I just signed on for my 30-day free trial (I fully expect to join, I think it’s a bargain). My question is this: Do any of you Dopers( Wow, I just typed the D word) have any experience in regards to moving from Canada to the US. I have almost convinced myself that I want to move to Florida (possibly St. Petersburg area). I have recently retired and altyough my hometown is beautiful in the summer, the winters are just getting too long. I have vacationed in Fla. the past two winters and have been very impressed with the climateand the people. I realize you run into a different set of people as a tourist than you would as a resident, the ones I HAVE met have been courteous, friendly and seem quite genuine. Anyway, could someone give me some insight into what sort of obstacles I am going to run into in accomplishing this somewhat dramatic event in my life.
All responses will be greatly appreciated…Thanx
GOMMSN…Ignorance can be treated…Stupidity is terminal!
No experience here. I will mention that back when we took in the boys, one of them made close friends with a young man whose family had moved north from St. Petersburg, in part to get him out of a “teenage gang” environment where they were living there (south side of St. Pete). That was 12 years ago; I don’t know how prevalent it was or if it still is.
With regard to the legal logistics of moving into the U.S. to live, Eva Luna, who is an immigration-assistance professional, may have some useful pointers.
Be aware that, while you will save immensely on heating bills, the cost of living may not vary that much, with some things higher and others lower. In particular, while air conditioning in much of the Northern U.S. and Canada is a luxury, it’s virtually a necessity in most of the South.
I strongly urge you to visit Florida in the summer before committing to a move there. I know a number of people who wintered in Florida, loved it, moved there permanently, and then discovered that the summer heat and humidity were crushing, unbearable.
I’m not familiar with U.S. immigration laws, but many countries (Canada among them) make it very, very difficult for retired folks to immigrate, since they tend not to contribute much to the economy, and, as they age, they become a burden on the healthcare system without ever having paid into it as young workers.
As Polycarp suggests, we need the informed input of Eva Luna here.
Thanx guys. I have heard what both of you are saying before. I still haven’t decided what manner my move will take. Perhaps six months in Fla. - six months back home. I was just hoping someone there had been through it and could give me a headsup.
A lot of snowbirds do the “half here half there” thing. I have no experience in immigration or anything, but before my grandfather had his stroke my grandparents lived in Clearwater, which is just up the coast from St. Pete. One thing you should be aware of that seems silly but isn’t is just. how. many. old. people. there. are. My grandparents did live in a huge condo complex geared towards elderly residents, so that may have skewed my perceptions, but seriously; if you do like hitting the early bird buffet and being asleep by 9, it may be just the thing for you (if crowded!), but if you don’t, you might want to reevaluate. Parts of Florida are less elderly oriented (without being Miami).
The place my grandparents lived seemed actively anti-child - huge complex with probably at least 50 buildings just in the part they lived in, but no playground? Two great pools, but nobody under 12 except from noon-2 (the hottest part of the day)? I mean, it makes you think a bit - one can be retired without being that retired. And I’m sure there’s parts of those Gulf coast cities that have younger people in them - it’s just something to think about.
Beautiful beaches, though. And Tampa seems to have more that its share of Live Nude Girls, if that’s your thing. I’d be very confused as a little girl on our way down there, because these seedy looking places had signs that said “Gentlemen’s Club”. My parents never really explained it to my satisfaction.
There’s a reason a lot of people do the “half here, half there” thing; the maximum stay in the U.S. generally granted to anyone coming here as a visitor, rather than in some longer-term visa category, is 6 months. Even then, you’d have to be prepared to convince an immigration officer that you plan to return to Canada at the end of those 6 months. So unless you have kids who are U.S. citizens who could petition for a green card for you, it would be difficult and complicated to create a way to stay in the U.S. legally full-time.
Please post again if you have more specific questions.
Well, I’m no kid anymore but i’m not ready for the home just yet either. If I do the six mo. thing I’d like to spend my time playing golf (what I really live for) and perhaps travel around a bit on my motorcycle. Not really locked into any specific area, just visited St. Petes this winter and was impressed by it. I should have mentioned in my OP that my SO is still working and that obviously adds another levelof concern to my problem. She would retire there in a minute but some serious talks will be necessary before I decide to just take off for the winter by myself.
BTW, how do I address each of you by name? I am new but don’t want to appear rude.
To address a person without quoting, we usually just use the bold feature. Do this by typing {b}username{/b} and replacing the { } with .
To quote a post, just hit the ‘reply’ button for the user you want to answer. You can delete the stuff you’re not replying to, which makes it easier to read. If you want to quote more than one poster, then you can use the reply function for the first one and {qoute=username} (cut and paste appropriate text) {/quote} – again replacing the { } with .
