Moving back to the UK formalities
Jan 22nd 2023, 5:15 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 7
Moving back to the UK formalities
Hi
After a year we decided to move back to the UK for various reasons.
We came here on PR via EE on May last year and moving out end of June.
Are there any special formalities especially around a taxes like when leaving UK.
Any information much appreciated.
After a year we decided to move back to the UK for various reasons.
We came here on PR via EE on May last year and moving out end of June.
Are there any special formalities especially around a taxes like when leaving UK.
Any information much appreciated.
Jan 22nd 2023, 5:36 pm
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,662
Re: Moving back to the UK formalities
If you are leaving Canada, shouldn't your questions regarding leaving formalities be in the Canada forum?
THIS forum is for asking UK based questions.
THIS forum is for asking UK based questions.
Jan 22nd 2023, 5:58 pm
#3
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: In a darkened room somewhere.............
Posts: 34,035
Re: Moving back to the UK formalities
Moved the thread.
OP, sorry Canada didn’t work out for you but hopefully somebody will be able to answer your questions about taxes - might be worth searching the forum as I think it’s been discussed before.
HTH.
OP, sorry Canada didn’t work out for you but hopefully somebody will be able to answer your questions about taxes - might be worth searching the forum as I think it’s been discussed before.
HTH.
Jan 22nd 2023, 8:16 pm
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2010
Location: Whitby, Ontario
Posts: 732
Re: Moving back to the UK formalities
Have you checked the Canada.ca site? Form NR73 would be a good place to start.
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...orms/nr73.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...orms/nr73.html
Feb 17th 2023, 2:25 pm
#5
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Looe, Cornwall
Posts: 674
Re: Moving back to the UK formalities
We moved back to the UK in July 2021 during COVID. There were quite a few issues with COVID testing etc but that has passed us by now.
Once you have an exact date you will be leaving Canada complete and send in the NR73 to the CRA - they will determine if you are a Canada tax resident or not. This takes about 6 weeks but does not prevent you from leaving Canada.
Next, if you have belongings you will be transporting to the UK including pets you will need to complete a TOR (Transfer Of Residence).This can be completed on line using the HMRC website. They will require a list of everything you are bringing with you including pets. The TOR is very subjective and confuses a lot of people. PM me if you want some details. You will require an address you will be staying at in the UK. You need the TOR number from HMRC before you leave.
Sort your finances out in Canada and make sure you have a UK account in the UK. We banked with HSBC and had all sorts of issues with them on both sides of the pond. In fact they were awful. They say in their Premier Account web sites they will transfer you credit rating. This is not true and you Canadian credit history will not be recognized in the UK. Depending how long you have been out of the UK you may have to start from scratch in the UK. This is a big headache when acquiring anything with a contract, mortgage, bank loan, car loan, phone contract and utility bills etc. I had HSBC bank accounts on both sides of the pond for many years which counted for nothing. They wouldn’t give me a credit card despite having a 7 figure sum in my current account. My wife took nearly 6 months before they would give her a debit card. I had to pay cash for a house, car and phone and the utilities insisted I had a pay meter!
One word of warning, do not bank with HSBC in Canada as they have sold out to RBC and if the government authorizes the deal will go through early next year. My wife and I have our Canadian pensions paid into HSBC Canada and then transferred money between accounts. This will no longer be possible if the deal goes through. I have opened a Canadian currency account in the UK. One positive is they now have what they call a ‘Global Currency account’ which is well worth having. You can have multiple currencies in the account and they give you the market spot rate so you no longer have to deal with currency dealers to get the best deals.
Make sure you pay all you bills, cancel direct debits etc. before you leave. It’s difficult to deal with Canada from the UK. You also need to check issues with your investments and pension providers.
One word of caution, if you have apps which rely on 2 stage authentication make sure they have a UK number not a Canadian number before you return to the UK.
Car Insurance - print off any Canadian no claim history. It can be used in the UK with Aviva and save a lot of money. You can drive in the UK for 1 year on your Canadian DL then it must be converted to a UK one.
Use your Canadian benefits, if you have them, before you leave Canada e.g dental work etc. it is almost impossible to get NHS dentists in the UK.
Ensure you get a copy of your medical records.
When you are back in the UK let the taxman know - you may need to register for self assessment tax in the UK and remember to complete your final CRA tax return at the end of the year.
Register with a doctor as soon as you can. NHS services are available as soon as you return. Make sure you get an NHS number.
We have been back just over a year and a half and have no regrets. My daughter still lives and works in Victoria and is desperate to get back to the UK. That’s a story I will tell another day!!!
Thats all from my sun bed in Gran Canaria! Good luck with the move and check out the ‘Returning to the UK’ forum..
Once you have an exact date you will be leaving Canada complete and send in the NR73 to the CRA - they will determine if you are a Canada tax resident or not. This takes about 6 weeks but does not prevent you from leaving Canada.
Next, if you have belongings you will be transporting to the UK including pets you will need to complete a TOR (Transfer Of Residence).This can be completed on line using the HMRC website. They will require a list of everything you are bringing with you including pets. The TOR is very subjective and confuses a lot of people. PM me if you want some details. You will require an address you will be staying at in the UK. You need the TOR number from HMRC before you leave.
Sort your finances out in Canada and make sure you have a UK account in the UK. We banked with HSBC and had all sorts of issues with them on both sides of the pond. In fact they were awful. They say in their Premier Account web sites they will transfer you credit rating. This is not true and you Canadian credit history will not be recognized in the UK. Depending how long you have been out of the UK you may have to start from scratch in the UK. This is a big headache when acquiring anything with a contract, mortgage, bank loan, car loan, phone contract and utility bills etc. I had HSBC bank accounts on both sides of the pond for many years which counted for nothing. They wouldn’t give me a credit card despite having a 7 figure sum in my current account. My wife took nearly 6 months before they would give her a debit card. I had to pay cash for a house, car and phone and the utilities insisted I had a pay meter!
One word of warning, do not bank with HSBC in Canada as they have sold out to RBC and if the government authorizes the deal will go through early next year. My wife and I have our Canadian pensions paid into HSBC Canada and then transferred money between accounts. This will no longer be possible if the deal goes through. I have opened a Canadian currency account in the UK. One positive is they now have what they call a ‘Global Currency account’ which is well worth having. You can have multiple currencies in the account and they give you the market spot rate so you no longer have to deal with currency dealers to get the best deals.
Make sure you pay all you bills, cancel direct debits etc. before you leave. It’s difficult to deal with Canada from the UK. You also need to check issues with your investments and pension providers.
One word of caution, if you have apps which rely on 2 stage authentication make sure they have a UK number not a Canadian number before you return to the UK.
Car Insurance - print off any Canadian no claim history. It can be used in the UK with Aviva and save a lot of money. You can drive in the UK for 1 year on your Canadian DL then it must be converted to a UK one.
Use your Canadian benefits, if you have them, before you leave Canada e.g dental work etc. it is almost impossible to get NHS dentists in the UK.
Ensure you get a copy of your medical records.
When you are back in the UK let the taxman know - you may need to register for self assessment tax in the UK and remember to complete your final CRA tax return at the end of the year.
Register with a doctor as soon as you can. NHS services are available as soon as you return. Make sure you get an NHS number.
We have been back just over a year and a half and have no regrets. My daughter still lives and works in Victoria and is desperate to get back to the UK. That’s a story I will tell another day!!!
Thats all from my sun bed in Gran Canaria! Good luck with the move and check out the ‘Returning to the UK’ forum..
Last edited by getoutofbritainquick; Feb 17th 2023 at 4:03 pm.
