Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	approved, NOA2, got it, finally!!!!	Congtats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	M&D	Male	Canada	2009-05-21 14:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Can someone explain me that?	Hi everybody Hi felt all the emotions in this process, happyness, madness, hope, hopeless and now I get frustrated, may be I'm wrong and I'd be glad if really I'm. I sent my application on october 14 2008, I received my NOA1 on november 26 2008. since, I never had any informations about the evolution of my case or the last one that I had, the case was touched on december 1st 2008, I think the case should be out of date, I went to see my congressman on may 1st 2009, they say to me that I suppose that to have an answer in two or three weeks, until now nothing. At be begining of this week I called the USCIS, they said that my case is in the normal procees and I have to call from may 26 2009. My questions are why I suppose to wait the next week to call, because obviously my case will be out of date? Do you think that there is something wrong with my case, and they will wait six months to tell me that? why there are a lot of cases that have been sent after my case but got approved before? (Because thet USCIS say that they process the cases in order they receive them) If someone has an advice about my situation, I'd be very glad... Hope for those who are waiting and congratulations for those who get approved... Thanks	M&D	Male	Canada	2009-05-21 14:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	I'm crossing my fingers	Hi everybody After a long period of time, I call the USCIS today and they say to me, they send a letter to me and I suppose to get it monday or tuesday, I'm so exciting, I can't wait. I stand besides the mail box and wait for the mail man... I also would like to know the next steps. I'll wait for u again for advices...	M&D	Male	Canada	2009-06-05 15:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	working in the USA	I'll be in the USA with a K1 visa, in other to work what kind of documents would I need?	M&D	Male	Canada	2009-06-07 22:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Get approuved!!!!	I finally received my approuval after a long period of time, I`m very happy!!!	M&D	Male	Canada	2009-06-09 13:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	I received a letter...	Based on my experiences, I want to say be patiente to you guys who are waiting a long time ago and congrats to you who have been approved. Last week I received a letter from US EMBASSY at Montreal that tells me that I have to confirm my status at Canada, I'm wondering is that a package 3 or not. Please guys can you explain me what contains the package 3...?	M&D	Male	Canada	2009-07-07 14:15:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	January filers who have NOT gotten NOA2	Look at my timeline!!!!!!!!	M&D	Male	Canada	2009-06-01 19:46:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	I-485	Hi, everyone. First of all I want to thank all of you guys for your supports, advices and your help. Today I was at the US Embassy for my visa interview, everything was fine, I was so nervous because I can't wait to go, everything was fine the office congratulate me for my future wedding. Now I wonder what after that, I'm so happy but I said to myself that there are a lot of road to do, this not the finish line.... My questions for you guys What I'll need to legally able to work in USA? How much I'll spent for the rest of the applications? As I said congratulations for you guys who had been approved and hope for you who are still wainting, don't be frustrated whatever what you need VJ has the answer..... Thanks.... whitout you I'd be very difficult to me.	M&D	Male	Canada	2009-09-29 18:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	How many days before receive a paasport?	QUOTE (M&D @ Oct 3 2009, 11:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi everyone, Tuesday (09/29/02) I went to my appointment, everything seem good the officer took my passport and a canadian Express post to send me my passport and I don't receive anything. I'm living at Montreal and I went to US Embassy at montreal. I wanna know how many days it takes to have the passport back from the Embassy? Thanks... It's not 09/29/02 but 09/29/09... Sorry!!!!	M&D	Male	Canada	2009-10-03 10:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	How many days before receive a paasport?	Hi everyone, Tuesday (09/29/02) I went to my appointment, everything seem good the officer took my passport and a canadian Express post to send me my passport and I don't receive anything. I'm living at Montreal and I went to US Embassy at montreal. I wanna know how many days it takes to have the passport back from the Embassy? Thanks...	