Help from Canadians - Embassy Letter

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

6 hours ago, pegman said:

Most definately #1. 

 

OP, something I don't get is if your proof of income this year is not good enough for the Brit embassy why do you think it would be good enough for the Canadian embassy? 

 

My buddy got this letter last week from the Canadian embassy:

"The Embassy of Canada continues providing a letter of income.
If there is any change in the future, information will be post in the Embassy's website : www.Thailand.gc.ca

In obtaining an income verification letter, please see the below information.
****
The Embassy of Canada provides a letter confirming pension income for Canadian citizen applying for a retirement visa, a marriage visa, and one year visa renewal to stay in Thailand."

 

Note that it says "....a letter confirming pension income....". That wording doesn't seem to lend itself to meaning income other than from pension sources. 

 

Yes, No. 1  I got this identical response today from the Embassy of Canada to Thailand. I had asked if the service is under review or whether Canada had changed its stance regarding provision of notarization of income letters. The answer appears to be "no."

 

I think that's because as a Canadian, we have always had to prove to the embassy that we receive this income. We can't pick numbers out of the air. I use a pension statement from my former employer, all official, directed at Thai Immigration and Canadian Embassy, logo'ed, stamped and signed by my former employer. 

 

 

[watcharacters]

On 10/28/2018 at 10:09 PM, CharlieH said:

by that time a whole new set of challenges may have arisen.

 

Truer words never spoken.

 

[Banana7]

1 hour ago, UniqueWord said:

I don't know what CRA think about me; I've never asked....

However I had a CDN passport vice a Brit one from 1981 (when I left) until 1999 when my last CDN passport expired and I got a Brit pp.  I've been using a Brit pp since then (1999).  In all the time I had a CDN pp I never heard squat from CRA about my residency status or any fines for missing filing taxes.  Plus I never made a secret about where I was.  Of course I had to renew my CDN pp a few times so I assume I should've heard something about it at those renewals.  It's an interesting thought though; they might say the onus is on the individual to ensure compliance with the law.

It will be what it will be - too late now I think for proactive action.

However, if you know of any way in which I can determine what CRA think about me, I'd be happy to hear it.

To reply to another poster who asked "Why not carry both passports?", I just couldn't see the advantage of it - they have a cost of being maintained, not only in money but time and effort in keeping track and renewing.

Thanks for your input.  Cheers, UW.

For CRA purposes, non-resident status is basically determined by "residential ties" to Canada. CRA makes the determination on an individual basis, if you are a resident or non-resident, not you, the person. Even if you have been absent from Canada for a decade, but have "ties", CRA can deem you a resident - a resident must file a personal income tax return, if they have income of about CAD$11,000 per year (there are other exclusions too) or more from all your World sources, not just Canadian sources.

 

Significant residential ties to Canada include:

• a home in Canada;
• a spouse or common-law partner in Canada; and
• dependants in Canada;

Secondary residential ties that may be relevant include:

• personal property in Canada, such as a car or furniture;
• social ties in Canada, such as memberships in Canadian recreational or religious organizations;
• economic ties in Canada, such as Canadian bank accounts or credit cards;
• a Canadian driver's licence;
• a Canadian passport; and
• health insurance with a Canadian province or territory.

To determine residence status, all of the relevant facts in each case must be considered, including residential ties with Canada and length of time, object, intent, and continuity while living inside and outside Canada.

 

My friend, who was denied non-resident status, had no "significant residential ties". He did have a Canadian passport, Canadian credit cards and a Canadian bank account.

 

More info here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/technical-information/income-tax/income-tax-folios-index/series-5-international-residency/folio-1-residency/income-tax-folio-s5-f1-c1-determining-individual-s-residence-status.html

 

CRA normally doesn't go after you in a foreign country. But they may be waiting for you to return to Canada, and then pounce on you. CRA and the IRS do share info.

 

 

 

[UniqueWord]

13 hours ago, pegman said:

OP, something I don't get is if your proof of income this year is not good enough for the Brit embassy why do you think it would be good enough for the Canadian embassy? 

Sorry I didn't explicitly answer this question before.  The sad fact is that I currently do not have any proof of income for 2018; I have to wait until early April 2019 to receive my Tax Statement for 2018 from the US Investment Company which is responsible for disbursing it, and filing the appropriate tax paperwork.

But in the past this document has been good enough for the Brits, and I see no reason currently why it should not be good for the Canadians, leaving aside for the moment the objections which Banana 7 has stated, and to which I have replied.

Cheers, UW.

[pegman]

9 hours ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

 

Yes, No. 1  I got this identical response today from the Embassy of Canada to Thailand. I had asked if the service is under review or whether Canada had changed its stance regarding provision of notarization of income letters. The answer appears to be "no."

 

I think that's because as a Canadian, we have always had to prove to the embassy that we receive this income. We can't pick numbers out of the air. I use a pension statement from my former employer, all official, directed at Thai Immigration and Canadian Embassy, logo'ed, stamped and signed by my former employer. 

 

 

Good to hear. I have no idea whether our embassy was previously giving income letters if the income was from sources other than pensions, such as investment income. Anyone have experience with that?

[Beats56]

I do file my Canadian tax every year. If you become a non resident then you lose your personal exemption on your taxes.

This whole thing here about the embassies has nothing to do with immigration, it the US and UK embassies here. That's it. Until the Canadian embassy says otherwise it is still same as before.

 

 

[5633572526]

On 10/28/2018 at 10:28 PM, CharlieH said:

If you get your income letter in December its good for 6 months, you can do your renewal in May and that takes you into April 2020.

18 months away.

I was unaware the income letter was good for 6 months. Thanks for that information as I have to extend in April