughter away from Toronto. That could be a deal breaker for your relationship.

Protect what you have, and what you have to offer. Stay in Boston, work hard, save your pennies, get yourself an Air Canada Aeroplan account, and take lots of trips to T.O. Visit, but don't make any moves. Let her legal affairs run their course and her wounds heal before you make big plans.

Or, are you willing to pull up stakes, move to another country, become a legal permnanent resident, and take on all the tax headaches? That's a pretty big decision when your girlfriend is still embroiled in a nasty battle with her ex.

Edited by Jersey Girl, 09 June 2006 - 12:15 PM.

Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-09 12:13:00
CanadaMoving to canada
Help us understand, cruedog85. You're a USC who applied for a K3. That's what your profile says.

But if you're marrying a Canadian later this month, you could only be considering a K3. Right? And you want to know the tax implications of you working out of Toronto for a U.S. company.

It sounds like you're thinking of hanging out in Toronto (as a tourist) and telecommuting until the K3 is approved. Is that your plan?
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-08 17:17:00
CanadaMoving to canada
Canada taxes people based on residency. If you live in Canada legally, you must file in Canada, based on your worldwide income. (cristy, I'm assuming you're a Canadian and only liable for Canadian tax. The location of your employer is irrelevant.)

The U.S. taxes people based on citizenship. If you're a USC, living legally in Canada, you must, in addition to your Canadian return, file a U.S. return, on your worldwide income.

Income tax in Canada is higher, and once a USC living there has paid it, Uncle Sam will let you off the hook, up to a certain amount of income. That's your exemption under the US-Canada Tax Treaty. zyggy is technially correct in that there's no "double taxation." However, there's extra taxation, paid to Uncle Sam, if you make over the threshold amount while living in Canada. Ask me, I've paid it.

The crucial point is that every USC must file every year regardless of where in the world they live. That's the law, and no one wants to be on the wrong side of the IRS if they're sponsoring an immigrant and showing tax returns as evidence of support.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-08 09:27:00
CanadaMoving to canada

if they must do extra reporting or pay extra taxes

It's you who'll have to do the extra reporting and pay more tax. If you live in Canada legally, you'll have to pay taxes in Canada first, which are higher. At the same time, you'll submit your U.S. return, claiming exemption because of the Tax Treaty. Your U.S. employer continues to give you a year-end form showing your income and the tax deducted. But those U.S. deductions probably won't be enough to satisfy your Canadian obligations, so expect to owe tax in Canada. It's very easy for a middle-class person in Ontario to be in the 46% tax bracket.

You could also be liable for double taxation if you make over a certain amount (around $75,000 USD, I believe). Then you'll owe Uncle Sam as well as Canada Revenue. What fun.

The responsibility to file and pay in both countries is entirely yours. A good cross-border accountant is expensive, so expect a bill for $750+ to do your returns. Also, if you move back to the States, you could still be liable for the killer Canadian tax even if you don't live there anymore.

Moving to Canada is not to be undertaken lightly if you're a USC sponsoring a Canadian immigrant, since you'll need current tax returns to show financial stability. If you've made a mess of it all because you didn't know what moving to Toronto would entail, you could jeopardize the visa.

I'm not qualified to give any kind of advice, but you might try a trial run in Canada before deciding to move permanently. You could simply be a telecommuter for a short while ... a visitor ... a tourist. Check out the job market while you're there, because it's skimpy compared to Boston. Don't gve up your U.S. home and address until you're sure. Like many in Canada, you might realize that it's better to live and work in the States. Canada is great for summer holidays but becoming a PR has many financial drawbacks.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-08 08:12:00
CanadaMoving to canada
Welcome to the world of dual taxation. If you reside in Toronto, and are a landed immigrant, you'll be filing in Canada and the U.S., regardless of where you get your income. There are very few accountants in Canada who can do cross-border taxes. Here's a good place to start. http://www.serbinski.com
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-07 14:25:00
CanadaInterview letter!
Terrific news ... it won't be long now ... enjoy Vancouver ... fantastic sushi!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-09 09:11:00
CanadaWe got our K-1 VISA !! Wooohooo !!
Great news! Enjoy Cloud Nine!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-09 21:00:00
CanadaMontreal Experience
Ugh, Freda, you had a very bad day. But you will get your visa and that's the bright spot!