M&D	Male	Canada	2009-10-03 10:46:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	NVC Filers - March 2012	Upon suggestion of a VJ member (thanks foobaz123), I have decided to create a FAQ of the most common questions I see here on VJ concerning the NVC process. If you know of a common question that isn't mentioned here, please inform me through a reply in this thread or PM me. I'd be more than happy to include it here. FAQ How long does it take to get a case number assigned after NOA2? As of the last month or so, it's only been taking 1-2 weeks. When (and how often) should I start calling NVC about the case number? Wait a week from your NOA2 date, then start calling. And call every single day afterwards until you get it. What do I do after my case number is assigned? Get the IIN from an operator (ask for the 'Invoice Identification Number', not IIN). Give over the email addresses of the beneficiary and petitioner. Email the DS-3032 (from the beneficiary's email address) following the template linked above. When can I email the DS-3032? Right after you get your case number. There's a chance it could get rejected (because they got to your email before they're ready to take documents), but if that's the case, just re-send it. On the flip side, there's also a chance it could get accepted and you wouldn't have wasted any time. Note: if doing online forms (check link above for eligibility), then fill out the DS-261 found online at the above link. Do NOT send the DS-3032. I got an email from NVC that contains a bar-coded DS-3032 (along with other information). Do I re-send the DS-3032? NO. Do NOT email another DS-3032. NVC automatically generates these emails and do not care if you've already sent in a DS-3032 or not; they include a DS-3032 anyways. Only if NVC responds to your first DS-3032 with a rejection do you send another one. After the case number is assigned, how long does it take for the AOS bill to be invoiced? Usually just a few days. How much are the two bills? And how do I pay them? The AOS costs $88 (per case) and the IV is $404 (per person). They have to be paid with a US banking account on the payment portal (site linked in first post). See information here: http://travel.state..../info_3906.html If you can't or don't want to pay online, here's a link to how to pay through the mail: http://travel.state..../info_3905.html . Help! I can't sign into the payment portal. Why? If you're getting an error message ("Please be advised that the case that you have attempted to access is not eligible for further processing by the National Visa Center at this time…" or "This case is in the process of termination. Fee payments and online forms can no longer be accepted…"), do NOT panic. This is actually good news! If you just got your case number, then this message means NVC is inputting your case in their system. If you get this message a few days after case number generation, then it's a good possibility that NVC is invoicing your AOS bill. And if this message appears a few days after DS-3032 acceptance, then there's a good chance the IV bill is being invoiced. And finally, if this message is appearing a few days or more after NVC received your packages, this is a good indication of case complete at NVC! What is needed in the AOS package? Generally, the following is needed: With no joint sponsors: - Bar-coded cover sheet from payment portal - Cover letter (optional) - Completed, signed, and dated I-864 form by petitioner - Tax information* of petitioner (either just the last year OR the last 3 years) - Employment letter of petitioner (optional, but good proof of CURRENT income) - Pay stub(s) of petitioner (optional, but good proof of CURRENT income) With joint sponsors: - All of the above of the petitioner - Completed, signed, and dated I-864 of joint sponsor - Tax information* of joint sponsor (either just the last year OR the last 3 years) - Proof of US citizenship/residency of joint sponsor (ex: copy of US passport, US birth certificate, US naturalization certificate, or front & back of green card) - Employment letter of joint sponsor (optional, but good proof of CURRENT income) - Pay stub(s) of joint sponsor (optional, but good proof of CURRENT income) If the joint sponsor is a family member, also include proof of that relationship (example: if a parent is a joint sponsor, include the petitioner's birth certificate with parents' name on it to show link) *You have two choices here of what to send in: - Tax return transcripts ordered from IRS (preferred by NVC and of most consulates/embassies) RECOMMENDED OR - Tax returns (1040) and W2s and any other schedules (if applicable) When does the IV bill get invoiced? After you send the DS-3032, NVC will most likely respond in a few days with an acceptance email (or rejection). A few days after acceptance, the IV bill will be invoiced. What is needed in the IV package? Generally, the following is needed: - Bar-coded cover sheet from payment portal - Completed, signed, and dated DS-230 form by beneficiary (do NOT sign or date part 2; this is done at the interview) [note: if doing online forms (DS-260), the DS-230 is obviously not needed] - Two passport-style photographs (2" x 2") of beneficiary (on the back, write: beneficiary's full name, date of birth, and case number) - Copy of bio-data page of beneficiary's unexpired passport - Original or Certified Copy of beneficiary's birth certificate, PLUS A PHOTOCOPY - Original or Certified Copy of marriage certificate, PLUS A PHOTOCOPY - Original police certificate(s) Please read: http://travel.state..../info_3195.html for additional documents if applicable. Also read the country-specific documents linked in the first post. There may be additional documents needed not listed above. If my documents are not in English, do they need to be translated? NVC's website states: "All documents not written in English, or in the official language of the country in which application for a visa is being made, must be accompanied by certified translations and submitted to the NVC. The translation must include a statement signed by the translator stating that the: -Translation is accurate, and -Translator is