If I were King of the U.S. and Canada, I’d make it easy for U.S. and Canadian citizens to immigrate/emigrate. Our economies are similar enough that I don’t think it would overburden either country. But then, I’m not King. Yet.
Hi, It’s me again. Now that I think I know what I’m doing on these boards, I do have another question for you. Am I correct in assuming from what you said that I could do the six month thing without too much trouble but the permanent resident thing would be difficult? If so, would the six month residency preclude me from purchasing property in the US?
Anyone can purchase property in the U.S., and foreigners frequently do (though I understand anecdotally from clients that it’s harder to get a mortgage if one is not a permanent resident). Canadians usually don’t have a hard time getting visitor status; basically, you just have to convince the immigration guy that you have sufficient ties to Canada that you are’n’t likely to overstay your authorized period of admission and go on the lam.
Ties are typically family members, job, home and/or other property, etc.; basically, you just need to convince them that you will go back to Canada at the end of your 6 months. But plenty of Canadians manage that just fine. Sheesh, my aunt and uncle live in South Florida, and when we go to visit them, we always go to the beach near Hollywood, FL (halfway between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale); all you hear around there is Canadian French. It’s pretty much the default language; if you walk into a shop or restaurant near the beach there, that’s the first language you’re addressed in.
Moving to Florida from Canada without knowing what the summers were like there would be like moving to Canada from Florida without experienceing the winters there.
He doesn’t have to go to Florida. Just hang out for a few days on Point Pelee in August. Among the heat, the humidity, the bugs, and Lake Erie, he’ll understand Florida perfectly. (Although Florida does have cute anoles, interesting alligators, and salt water that are all unavailable at Point Pelee. They are both filled with Canadian tourists, however.)
Somewhat off-topic, but this discussion reminds me of a line from a Canadian official regarding immigration to Canada. Periodically, people from the States, some of them on these Boards, talk about how they’re going to move to Canada. Naturally, this usually occurs right after a Presidential election, the confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee, or an Academy Awards ceremony.
This particular official remarked that many people in the U.S. are surprised to discover that Canada, like the U.S., has some very strict rules about who can move permanently to Canada. He said that many of these folks discover the awful truth only when they arrive at the Canadian border with all of their worldly possessions in a Rider truck. Great mental image.
I’m thinking a permanent move is not going to happen, so I’ll be doing that border thing probably in November and again in April. I also hope I won’t need to have a mortgage(maybe a small one). I was thinking of a manufactured home in a quiet residential park somewhere. I’ii spend some more time on the net and no doubt I’ll be back with more questions.
Your Canada Pension Plan benefits can follow you anywhere, so moving to the US won’t cut those off. But before you take off for a warm winter in Florida, remember that Canada places restrictions on how long you can be out of the country and still be eligible for national health care. I believe that you have to remain in Canada for a minimum of 6 months plus a day (over half a year) to retain your health care eligibility.
I’m here on a temporary basis, and there are some other dopers who have made the move permanent (perhaps sending an email to a mod requesting the title be changed to 'moving from Canada to the States would draw them in…)
One large obstacle is establishing credit. Even though Transunion and Equifax (or Experian?) operate in both countries, the companies don’t pass anything any information to themselves across the border.
However, American Express maintains its own internal credit rating department, so once you’ve got a Cdn Dollar Amex, you can get a US dollar card with a phone call-- and six months later be drowning in applications.
If you’re serious about getting a mortgage of any kind, or just don’t want to get hosed on exchange fees, you’ll need a line of credit.
It’s not just a credit issue. Most of my clients have been here for at least a few years as students and/or on work visas before a mortgage becomes an issue, so they’ve had plenty of time to establish a credit history (they’ve had cars and credit cards and leases, anyway). I think the bank just wants to know that you are legally able to remain in the U.S. to pay off the mortgage. I write letters all the time explaining clients’ immigration situaitons to the bank.
I have been here for nearly three years and have just received my first credit card. I am listed on our joint bank account and IRS account, but that’s all I’ve got.
I emigrated May 2002. If you’re serious about this, you’d best get to know the place very well before committing to it. I had a very difficult time adjusting to not only the weather, but the different customs and accents of the people here. I moved from Canmore, Alberta to Baltimore, Maryland.
I used to work for Experian. I didn’t work in Consumer Credit; but as far as Business Credit went, we didn’t collect Canadian a/r data. My position allowed me to see accounts that were not loaded into the database because they were foreign, and there were [a very large number of] Canadian business represented. I wrote a program to capture Canadian accounts and suggested that Experian enter the Canadian Business Credit market, showing the number of lines we were getting without even trying. They weren’t interested. Ah, if only I could get Equifax Canada to hire me! Vancouver is only 35 miles away!
I’d be very confused as a little girl on our way down there, because these seedy looking places had signs that said “Gentlemen’s Club”. My parents never really explained it to my satisfaction.