Lianne Donnelly

If a US citizen stays in Canada (visits) for 6 months, then goes back to home in US
for x number of days (2+), can they return for another 6 month visit... Or is the 6
month limit the total number of days per year? Thank you, -RD

None Noner

I believe its 6 months at a time, if you return to the US you can come back for
another six even if its within the same year. You should still confirm with a travel
agent though...

"Lianne Donnelly" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]

    > If a US citizen stays in Canada (visits) for 6 months, then goes back to home in US
    > for x number of days (2+), can they return for another 6 month visit... Or is the 6
    > month limit the total number of days per year? Thank you, -RD

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Stephen C. Gall

    > If a US citizen stays in Canada (visits) for 6 months, then goes back to home in US
    > for x number of days (2+), can they return for another 6 month visit... Or is the 6
    > month limit the total number of days per year?

In theory, yes, that person can come back for another six month visit. The six month
limit is not per year. However, if a person keeps doing this, he would/could
eventually be caught, and denied entry.

Another thing to keep in mind is that when a person spends more than 183 days (6
months) in Canada in any twelve month period, he becomes a deemed resident of Canada
for income tax purposes, and his worldwide income becomes subject to Canadian income
taxes. That's important to keep in mind.

Stephen Gallagher

Stuart Friedman

I have a slightly different variation on this question. I live in Detroit, Michigan
(twenty minutes from the border). I am looking at a cottage on the Ontario side for
the summer. Will immigrations give me a hassle crossing back and forth during the
summer months? Should I apply for a visa to protect myself?

"Stephen C. Gallagher" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > > If a US citizen stays in Canada (visits) for 6 months, then goes back to home in
    > > US for x number of days (2+), can they return for another 6 month visit... Or is
    > > the 6 month limit the total number of days per year?
    >
    > In theory, yes, that person can come back for another six month visit. The six
    > month limit is not per year. However, if a person keeps doing this, he would/could
    > eventually be caught, and denied entry.
    >
    > Another thing to keep in mind is that when a person spends more than 183 days (6
    > months) in Canada in any twelve month period, he becomes a deemed resident of
    > Canada for income tax purposes, and his worldwide income becomes subject to
    > Canadian income taxes. That's important to keep in mind.
    >
    > Stephen Gallagher

Stephen C. Gall

"Stuart Friedman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I have a slightly different variation on this question. I live in
Detroit,
    > Michigan (twenty minutes from the border). I am looking at a cottage on
the
    > Ontario side for the summer. Will immigrations give me a hassle crossing back and
    > forth during the summer months? Should I apply for a visa to protect myself?

No. Besides, there's probably no visa that you would qualify for. You shouldn't have
a problem, going back and forth, especially if you have bought/rented a cottage for
use during the summer.

Stephen Gallagher

Stuart G. Fried

Thanks. I have a slightly off topic question. Will I have a problem getting telephone
service or utilities turned on if I don't have a Social Insurance number to put down
on an application?

"Stephen C. Gallagher" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    >
    > "Stuart Friedman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > I have a slightly different variation on this question. I live in
    > Detroit,
    > > Michigan (twenty minutes from the border). I am looking at a cottage on
    > the
    > > Ontario side for the summer. Will immigrations give me a hassle
crossing
    > > back and forth during the summer months? Should I apply for a visa to protect
    > > myself?
    >
    > No. Besides, there's probably no visa that you would qualify for. You shouldn't
    > have a problem, going back and forth, especially if you have bought/rented a
    > cottage for use during the summer.
    >
    > Stephen Gallagher

\"Half-Canadian

"Stuart G. Friedman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Thanks. I have a slightly off topic question. Will I have a problem getting
    > telephone service or utilities turned on if I don't have a Social Insurance number
    > to put down on an application?

You shouldn't have any problem. I actually activated phone service in BC that went
directly to a voice mailbox about six months before I landed so I could have business
cards printed up with the new phone numbers on them -- BC Tel even sent the bill to
my US address for that first year. Since so many people from the US have cottages in
Canada, I'm sure the utility companies are quite familiar with this procedure.