competent to translate." Despite this, I have seen cases of people getting checklists for not having translations of non-English documents. I'd suggest you get everything translated anyways to be on the safe side. How long does it take for a bill to appear as PAID in the payment portal after paying it? Usually just a day or two. Do I have to wait for NVC to email me instructions before mailing packages? NO. If you wait on NVC for this, it can take WEEKS to get anything from them. As long as the respective bill appears as PAID in the payment portal, you can mail in your package. What address do I send the AOS and IV packages? You will find their addresses on their respective bar-coded cover sheets, which are printed off the payment portal. Can the packages be sent from abroad or does it have to be from within the US? Doesn't matter where the package is sent from; NVC just needs to receive it. Do the packages have to be sent separately or can they be sent together? Either one or the other works. Again, as long as NVC receives both needed packages, they don't really care. Each way has their pros and cons. After sending in the packages, how long does it take to get a case complete? Lately, it's been taking just a week or two. Do I get an email if my packages have been accepted? No, not that I have seen. You have to call NVC every day and ask for updates on your case to find out if a package has been reviewed and accepted. Do I get an email when my case is completed? Generally, no. Only those doing EP (electronic processing) get the case complete emails. There are some non-EP folk that get case complete emails, but it's rare. Again, to find out if your case is complete, call an operator at NVC and ask. After the case is completed, what happens? In most cases: the case is put in a queue to get an interview date scheduled. Once an interview date is scheduled, the case is shipped out to the consulate/embassy. Who should I be calling to find out my interview date? You should be calling both NVC and DOS. Both have access to your case information. Their numbers are linked above. How long does it take to get an interview date after a case complete? This varies by country and consulate/embassy. Some people find out within a day or two, others a few weeks, then the few unfortunate that wait a few months (ex: Ghana). To get the best estimate for YOUR country is to search, using the timeline feature, when others got case completes and when they got their interview dates scheduled. When do interview dates get scheduled? If you talk to operators at NVC, they'll always tell you they ONLY schedule during the second week of each month. This is a LIE. They schedule interviews ALL month long. Many people (like myself) have gotten scheduled during the last week of the month. I repeat, they schedule ALL month long. How long does it take for NVC to mail my case out after getting an interview date scheduled? Usually it's the next day, but it can take up to a week or more in rare cases. ------------------------------------------------------- Please note: the above time frames are just estimates. Do NOT freak out if your case takes a little bit longer. The time frames are constantly changing. They also depend on NVC's work load for that day/week. ------------------------------------------------------- Summary of NVC process: - get case number and IIN, give email addresses over - email the DS-3032 - pay the AOS bill, once it's invoiced - once the bill appears as PAID, mail the AOS package - pay the IV bill, once it's invoiced - once the bill appears as PAID, mail the IV package - respond to any checklists, if applicable - get case complete - get interview date scheduled Saylin! You are amazing! I've been reading over and over your wiki for Canadian! I got my noa2 march 9th! You got me ready ! You rock!	hnewsome	Female	Canada	2012-03-15 21:26:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Beginning of a Journey (questions)	Hello Dear VJ members! First of all, thank you so much for all the information online! This is so great! I was going to spend $3,000 on a lawyer until i discover you! Here is my question: I had big wedding in Montreal and then we organized a reception in Myrtle Beach, where my husband is from. I don't if i should start the process right now (to mail the 1-130) The reception is September 17th. At the POE, all the time: i said i'm going to visit my Husband, they didn't even look at me and said OK. I wonder if because im not in the system? Do you think because i have a nexus card? I'm going to visit next week and see! I do not have much tie to canada... I just moved back after my TN Visa and i'm self employed! Should I start on the process or wait after the Myrtle Beach Reception, My friends all booked flight from everywhere! Thank you so much for the answers! Im looking to spend the journey with you guys!	hnewsome	Female	Canada	2011-08-12 15:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Coping.. How do we all deal with waiting for our loved ones	As in 183 days from her coming here AND me going there combined? I don't think we'll hit that mark though. We only plan every other month for maybe 14 days or less. 180 days in a 365 day period. It translates to 6 months. She basically is required to stay in Canada for 6 months of the year and can visit the US up to a max of 6 months as well. There is also the issue of what her province decrees as residency requirements to maintain her provincial medical insurance or