6 months or 180 days to stay in USA

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Since you already had an adamant response, I don't understand why you needed to ask the question here.

Leaving aside the tax issue, maybe there's a special immigration rule for Canadians? If so, I haven't seen it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist; I haven't  kept up with the rules applying specifically to Canadians, as I normally find myself talking to non-North Americans on these subjects.
 
Here's an interesting web page of a "cross-border advisor". I have no information on the validity of the information provided. But, if true, it's clear that this subject is very much a moving target, and that there are two sets of rules to comply with (i.e. immigration and taxes).

As I browse the volumes of US government documents on these subjects, it's also clear there that the rules are changing. In addition to me previously having to update some of my writings here in the forum, today I'm finding new changes and US government web pages that have either moved or no longer exist.

I always say "Know before you go", but it seems increasingly difficult to "know". It's going to be some time, if ever, before I get current with all the recent changes. So, travel to the U.S. at your peril.
 
Tom said:
Leaving aside the tax issue, maybe there's a special immigration rule for Canadians? If so, I haven't seen it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist; I haven't  kept up with the rules applying specifically to Canadians, as I normally find myself talking to non-North Americans on these subjects.

There appears to be special rules for different categories of Canadians VISITORS' to the US. Canadian CITIZENS follow one set of rules where as Canadian RESIDENTS (non yet citizens) have others. eg 180 max days for citizens, but the max for Canadian residents is only 90 days This is but one example. There are likely a few more, maybe many more, rules that I am not aware of.....

Immigration, on the other hand, is different. Example: Every so often the US runs a lottery for foreigners to apply for a green card etc. Canadians, more often than not, are not even eligible to apply. I do know of 1 case of a Russian immigrant couple, both highly educated, who were accepted into Canada as a refugees, living and working here for a couple of years, who then won the lottery and promptly moved!! Canadians were not eligible in that particular instance either. On the other hand, under Free Trade rules, Canadian professionals such as engineers, Doctors, Nurses etc etc can apply under those rules for consideration and have little trouble entering on a permanent basis, especially if a job offer has been received... and there are a bunch more rules to be followed by the prospective American employers as well.
 
well the only reason I ever brought this deal up is because I felt I was well within any US rule or law or regulation.I entered the US Oct 26 2013 I left the US april 16 2014.Total days 173  but seven months in a row
When I went down to moses lake July28 for 4 days  the women border guard right out of the blue was yapping at me about  overstaying and was I aware iam only allowed 180 days and when were you thinking you were coming back in etc.Seriously I was really caught off guard. Obviously she let me in when I said its only 173 days in total?
but she gave me a very sterm warning of which I have no clue as to why but Iam scared to go back before Nov 01 now
 
Stu, this discussion was specifically in respect of non-immigrant visitors, but I think you knew that. Meanwhile, the division of Canadian citizens and Canadian residents was news to me.

Re the green card lottery, we had someone from the UK here within the last couple of weeks telling us his wife (IIRC she's Italian) had come up on the GC lottery, and they were moving to the U.S. and planning to live in a truck camper  ???
 
buchanan, I can see why you'd be leery about returning to the U.S. any time soon  :eek:
 
She simply thought you were 'kinda close' to the limit (you only had a 9 day leeway in any case) and jumped before pulling out her calculator. "Just doing her job" making sure you understood the rules and perhaps scaring you enough  so that you would be back in time!! Many visitors end up getting 'lost' and fail to find the border crossing, I would think. Some officials just don't seem to be too 'diplomatic' in handling the situation however.

It happens here often where visitors, even those with Visa's and those that have been formally deported, have "disappeared into wood work" never to be seen again!!! Yes, releasing a deportee on his own recognizance before shipping him/her out and expecting that he will show up again is a HUGE boo boo, IMHO.

A funny story: I had entered the US by boat at a water border crossing on an island in upstate NY,  1000 Islands area,  one summer. This was the first year I had not obtained a crossing permit in advance from US Immigration at Dorval Airport, a half hour procedure and a small fee. Well, after a 35 minute lecture from the officer between cruise ship arrivals, on why I should have one etc, I said "I'm convinced, please issue me one!!" Ahhh, Nope, she gave me the form and said I had to send it in to Virginia and await the permit which would take several weeks. Well, I was there for 1 day and was returning to Canada that same evening (Canada was just across the river on the other side of said Island!!!) Go Figure!!!
 