Many Americans don't realize that 30% of Canadians are French speaking. When you come to Montreal -- or any other city in Quebec -- French is the spoken and written language. It's rude for Americans to expect them to speak English.

If you were going to Rome, say, you'd learn 10 basic sentences in Italian. The same goes for Montreal. If you make an attempt to speak their language, most Quebecers will be very helpful and give their English a try. The best phrase is: J'em scuze, je ne parle pas francais pace que je suis American. (Excuse me, I don't speak French ... I'm an American.)

Of course, if people are spitting from rooftops and breaking into your car, there are other phrases. You may want to write a letter to the editor of an English newspaper and tell your experience.

http://www.canada.co...ette/index.html
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-08 16:18:00
CanadaPeace Bridge, Buffalo Crossing 6/11
Fantastic. Enjoy your wedding day, your summer week-end in Maine, and all the good things to follow in your lives together!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-15 18:17:00
CanadaVancouver Interview Experience (June 9, 2006)
You've had a quick, smooth journey from start to finish, and we all love to hear stories like this, so thank you for the report. Congratulations on your K1 and best of luck in the U.S.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-10 12:01:00
CanadaCo-sponsor I-134 question
Why not make a photocopy of the form they sent and get it in an overnight FedEx? Frankly, I'd rather comply at every juncture instead of wondering why the government wants things done their way. There's too much at stake to start running your own personal programme. (Just one opinion.)
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-19 08:18:00
CanadaOHIP and health care
leolexi, there's a big difference between an international traveller who comes to the U.S. on a temporary, non-immigrant work visa and a Canadian who marries a Yank and comes on a permanent immigrant visa.

If her company is moving to the States, she might resign at the Canadian office and be rehired at the American one. She could still take short business trips to Canada, but her residence and paystubs would be U.S. OHIP, of course, is out of the question, based on residency.

The only way to play both sides is to become a dual citizen. But even then, you can only live in one country at a time. Once she leaves Canada, she'll have to cut financial ties or continue to be subject to Canadian income tax.

Why become a legal permanent resident of the States if you don't intend to live here?
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-20 19:11:00
CanadaOHIP and health care
Thanks, zyggy. I'll remember this when it comes time to get insurance and include my Canadian husband.

As for means-tested benefits ... I read this on USCIS "How do I file an Affivdavit..." It's for the I-130 and form I-864. Evidently, emergency Medicaid is not a mean-tested benefit. But what would it include?

"Currently, Federal means-tested public benefits include Food Stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the State Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP). States and local jurisdictions may also designate certain of their programs as means-tested public benefits.

"The following types of programs are not counted as means-tested public benefits: emergency Medicaid ... "
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-15 20:26:00
CanadaOHIP and health care
Couldn't have said it better than Kathryn41 and zyggy. The other wrinkle is getting coverage in the U.S. When I moved from Ontario to Jersey six months ago, I thought it would be easy to find a full-time job with medical benefits. Wrong. So many jobs are part-time or on a project-basis-only that health insurance becomes your responsibility alone. I still haven't gotten insurance and know I'm playing with fire.

Even if I got family coverage through an employer (and there could be a 3 month waiting period), my Canadian husband wouldn't be eligible when he arrives, since he wouldn't have a social security number yet. At least that's my understanding. He'd be in Limbo, and travel insurance (purchased in Canada) is only valid if you have OHIP. And you won't have OHIP once you move.

In Canada, we pay high taxes and get medical coverage. In the U.S., we pay lower taxes and coverage becomes our responsibility. If someone crunched the numbers, I'd bet it's still cheaper in the U.S. and you get immediate, expert attention. So let's just suck it up and start paying.

As an aside, my husband's co-sponsor was concerned about being financially responsible if he landed in a U.S. hospital without insurance. Seems Medicaid kicks in for immigrants if they need it.

Edited by Jersey Girl, 15 June 2006 - 08:18 AM.

Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-15 08:16:00
CanadaCost of living in Canada? Please help!
If he's considering Toronto, he'll need to add Ontario Provincial tax to the Federal income tax (same chart, scroll down).

6.05% on the first $34,758 of taxable income, +
9.15% on the next $34,759, +
11.16% on the amount over $69,517


While Canadians may see income taxes coming down gradually, it's a shock to someone coming from a country that has no sales or income tax.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-18 18:57:00