Comments for Travel Insurance File http://travelinsurancefile.com Online clearinghouse for Travel Insurance News and Commentary” –Independent, Objective, Factual and Current Wed, 16 May 2012 17:52:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on How Long Can A Canadian Snowbird Stay Out of the Country? by Milan Korcok http://travelinsurancefile.com/headlines/how-long-can-a-canadian-snowbird-stay-out-of-the-country/comment-page-3/#comment-28987 Milan Korcok Wed, 16 May 2012 17:52:11 +0000 http://travelinsurancefile.com/?p=999#comment-28987 Sid: You can't spend more than 6 months in theU.S. without a green card or visa of some kind. The green card is out of reach unless somebody actually offers you a job and meets immigration rules in the way the offer is made. Word of mouth is not enough.If you are planning to get training in IT you might apply to a U.S. school that is authorized for U.S. student visa purposes. That can get you in right away. You cannot use your visitors visa (allowance) to get training or work. If you are caught, you can be banished from entry to the U.S. for a long time. You ask about your enhanced drivers permit. First of all, if you are serious, get a passport. That shows border people you are serious and not an ingenue. Do the countries share information? Yes. Not all the time with every car, or with every traveller all the time, but enough that you're odds of being detected shrink with the more you cross. Don't risk it. Once you are detected, the border agent can black list you and that can last for years. It's not worth it. Or get a job as an accountant until you get your green card, then you can do anything. Milan Sid:

You can’t spend more than 6 months in theU.S. without a green card or visa of some kind. The green card is out of reach unless somebody actually offers you a job and meets immigration rules in the way the offer is made. Word of mouth is not enough.If you are planning to get training in IT you might apply to a U.S. school that is authorized for U.S. student visa purposes. That can get you in right away. You cannot use your visitors visa (allowance) to get training or work. If you are caught, you can be banished from entry to the U.S. for a long time.

You ask about your enhanced drivers permit. First of all, if you are serious, get a passport. That shows border people you are serious and not an ingenue.

Do the countries share information? Yes. Not all the time with every car, or with every traveller all the time, but enough that you’re odds of being detected shrink with the more you cross. Don’t risk it. Once you are detected, the border agent can black list you and that can last for years. It’s not worth it. Or get a job as an accountant until you get your green card, then you can do anything.

Milan

]]> Comment on How Long Can A Canadian Snowbird Stay Out of the Country? by sid http://travelinsurancefile.com/headlines/how-long-can-a-canadian-snowbird-stay-out-of-the-country/comment-page-3/#comment-28799 sid Sun, 13 May 2012 19:54:26 +0000 http://travelinsurancefile.com/?p=999#comment-28799 I am a Canadian citizen live in Ontario. My question is if i go to US and stay more than 182 days , would i be breaking the law? I have no intention of working there illegally or do anything illegal. I want to get trained in IT and then i aply for a work visa while remain in the US. I want to apply for H1 visa but that visa gets taken fast and i may not be able to get it. I know i am elegible for a TN status but it wont work in my case because i have a degree in Accounting but want to work in IT ( you have to have the same degree as your intended occupation for TN). I mostly visit US using my Ontario Enhanced driver's license, and never had any problem. My question is do US and Canada share information as to when a person enters the country and when he/she leaves? When i enter US , they would track me from my Ontario license plates on my car but when i go back to Canada, does the information pass onto US Customs? I sure don't want to be on the wrong side of the law, but due to shortage of H1 visas and circumstances, i'd like to live longer than 6 months if required. THanks I am a Canadian citizen live in Ontario. My question is if i go to US and stay more than 182 days , would i be breaking the law? I have no intention of working there illegally or do anything illegal.
I want to get trained in IT and then i aply for a work visa while remain in the US.
I want to apply for H1 visa but that visa gets taken fast and i may not be able to get it. I know i am elegible for a TN status but it wont work in my case because i have a degree in Accounting but want to work in IT ( you have to have the same degree as your intended occupation for TN).