Medicare. Each province has guidelines as to how many days out of the province you can spend in a year to maintain your social medical insurance. Quebec for example is 183 days. The same goes for you 6 months max in a given year here in Canada. My husband has done the once every few months a trip of a week or so for at least 3 years now. And yeah every other month won't do it. Hopefully it won't be long before you guys are with one another! Edited by mirandmar, 05 April 2013 - 07:45 PM.	mirandmar	Female	Canada	2013-04-05 19:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Coping.. How do we all deal with waiting for our loved ones	As of yet we haven't. This is how our routine has been since October October - Visited Canada November - She came here December - Visted Canada January - Visited Canada March - She came here May - She's coming here. So far we haven't had trouble, but I still worry. A big thing is that you have 183 rolling days each to visit one another. That means from October 12 to Oct 13 she can visit you for that long and vice versa, I would just be careful of not going past that. Pace yourselves. (anyone from Canada correct me if I am wrong) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ My husband and I text each other as much as we can every day. We video chat as often as we can as internet here isn't unlimited but it is for him. And we chat online everyday using MSN. We also voice talk at bedtime. We have Vonage set up as well so we can call as much as we can. We've been using it for years. To the Vonage user, they do raise prices every so often but it still is less compared to what we could be paying! We tend to see one another every 3-5 months, as much as our budgets allow. We tend to search out the best prices. Montreal flights are notorious for being extremely expensive, so he flies to Burlington and drives up. It makes the travel cost about half price compared to if he bought a flight up to Montreal and rented a car. Edited by mirandmar, 05 April 2013 - 08:18 AM.	mirandmar	Female	Canada	2013-04-05 08:17:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	just over 30 days no green card	hmmm... SS card does not sound good if your are jewish.... just either use SSN or write it out...  then everyone undestand the abbrevations...   thx	klingsmithj	Not Telling	Canada	2013-12-16 19:27:00
Canada	IR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview	QUOTE (wowswift @ Nov 26 2008, 03:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (sly_wolf @ Nov 26 2008, 04:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (wowswift @ Nov 26 2008, 10:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> interview was ok except they want more proof of domicile. bank statements and voter info wasn't good enough, she wouldn't take it. so i have to sign a lease with my mother now, which is lame. but everything else was ok. we could've left the passport but choose to take it because her promise of after we send everything back it only takes two weeks doesn't fly with me. so sad face today. Curious. Was there any reason they asked for this info? Sly yeah cuz i've been in canada for a while. i did expect this sort of, but i thought what i provided would be enough, but she didn't want to see what i had. but i can fax or email anything i gather, so hopefully i will get various documents by monday...which is the current plan. and since im stuck here till friday, i have to try to get in a happy mood to head off to the casino for some poker lol Lol, I am confused. You said you have been in Canada for a while and she wanted proof of domicile in Canada? Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2008-11-26 15:37:00
Canada	IR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview	QUOTE (wowswift @ Nov 26 2008, 10:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> interview was ok except they want more proof of domicile. bank statements and voter info wasn't good enough, she wouldn't take it. so i have to sign a lease with my mother now, which is lame. but everything else was ok. we could've left the passport but choose to take it because her promise of after we send everything back it only takes two weeks doesn't fly with me. so sad face today. Curious. Was there any reason they asked for this info? Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2008-11-26 15:15:00
Canada	IR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview	QUOTE (shiri @ Nov 20 2008, 10:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (OBX @ Nov 20 2008, 08:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (sly_wolf @ Nov 20 2008, 10:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (shiri @ Nov 20 2008, 07:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Holy Moly! I got a CASE COMPLETE! I forgot to ask what day it was actually completed. I was in shock! But they told me that all they are waiting on is the appointment to be scheduled! I am so happy! Congrats! Hope our interviews come soon Sly Shiri & Sly Haven't seen any new Montreal interviews for a while so I hope you both get good news soon. Keeps my hopes up to see others making it to the end. Good luck guys Sly- Thanks, me too! OBX- thanks! I read on another thread that someone got an interview date of Feb 25, so my question is are the interview appointments made by visa type? I was so happy to get the case complete and was thinking we'd possibly get a late Dec or Jan interview. Is it really possible we may not get one til the end of Feb or even March? My fingers are crossed and hoping for earlier! I hope not March. I was thinking February myself. Anything earlier would be a nice surprise though. Got my fingers crossed. Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2008-11-20 22:23:00
