kmcmull1985

I am in the prcoess of completing an application for Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan- I land in Alberta in April along with my husband and 10 month old baby boy.

I've come across a problem...I can prove numbers 2 and 3 without a problem, but number 1-Alberta residency is an issue:

1. Alberta residency;
2. Identity; and
3. Legal entitlement to be in Canada.

The website states I need to have one of the following...
1. Current Alberta driver’s licence;
2. Current Alberta registries ID Card;
3. Current utility bills for an Alberta residence.

1. I can't get because apparently my Northern Irish drivers licence can't be exchanged for an Albertan licence?!
2/3 I can't apply for ID card without having proof of address in which utility bills etc are being sent to as we are staying with my grandparents initially for the first 2 weeks of arrival and then staying in the basement of a friends house for the next 6ish weeks until we sort permanent accomodation out. We will not have any utility bills as such.

Anyone got any advice??

Thanks for your time

Aviator

You cannot apply until you arrive in Canada and can prove residency. When you get here take your driving test, get a bank account with an AB address, get some accounts set up for the basement suite or credit cards to that address. A bank statement, pay slips from employers or a letter from an employer to your Canadian address, your grandparents or the friends.

Flossie and Jim

We opened a bank account when we arrived first and then the bank printed us off a statement with our address and added an official stamp and signed it and that was good enough for Alberta Health.

ann m

Don't panic!

You are covered from day one of moving here.

It doesn't take that long to get a card once you have applied - a week or two.

If you really need a docs appointment, a) you won't have a doctor so will have to use a walk-in clinic first, and b) you might have to pay $50 or something upfront.

Anything more major then don't worry too much - by the time the paperwork and invoices catch up with you, you will have your card.

craggyjoh

We have just been through the same issue. We got my new employer over here to write me a new letter confirming my job in Edmonton with our address over here on it.

LucyLovelock

I agree with Ann, this is something you can apply for once you are here!
You are covered from day one and it doesn't take long to get your card.
It took us a few weeks to get most things straight as we needed proof of address to change over our drivers licence, so until we had our rental agreement we couldn't do that. We then used our rental agreement or drivers licence as proof for ahc etc.
Good luck!

kmcmull1985

Brill, thank you all for your very useful thoughts and for taking the time to respond. I'm liking the sound of the bank statement option. The thought of sitting a drivers test on arrival terrifies me a little!!lol.
Now that banks have been mentioned- any recommendations??

fireranger4

hey kmc

im also on the same boat as yourself and im from northern ireland and have found the issue with the driving licence being a bit of a nitemare....if you go to your local post office and ask for an AA international driving licence form

its about 6 quid to get....all u need is a passport photo, ur current driving licence and counterpart and also your passport....its valid for one year from your land date

on the banks side of things....im going to be using the HSBC there is a local branch in my town and they can set everything up here and once i get to edmonton i go to the local branch there and give them some sort of code and it links the 2 accounts together and allows internet banking....i need this due to me having a mortgage here and being able to transfer funds home

if you use this web site for your health card i found it helpful
http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/r...-services.html

good luck

kmcmull1985

Hi fireranger 4,

Thanks for your post. At what stage of the process are you at?
Yea, I think the international drivers licence option will be our best bet to get us going...althought I think I remember reading if you're permanently residing in Alberta, this is only valid for the first 3 months? The whole drivers licence/UK/Irish situation is rather odd...and somewhat inconvenient!!!baffles me,lol.

Thanks for the HSBC tip- I will look into that- we are going to be based roughly an hours drive away from an HSBC bank when we move- but by the sounds of things we'll be able to transfer our funds from halifax account to HSBC and they can be wired over to canada via an internet banking setup, does that sound about right?? Is there a fee for this?

All the best

fireranger4

I'm ready top book my flights, i have the job offer and the AIT approvel letter in my hand and all, just waiting on my new pasport to come back.think its due on monday or tuesday

im also waiting on my slow mate,i told him to send his AIT application away same time as me but at the minute he is just waiting on word to come from them to say his application was succesfull..

my thing with the hsbc is a bit complicated lol

i have an alliance and leisceter mortgage so......bear with me lol.....im going to open hsbc to be able to transfer money easliy and cheaply...think its a fiver for every transaction....ill also open a canadian bank account to get my wages paid into and get me on there system's.then when the money is in ireland transfer it from the hsbc to alliance and leisceter...but complicated but has to be done