I mostly visit US using my Ontario Enhanced driver’s license, and never had any problem. My question is do US and Canada share information as to when a person enters the country and when he/she leaves? When i enter US , they would track me from my Ontario license plates on my car but when i go back to Canada, does the information pass onto US Customs?

I sure don’t want to be on the wrong side of the law, but due to shortage of H1 visas and circumstances, i’d like to live longer than 6 months if required.
THanks

]]> Comment on How Long Can A Canadian Snowbird Stay Out of the Country? by Mary http://travelinsurancefile.com/headlines/how-long-can-a-canadian-snowbird-stay-out-of-the-country/comment-page-3/#comment-28734 Mary Sat, 12 May 2012 15:20:05 +0000 http://travelinsurancefile.com/?p=999#comment-28734 OK. I concede that by creative book keeping the US requires I return to Canada in 6 months eg Oct 15 – Apr 15 even if I am actually out of the country on some trips shorter than 30 days so that I really was NOT there all that time. That would be an immigration issue. What about a taxation issue. ie. If I file a 8840 do I count the days I was REALLY there or do I include the days I was out of the country on the short trips? Mary OK. I concede that by creative book keeping the US requires I return to Canada in 6 months eg Oct 15 – Apr 15 even if I am actually out of the country on some trips shorter than 30 days so that I really was NOT there all that time. That would be an immigration issue. What about a taxation issue. ie. If I file a 8840 do I count the days I was REALLY there or do I include the days I was out of the country on the short trips? Mary

]]> Comment on How Long Can Snowbirds Stay In The U.S.? by Milan Korcok http://travelinsurancefile.com/headlines/how-long-can-snowbirds-stay-in-the-u-s/comment-page-1/#comment-28551 Milan Korcok Thu, 10 May 2012 14:25:12 +0000 http://travelinsurancefile.com/?p=1237#comment-28551 Donna: This is not true. There are some Congressmen who are proposing legislation to extend the 182 days to 240, but that's a piece of legislation so far down the priority list it's not likely to see life in the foreseable future. Out of the thousands of bills that are presented every year, only a tiny share ever make it to a vote. If that ever becomes a serious issue, I'll let you know. This is an election year. There's only one thing on Congressmen's minds--holding on to their jobs. Milan Donna:

This is not true.

There are some Congressmen who are proposing legislation to extend the 182 days to 240, but that’s a piece of legislation so far down the priority list it’s not likely to see life in the foreseable future. Out of the thousands of bills that are presented every year, only a tiny share ever make it to a vote. If that ever becomes a serious issue, I’ll let you know. This is an election year. There’s only one thing on Congressmen’s minds–holding on to their jobs.

Milan

]]> Comment on How Long Can A Canadian Snowbird Stay Out of the Country? by Milan Korcok http://travelinsurancefile.com/headlines/how-long-can-a-canadian-snowbird-stay-out-of-the-country/comment-page-3/#comment-28550 Milan Korcok Thu, 10 May 2012 14:24:54 +0000 http://travelinsurancefile.com/?p=999#comment-28550 Tammy: Your husband should be fine. Just make sure he has good documentation that he has deep roots in Canada and fully intends to return in a couple of days. Border agents just want to know that people are sincerely intending to go back home. Milan Tammy:

Your husband should be fine. Just make sure he has good documentation that he has deep roots in Canada and fully intends to return in a couple of days. Border agents just want to know that people are sincerely intending to go back home.

Milan

]]> Comment on How Long Can Snowbirds Stay In The U.S.? by Donna http://travelinsurancefile.com/headlines/how-long-can-snowbirds-stay-in-the-u-s/comment-page-1/#comment-28404 Donna Wed, 09 May 2012 04:46:49 +0000 http://travelinsurancefile.com/?p=1237#comment-28404 Very good article. I had one question, I recently heard that the US was considering a vote in Congress to extend the 182 days to 240, due to tax issues. Do you know is this is true. Thank you Donna Very good article. I had one question, I recently heard that the US was considering a vote in Congress to extend the 182 days to 240, due to tax issues. Do you know is this is true.