Canada	IR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview	QUOTE (shiri @ Nov 20 2008, 07:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Holy Moly! I got a CASE COMPLETE! I forgot to ask what day it was actually completed. I was in shock! But they told me that all they are waiting on is the appointment to be scheduled! I am so happy! Congrats! Hope our interviews come soon Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2008-11-20 22:04:00
Canada	IR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview	I just contacted NVC and they said my case was closed Oct. 30th. Anxious to get my appointment date. Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2008-10-31 08:08:00
Canada	IR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview	Finally mailed out the I-864 and DS-230 today. Got our fingers crossed and hopefully get an interview date soon. Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2008-10-20 15:21:00
Canada	Weather & Road Report	Snow storm here in Montreal. Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2009-01-07 12:07:00
Canada	153 days per year?	Maybe - they're a couple in their late 60's - I'm pretty sure they know exactly what they're doing (and by that I mean bending the rules) Perhaps they dont realize the consequences. Then someone should tell them unless they like to gamble.	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2011-09-26 16:07:00
Canada	153 days per year?	I guess they don't know that if they maintain a residence in Canada and accept Provincial Medicare (OHIP in Ontario), they would be considered a deemed resident by CRA and be required to pay taxes in BOTH the US and Canada... Yes, I was thinking of that too and taxes should scare the hell out of anyone	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2011-09-26 14:27:00
Canada	153 days per year?	All good points, Flames, I may consider what you said. Not that I want to be mean to them, but they're taking away from people who really need the funds and care...they moved away from Canada a few years ago at least, like I said. and they quite definitely are residents of the state they are in. Perhaps they are unaware of the risks and if made aware they may change what they are doing now.	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2011-09-26 13:47:00
Canada	153 days per year?	I would never take such a risk. If ever caught they could have to pay back all costs. There are always people who try to scam the system.	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2011-09-26 10:21:00
Canada	money and banking, before and after moving	I kept some of my Canadian accounts open including credit cards. There is no need to close them unless you never ever plan to use them in the future.	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2011-10-03 12:21:00
Canada	Are weiners and lunchmeat ok to bring back to the US now?	Hiya - I looked at the US Border patrol site but I didn't see anything saying I can't bring things like hotdogs or Schneider's bologna back in a cooler. Anyone done this recently? It used to be you couldn't bring anything with beef(mad cow scare) and sometimes pork too, but perhaps they've lifted the ban? It would be for personal use, so a small amount just for us. Hi. I live in NY state and have brought deli meat (sausage and ham) driving across numerous times. I declare it and have never had any problems.	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2012-01-03 17:05:00
Canada	Best US cell phone to text Canada	I use google voice too on my Blackberry, doesn't have to be an Android phone! Yes works with any cell phone, however it's much better integrated with droid or android therefore more and better functionality.	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2011-09-26 13:03:00
Canada	Best US cell phone to text Canada	Get a droid or android phone and use google voice ..... awesome with free texting and voice to Canada. Forgot to also mention that with google voice it's also free from a US land line to Canada.	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2011-09-26 11:52:00
Canada	Best US cell phone to text Canada	Get a droid or android phone and use google voice ..... awesome with free texting and voice to Canada.	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2011-09-26 11:10:00
Canada	TD canceling my Visa becase moving to the US?	Has anyone else successfully kept their TD Visa while moving to the US? It's my longest standing credit source, so I kind of hate to close it down. I opened an RBC account that can still access my Canadian credit, which is why I even care. I didn't get a CC through RBC yet though. Now I'm considering it. It came about when I called to change my address with TD (POE is Sunday!!) and she says "we're going to have to close that on you, sorry. You can't have it living in the US". She was "nice" enough to not cancel it on the spot and let me keep it for a few months but what the hell? Now I'm not changing my address for my other CC for fear they'll do the same thing. Anyone else had success in keeping their cards or am I delusional and SOL? I have a TD visa and even changed to a different one with no problems at all.	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2012-03-09 09:09:00
