Hi There!
How do we prove that a person left the country in 1966 when at that time there were no forms that we were aware that required filing? We need something to show for the years he was not in Canada to satisfy the Old Age Pension department. Heavens should they give him credit for anytime outside Canada by mistake!
My husband was born in Canada in 1937, left in 1966. He became a US citizen in 1972 in order to have a license that required US citizenship. In 1994, we returned to Canada and went through the usual customs procedure. Upon being sent to Immigration, we advised the officer that my husband was a US citizen but had been born in Canada. Other than my husband's Canadian birth certificate and US passport which was presented, we were not asked for anything else. My question was simple and direct...Do I have to sponsor my husband back to Canada? The answer was "no" and "welcome back." You can imagine
the paperwork and costs we have endured since then . In 2002 he returned from visiting in the US and was advised that he had been in this country illegally all that time. We always though that he had dual citizenship.
So despite cutting all ties with the US and doing all the necessary Canadian things: mortgage, bank account, car, Church affiliation, filing Canadian tax returns as a resident, credit cards and having lots of family in Canada nothing counts towards being a bona fide resident when it comes to any entitlements. In fact, because he collects US Social Security, we get the feeling that he will be lucky if eventually he collects a very small amount of OAP. We are aware of many others here who have suffered the same fate. He has now become a landed immigrant and I his sponsor for 3 years. The good news I suppose is that he can become a Canadian again in one year.... and the point there is...?
My point is that despite all the paperwork generated with the government, they find ways to make life very complicated. I wish that the 1977 law about citizenship changes had been more widely announced. I was living in Canada at that time and had not even heard about the changes! Did I really need to have a TV? Obviously not many of the local newspapers in smaller towns made any big announcements.
Now we are dealing with the OAP people and need to prove the time he was out of Canada. Any suggestions?
Thanks for letting me tell you our story.