Thank you
Donna

]]> Comment on How Long Can A Canadian Snowbird Stay Out of the Country? by Tammy http://travelinsurancefile.com/headlines/how-long-can-a-canadian-snowbird-stay-out-of-the-country/comment-page-3/#comment-28395 Tammy Wed, 09 May 2012 01:46:30 +0000 http://travelinsurancefile.com/?p=999#comment-28395 My husband went to U.S. for 5 months and 3 weeks literally in the last 12 months (returned to Canada March 18/12) but now he needs to go to the U.S. for a day or two to pick up his car and then come back to Canada. Can he return to U.S. since he did not reach the six month limit from Sept 2011-March 2012 yet, even though he just returned to Canada about 6 or 7 weeks ago? Can he go back to U.S. now in the above situation. There doesn't have to be any time in between does there as long as he hasn't used up the six-months in the last calendar year - I know its close but that's all he needs is the one or two days. Please let me know. Thanks. Tammy My husband went to U.S. for 5 months and 3 weeks literally in the last 12 months (returned to Canada March 18/12) but now he needs to go to the U.S. for a day or two to pick up his car and then come back to Canada. Can he return to U.S. since he did not reach the six month limit from Sept 2011-March 2012 yet, even though he just returned to Canada about 6 or 7 weeks ago? Can he go back to U.S. now in the above situation. There doesn’t have to be any time in between does there as long as he hasn’t used up the six-months in the last calendar year – I know its close but that’s all he needs is the one or two days. Please let me know. Thanks. Tammy

]]> Comment on How Long Can A Canadian Snowbird Stay Out of the Country? by Michael http://travelinsurancefile.com/headlines/how-long-can-a-canadian-snowbird-stay-out-of-the-country/comment-page-3/#comment-28381 Michael Tue, 08 May 2012 19:33:13 +0000 http://travelinsurancefile.com/?p=999#comment-28381 Milan, Great information on this thread! I was working in the US on TN visas for 4 years, and after my employment ended in February I reentered the US as a tourist for another 3 months. My question is: will my time on a TN count towards the 182 days (meaning that? Or is that only for tourist visa purposes? Thanks, Mike Milan,

Great information on this thread!

I was working in the US on TN visas for 4 years, and after my employment ended in February I reentered the US as a tourist for another 3 months. My question is: will my time on a TN count towards the 182 days (meaning that? Or is that only for tourist visa purposes?

Thanks,

Mike

]]> Comment on Ask the Editor by Milan Korcok http://travelinsurancefile.com/ask-the-editor/comment-page-1/#comment-28327 Milan Korcok Mon, 07 May 2012 22:08:52 +0000 http://www.travelinsurancefile.com/?page_id=30#comment-28327 Bob: You are correct, she has 93 days left in the year. The only correction to your statement is that you are allowed 6 months out of the last 12 OR 6 months in any calendar year. You can't have both. That would make 12. Put it practically, in the eyes of a border agent: if you spent the last half of 2011 in the U.S., and then popped up again at the border January 3 in 2012 saying you are going for another 6 months, you would raise an eyebrow. Milan Bob:

You are correct, she has 93 days left in the year. The only correction to your statement is that you are allowed 6 months out of the last 12 OR 6 months in any calendar year. You can’t have both. That would make 12.

Put it practically, in the eyes of a border agent: if you spent the last half of 2011 in the U.S., and then popped up again at the border January 3 in 2012 saying you are going for another 6 months, you would raise an eyebrow.

Milan

]]> Comment on How Long Can A Canadian Snowbird Stay Out of the Country? by Milan Korcok http://travelinsurancefile.com/headlines/how-long-can-a-canadian-snowbird-stay-out-of-the-country/comment-page-3/#comment-28326 Milan Korcok Mon, 07 May 2012 21:59:40 +0000 http://travelinsurancefile.com/?p=999#comment-28326 Lee: The law is the same for him as anybody else: six months out of the last 12 or in a calendar year. Milan Lee:

The law is the same for him as anybody else: six months out of the last 12 or in a calendar year.

Milan

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