Canada	The IRS/CRA Income Tax Thread	QUOTE (LindaB @ Feb 19 2009, 09:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I finally received my T4 slip in the mail so I was just playing around on Quicktax. I entered all my information as if I was still a resident of Canada and I got a nice refund but when I clicked on a non-resident of Canada, I then owed a few thousand!!!! Is that right....I am sure hoping I did something wrong! Sounds a bit fishy. You should create 2 different returns from scratch and then compare. Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2009-02-20 10:09:00
Canada	The IRS/CRA Income Tax Thread	Got my taxes finished and e-filed yesterday and I forgot to add Form 8891 for my RRSP's ..... dammit. I will send it separately by mail. Hope that will be all ok? Thanks for all your help Zyggy. Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2009-02-08 13:56:00
Canada	The IRS/CRA Income Tax Thread	QUOTE (zyggy @ Jan 26 2009, 02:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (sly_wolf @ Jan 26 2009, 11:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Zyggy, If I meet all of the other requirements, can I still use Form 2555 if I visited the US on a regular basis (ie weekends) during 2008? Sly Yes, I wouldn't think weekend visits would trip the substantial presence test that would make you a tax resident of the US and therefore ineligible to use the 2555. I do meet the substantial presence test, but I was a bona fide resident of Canada in 2008. Are you saying that I cant use form 2555? Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2009-01-26 20:44:00
Canada	The IRS/CRA Income Tax Thread	Zyggy, If I meet all of the other requirements, can I still use Form 2555 if I visited the US on a regular basis (ie weekends) during 2008? Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2009-01-26 13:37:00
Canada	The IRS/CRA Income Tax Thread	Zyggy, I used turbo tax to run through my 2 options - Foreign income exclusion versus Foreign tax credit. The Foreign Income exclusion works out much better for us for 2008. I was a bit surprised to see that the Foreign tax credit was no where near as favourable. I have a question related to form 2555 though. It asks for dates that I visited in the US. I visited my wife on weekends during 2008. Do I really have to list all these dates in 2008 or is this only done to determine any US income? Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2009-01-25 15:24:00
Canada	The IRS/CRA Income Tax Thread	QUOTE (LindaB @ Jan 25 2009, 01:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Ziggy, I have a few questions (hope it all makes sense!): I am the Canadian, we got married in June 2007, and came here on my CR1 visa in July 2008. I still commute to work in Canada every day. My husband is the U.S. citizen and is on a non-taxable disability pension. 1. Last year when I was doing my Canadian 2007 taxes, I entered that I was married and put my husbands name and that he was a non-resident of Canada. I was told once that I would not enter his income in and then a tax place and someone at CRA told me I had to put it in and use the percentage to calculate from U.S. to Canadian. (I attached a letter to my income tax saying if I had done it wrong...explaining that is was a non-taxable pension to please correct it but I got back exactly what I had entered). Yesterday, I was talking to someone at a tax place and they said I should enter "zero" as his income as it is non-taxable. Is this right even in Canada? Is so, can I go back and get CRA to adjust my 2007 income tax return? Need to know for this year too. 2. If I will still be working in Canada, do I still have to fill out the "leaving Canada" form you were talking about in other posts? I know I would click on "no" in the "were you living in B.C. on Dec 31, 2008 etc. 3. Is Turbotax fairly easy to use to do your U.S. taxes if you are claiming forgein income etc? If so, I would rather do that than pay big bucks to a tax preparer. Thanks so much for your help! (I am sure I will think of a "ton" more questions before I am finished...lol) Hi Linda. You have asked some good questions. My situation will be similar to yours for 2009. This thread is also keeping Zyggy very busy. We all appreciate it very much. I have run through turbo tax and it will do the job just fine. Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2009-01-25 15:16:00
Canada	The IRS/CRA Income Tax Thread	QUOTE (zyggy @ Jan 22 2009, 11:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Bona fide residence would be the correct choice. You must include her EI income and take a foreign tax credit on the 25% non-resident tax. You must convert the funds to US dollars. For 2008, the official exchange is 1.0660. You can exclude the income amount that she made before she became a resident or you can take a foreign tax credit on that as well. Zyggy, what is the source for the 2008 exchange rate? Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2009-01-23 14:44:00
Canada	The IRS/CRA Income Tax Thread	This is some good information (Publication 519 - U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens) to read for starters: http://www.irs.gov/p...p519/index.html Other useful reading: The Green Card Test and the Substantial Presence Test http://www.irs.gov/b...=129390,00.html Yearly Reporting of RRSP's: http://www.irs.gov/p...s-pdf/f8891.pdf Leaving Canada: http://www.cra-arc.g...s/lvng-eng.html Sly	sly_wolf	Male	Canada	2009-01-22 13:39:00