SIN Cards
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 286
SIN Cards
Hi all!!
Do we need to apply for SIN cards as soon as we land, or is that only applicable once you want to start working?
Landing on reccy in Sept for big move 12-18 months later, won't apply for SIN if not needed!
Thanks
Do we need to apply for SIN cards as soon as we land, or is that only applicable once you want to start working?
Landing on reccy in Sept for big move 12-18 months later, won't apply for SIN if not needed!
Thanks
#2
Re: SIN Cards
You may not need a SIN if you dont want to work but I applied for mine in Calgary and it only took 10 minutes. So if I was you I'd consider applying for it if I could spare 10 minutes while on a reccy
Last edited by Edo; Jul 15th 2010 at 9:53 am.
#3
PR living in Vancouver
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 343
Re: SIN Cards
Do you need a home address to get your SIN card?
If I am lucky enough to reach the landing stage then I will be staying in holiday accommodation / hotel first before finding the right rental so my address will be a temporary one before we get truly settled...
... so can you get your sin card without a fixed address e.g. on a reccy / landing trip then returning to UK before moving back even though you do not know the address you will be living at?
Thanks
If I am lucky enough to reach the landing stage then I will be staying in holiday accommodation / hotel first before finding the right rental so my address will be a temporary one before we get truly settled...
... so can you get your sin card without a fixed address e.g. on a reccy / landing trip then returning to UK before moving back even though you do not know the address you will be living at?
Thanks
#4
Re: SIN Cards
Do you need a home address to get your SIN card?
If I am lucky enough to reach the landing stage then I will be staying in holiday accommodation / hotel first before finding the right rental so my address will be a temporary one before we get truly settled...
... so can you get your sin card without a fixed address e.g. on a reccy / landing trip then returning to UK before moving back even though you do not know the address you will be living at?
Thanks
If I am lucky enough to reach the landing stage then I will be staying in holiday accommodation / hotel first before finding the right rental so my address will be a temporary one before we get truly settled...
... so can you get your sin card without a fixed address e.g. on a reccy / landing trip then returning to UK before moving back even though you do not know the address you will be living at?
Thanks
#5
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: SIN Cards
You are coming to Vancouver right? If you've got an address for PR cards, you may as well get you SIN number too. It's right down town (somewhere near hastings/granville I think) - it doesn't take very long to do.
#6
PR living in Vancouver
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 343
Re: SIN Cards
My plan is when we land officially, if we do not need to return to the UK, then we will stay somewhere for about a week like a hotel / holiday accommodation and then get a rental sorted during that time. So PR address and Sin card will have to wait until the rental is sorted.
#7
Re: SIN Cards
I'd advise against applying until you really need to, because until you apply for a SIN the CRA aren't aware of your existence. You only really need a SIN to start work or to file a tax return (or for certain other federal reasons, claiming OAS, etc.) If you end up going back to the UK until say, next year and you have a SIN, the CRA will wonder why you haven't filed a T1 for 2010.
#8
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: SIN Cards
I'd advise against applying until you really need to, because until you apply for a SIN the CRA aren't aware of your existence. You only really need a SIN to start work or to file a tax return (or for certain other federal reasons, claiming OAS, etc.) If you end up going back to the UK until say, next year and you have a SIN, the CRA will wonder why you haven't filed a T1 for 2010.
#9
Re: SIN Cards
Your SIN is your account# with the CRA, this is a fact. There's no point to having one until you need it.
#10
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: SIN Cards
(I was actually asked to supply my SIN number by my employer before I came here as I signed my employment contract whilst I was still in the UK)
#11
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 193
Re: SIN Cards
i didnt have an address when i got my SIN (i was living in a hotel in banff, and came out to calgary to apply). you can get them to send it back the place where you apply, and then drop in to pick it up whenever. i believe they take about 3 weeks, so hopefully that would cover the duration of your trip. if you will be elsewhere in the country you could also send it to "general delivery" in that city.
#12
Re: SIN Cards
I'd advise against applying until you really need to, because until you apply for a SIN the CRA aren't aware of your existence. You only really need a SIN to start work or to file a tax return (or for certain other federal reasons, claiming OAS, etc.) If you end up going back to the UK until say, next year and you have a SIN, the CRA will wonder why you haven't filed a T1 for 2010.
My other half and I are due to land in Calgary in the next couple of weeks. We’ll only be staying for a week before heading back to the UK with a view of returning to Canada permanently in early 2011. We were going to apply for our SIN Cards whilst over in October but in light of Steve’s comment above (re the CRA potentially asking why we haven’t submitted a T1 for 2010) I may now delay our SIN application until we return next year. I’ve been reading through various posts in an effort to seek some clarity regarding this subject matter, but I’m getting conflicting messages. So I’d be grateful if someone could confirm whether the CRA will indeed start to take an interest in us because we’ve obtained our SIN Cards, even though we’ll only be landing, staying a week and then heading back to the UK until March/April 2011?
Cheers All
Glassy
#13
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
Posts: 4,802
Re: SIN Cards
You can apply by mail from outside Canada although you can also get a SIN on the spot at a Service Center in Canada.
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/a...applying.shtml
I live in the US but was able to obtain a SIN for my daughter via mail. It didn't take long - a few weeks I think. They mail back your supporting documents.
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/a...applying.shtml
I live in the US but was able to obtain a SIN for my daughter via mail. It didn't take long - a few weeks I think. They mail back your supporting documents.
#14
Re: SIN Cards
You can apply by mail from outside Canada although you can also get a SIN on the spot at a Service Center in Canada.
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/a...applying.shtml
I live in the US but was able to obtain a SIN for my daughter via mail. It didn't take long - a few weeks I think. They mail back your supporting documents.
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/a...applying.shtml
I live in the US but was able to obtain a SIN for my daughter via mail. It didn't take long - a few weeks I think. They mail back your supporting documents.
Cheers
Glassy
#15
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,830
Re: SIN Cards
No they won't. Until you become a tax resident and earn income they don't want to know you. Many people have a SIN that don't earn income nor file tax returns. However I do wonder why one would go to the bother of applying for a SIN until residing permanently.
Last edited by Aviator; Oct 1st 2010 at 2:31 pm.