Just for (my) future reference, here's the official scoop on Form 8840 - Closer Connection (to your home country) exception to the 'substantial presence' test. Includes links to other tax related pages/documents.
 
Not that you will ever need to fill it out ..LOL

Thanks for that. It is a shame that the current PDF form cannot be filled out while displayed on the computer, saved locally, then printed.  I seem to remember that previous years had that ability, although the ones referred to on this page do not. They never had the ability to actually be filed with the IRS on line though, always 'print and mail'.


On Edit: Being unable to fill out the form appears to be related to the inclusion of another .PDF reader within Firefox and is now Solved ;D
 
Alfa38User said:
Not that you will ever need to fill it out ..LOL

Thanks for that. It is a shame that the current PDF form cannot be filled out while displayed on the computer, saved locally, then printed.  I seem to remember that previous years had that ability, although the ones referred to on this page do not. They never had the ability to actually be filed with the IRS on line though, always 'print and mail'.

I filled one out on the puter a week ago with no problems?
 
    Stu, I have to agree with Buchanan on that one, I just clicked on the link that Tom gave us an tried to infill/respond to the questions.  although I did not fill it in completely, every fill in the blank seemed to allow data entry, you just can't change any of their form.
    Now that NS has extended it's out of province medical to allow 7 months, I hope the US House finds a way to separate a longer  stay for us, from the omnibus emigration bill.

Ed
 
I can certainly understand borders and border patrols and controls, rules and regulations.The  thing,s that's just gaul me to death is why any BA would
hassle a snowbird of whom 1) has a super clean record and 2) is totally conforming to us law? for what good reason.?leave us cross  in peace as we contribute billions to the us economy. Snowbirds don't receive EBC or Free medical etc unlike your southern neighbours. why should they care if Iam 50 days  or 180 days?? The law says 180 days in any 12 month period??Some US border agents are so mean and its just not right.there needs to be accountability in this area and there is NONE.If a BA is having a bad hair
and want,s to ruin your day they can and there is Zero recourse for the victim
the only thing that annoys me more is when those retards that run the nascar races throw a yellow flag  for "debree" (usually a water bottle or a brake ducting)
 
Do you really believe that a BP agent would go out of their way to give someone a bad time, just for the heck of it? Do you really believe they single out snowbirds? Just read some of your own messages/replies, and consider how you'd react to a traveler speaking like that if you were the agent.

Meanwhile, I have no idea what debris on a NASCAR race track has to do with this discussion  ???
 
Tom said:
Do you really believe that a BP agent would go out of their way to give someone a bad time, just for the heck of it? Do you really believe they single out snowbirds? Just read some of your own messages/replies, and consider how you'd react to a traveler speaking like that if you were the agent.

Meanwhile, I have no idea what debris on a NASCAR race track has to do with this discussion  ???
Seeing as you asked  YES I do and have heard many people say the same thing.They DEFINATELY single out snowbirds.  One thing I do know I have NEVER EVER talked disrespectfully towards a US Border agent  NEVER. I just play the game as no sir yes sir etc
 
[quote author=buchanan]I just play the game ... [/quote]

Therein might be part of the problem; You see it as a game, whereas border security is a serious matter.
 
Tom said:
Therein might be part of the problem; You see it as a game, whereas border security is a serious matter.

sounds good Tom /Your knowledge and insight into these matters amazes me.Have a great sat nite and sunday.
 
Thanks. Continue to have an amazing weekend  8)
 
Buchanan and Hfx_Cdn

That's interesting!!. It may be the version of Adobe Reader I am using with Windows 7 and Firefox31 because it used to work well for me too. But then Windows 7 is newly installed here too and Firefox is continually changing versions. Hmmm.  (And yes, you can only input your data, the form itself cannot be changed in any way, completely normal on any forms of this nature that I have used. In earlier versions of the software these forms could not be saved locally either, you were obliged to print them right away. )

Thanks!!
EDIT: UPDATE:  Firefox31, what are you doing to me?? Solved: The problem was related to a built-in .PDF reader that was included in one of the later versions of Firefox. When opening the form in Adobe Reader itself it works well. The answer was staring me in the face!! Changed the option to always use the full Reader even though it is more cumbersome.
 

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