Stuart Brook

\"Half-Canadian\" wrote:
    >
    > "Stuart G. Friedman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Thanks. I have a slightly off topic question. Will I have a problem getting
    > > telephone service or utilities turned on if I don't have a Social Insurance
    > > number to put down on an application?
    >
    > You shouldn't have any problem. I actually activated phone service in BC that went
    > directly to a voice mailbox about six months before I landed so I could have
    > business cards printed up with the new phone numbers on them -- BC Tel even sent
    > the bill to my US address for that first year. Since so many people from the US
    > have cottages in Canada, I'm sure the utility companies are quite familiar with
    > this procedure.

SIN's in Canada are not used in Canada as identification (and not permitted to be
either). The last time I pulled my SIN card was to give to the bank for tax reporting
purposes - which is legit. To use it for utility bills etc is not. To put it another
way, use of the Canadian SIN is like the US SSN was intended!

Stuart

Stuart G. Fried

But I saw an application for Canadian application for cellular service a couple of
weeks ago and it did ask for a SIN. And you are right, what we (in the States) have
done with SSNs is crazy. I think that is one of the reasons we have so much identity
fraud done here.

"Stuart Brook" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    >
    >
    > \"Half-Canadian\" wrote:
    > >
    > > "Stuart G. Friedman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > > > Thanks. I have a slightly off topic question. Will I have a problem getting
    > > > telephone service or utilities turned on if I don't have a
Social
    > > > Insurance number to put down on an application?
    > >
    > > You shouldn't have any problem. I actually activated phone service in
BC
    > > that went directly to a voice mailbox about six months before I landed
so I
    > > could have business cards printed up with the new phone numbers on
them --
    > > BC Tel even sent the bill to my US address for that first year. Since
so
    > > many people from the US have cottages in Canada, I'm sure the utility companies
    > > are quite familiar with this procedure.
    >
    >
    > SIN's in Canada are not used in Canada as identification (and not permitted to be
    > either). The last time I pulled my SIN card was to give to the bank for tax
    > reporting purposes - which is legit. To use it for utility bills etc is not. To put
    > it another way, use of the Canadian SIN is like the US SSN was intended!
    >
    > Stuart

Stuart Brook

"Stuart G. Friedman" wrote:
    >
    > But I saw an application for Canadian application for cellular service a couple of
    > weeks ago and it did ask for a SIN. And you are right, what we (in the States) have
    > done with SSNs is crazy. I think that is one of the reasons we have so much
    > identity fraud done here.

It should not be needed, and they have no right to ask.

Stuart

None Noner

Some people ask for a SIN to better identify you in case you apply for any kinds of
credit from them, this makes it easier for them to request a credit report from an
agency that holds this information, as on occasion there may be more than one person
with the same name and date of birth (highly unlikely unless you are John Doe). These
companies are allowed to ask for the SIN, but you have no obligation to provide it,
and you may not be refused services because you did not give it to them, its against
the law. They may however refuse you on the basis of insufficient or unsatisfactory
credit, but again NOT because you didnt provide them with a SIN.

You may be asked for a SIN if you open an account with an institution that will EARN
you interest, in this case you are obligated to provide them with the number, and if
you refuse to do so they can lawfully refuse to provide you with the service.

Cellphone apps again are in effect an extension of credit (you get the phone on a
payment plan for example) and again, you dont have to give them your SIN if you dont
want to, its purely optional (infact I believe a lot of companies who do ask for a
SIN on their applications like this clearly mention in braces that providing your SIN
is optional)

"Stuart Brook" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]

    >
    >
    > "Stuart G. Friedman" wrote:
    > >
    > > But I saw an application for Canadian application for cellular service a couple
    > > of weeks ago and it did ask for a SIN. And you are right, what we (in the States)
    > > have done with SSNs is crazy. I think that is one of the reasons we have so much
    > > identity fraud done here.
    >
    > It should not be needed, and they have no right to ask.
    >
    > Stuart

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None Noner

Oh, your Employer is required to ask you for your SIN, and you need to provide it, if
you are claiming tax credit at source.

Apart from that the only Legal use of the SIN is for the administration of
governament plans like the Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance etc, Banks
and other institutions to report to the CCRA any other earnings like interest or
dividend you earn, and ofcourse for the CCRA at tax time.

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Stephen C. Gall

    > Thanks. I have a slightly off topic question. Will I have a problem getting
    > telephone service or utilities turned on if I don't have a Social Insurance number
    > to put down on an application?

No. Unlike US, where Social Security Numbers have become a defacto ID number, Canada
has severe restrictions on what a Social Insurance Number can and cannot be used for.

Stephen Gallagher