Proof of Canadian residency for full timers

[Rvingprinces]

We will be starting our new life as fulltime rveers next year and I was wondering how you prove residency when you live full time In a RV. When you go over the boarder do you have to show proof of a lease or utility bills, as we won't have either. We can give our Daughter's address but it is only a 1 bedroom apt. Would anyone check that fact? We have never done this before and my husband is a little nervous aboutRVroving residency if we were asked at the border. Any info on this subject from any Canadian Snowbirds would be much appreciated.

[Skip426]

The Canadian Snowbird Association , has an info site on the issue .
If I remember the wording correctly, you must maintain an address and a location to return to ( it can be a rented room , but it must be available for your use 24/7/365) if I can find the link I'll re-post.
www.snowbirds.org
is the CSA web page but I know I have a direct link somewhere.
EDIT; Can't find the link , but on the web page , open " Tax Forms " the wording is under " Closer Connection"
Do they ever check , if your just using your daughter's place as a mail drop. Can't say. But sister-in-law was asked at the border " Who's looking after your house " and a wrong answer to that kind of question can get you in trouble at the border.
Your answer should be " The condo committee " or " Our landlord " but you didn't hear this from me.
Another hint, I have been asked " Where're you headed " it's good to have a destination, " Booked in a park in Yuma " is a good answer ; and again you didn't hear it from me.

[Skip426]

Too late to re-edit , my last post, and on this , I really don't have any kind of info or answer.
Canadian Passport, Drivers licenses ; not sure if you can re-new a passport without fixed address ; but that could just be me overthinking the issue.
BTW. In seven years of snowbirding , I've never been asked for any paperwork at the border other than , passport. Questions , yes , paperwork, no. I , always have lots, but have never been asked to provide.

[TRAILERKING]

Originally Posted by Skip426

The Canadian Snowbird Association , has an info site on the issue .
If I remember the wording correctly, you must maintain an address and a location to return to ( it can be a rented room , but it must be available for your use 24/7/365) if I can find the link I'll re-post.
www.snowbirds.org
is the CSA web page but I know I have a direct link somewhere.
EDIT; Can't find the link , but on the web page , open " Tax Forms " the wording is under " Closer Connection"
Do they ever check , if your just using your daughter's place as a mail drop. Can't say. But sister-in-law was asked at the border " Who's looking after your house " and a wrong answer to that kind of question can get you in trouble at the border.
Your answer should be " The condo committee " or " Our landlord " but you didn't hear this from me.
Another hint, I have been asked " Where're you headed " it's good to have a destination, " Booked in a park in Yuma " is a good answer ; and again you didn't hear it from me.

You have lotsa good answers Skip.

[Libero]

Don't understand the issue.

Your legal permanent address must be on your drivers lic. It does not matter if you "live" with your daughter or a friend etc. Can't get a license or passport without one as far as I know. Financial institutions must be given a permanent address as well as tax form, health cards etc. You do not have to own anything at that permanent address or pay any of the bills. Just try to put "no fixed address" or simply a PO Box on your next license or passport renewal. Well, good luck with that.

Perhaps I am missing something here, but one must be a legal resident somewhere if you own an RV, can drive and/or have a passport.

Have fun RVing and don't worry is my advice, but medical insurance is something to think about. Suggest you have that covered.

[Jack1234]

Suggest you investigate the rules governing how long you can legally spend in the US every year if you are not maintaining a legal Canadian residency. The Border will be the least of your problems if you do not stay on-side with the INS & IRS!

[Libero]

Yes Jack1234 provides good advice.

This also applies for health coverage and of course for tax purposes in Canada. There are limits.

[Skip426]

Originally Posted by Libero

Don't understand the issue.
Perhaps I am missing something here, but one must be a legal resident somewhere if you own an RV, can drive and/or have a passport.

Have fun RVing and don't worry is my advice, but medical insurance is something to think about. Suggest you have that covered.

The issue , is that US border services , for some reason , treat a Canadian full timer , the same way they treat a Mexican border jumper; "turn them around , send them back where they came from".
When asked at the border , " Where's home " if you say I live in my RV, you will be denied entry into the USA. Then if you read through the regulations for length of stay in consecutive years; that will give you a real headache, you have to add in a percentage of all your travel into the USA for the past 4 years to avoid overstaying and being subject to US residence taxes.

Medical Insurance , and a defined length of stay, are also things to have in mind when answering questions at the border.
" We have to be back in Canada in 3 months " is a good answer, to a question of proposed length of stay.
Or " We'll be back to see the grandchildren for Christmas."
Have your answers well in advance of crossing the border. Both the USA and Canadian borders have listening posts set up around the crossings.
Case in point .
Coming home several years ago, DW and I had been on the road for about a week and used our on board booze. DW, said on approaching the border, " you have to pull in with the semi's to get parked at the duty free ". I said " I can see the parking lot entrance " of course she was right.
The parking lot was cars only , no turning around, no cheep booze this trip home. " And then the fight started, I told you so etc." We rolled up to the border crossing, Wednesday afternoon no traffic, the border guard was doing everything he could to contain his laughter, his only question, that he could get out without breaking up , was " Any alcohol to declare. "
Missed the duty free ! was my reply. Have a nice day he said and waved me through. Don't you want to see our passports ? I asked. No you look like Canadians to me was the reply. I wasn't stopped long enough to get the truck out of gear; I'm sure the guard needed a trip to the bathroom, he was laughing so hard.
A lot of the problems experienced by Canadian full timers, show up in publications here in Canada and never get into iRV2, forums.

[datrbone8]

Being Canadian must be exhausting

[TRAILERKING]

Originally Posted by Skip426

The issue , is that US border services , for some reason , treat a Canadian full timer , the same way they treat a Mexican border jumper; "turn them around , send them back where they came from".
When asked at the border , " Where's home " if you say I live in my RV, you will be denied entry into the USA. Then if you read through the regulations for length of stay in consecutive years; that will give you a real headache, you have to add in a percentage of all your travel into the USA for the past 4 years to avoid overstaying and being subject to US residence taxes.

Medical Insurance , and a defined length of stay, are also things to have in mind when answering questions at the border.
" We have to be back in Canada in 3 months " is a good answer, to a question of proposed length of stay.
Or " We'll be back to see the grandchildren for Christmas."
Have your answers well in advance of crossing the border. Both the USA and Canadian borders have listening posts set up around the crossings.
Case in point .
Coming home several years ago, DW and I had been on the road for about a week and used our on board booze. DW, said on approaching the border, " you have to pull in with the semi's to get parked at the duty free ". I said " I can see the parking lot entrance " of course she was right.
The parking lot was cars only , no turning around, no cheep booze this trip home. " And then the fight started, I told you so etc." We rolled up to the border crossing, Wednesday afternoon no traffic, the border guard was doing everything he could to contain his laughter, his only question, that he could get out without breaking up , was " Any alcohol to declare. "
Missed the duty free ! was my reply. Have a nice day he said and waved me through. Don't you want to see our passports ? I asked. No you look like Canadians to me was the reply. I wasn't stopped long enough to get the truck out of gear; I'm sure the guard needed a trip to the bathroom, he was laughing so hard.
A lot of the problems experienced by Canadian full timers, show up in publications here in Canada and never get into iRV2, forums.

Kinda wants a guy just to stay at home.

[Skip426]

Originally Posted by datrbone8

Being Canadian must be exhausting

We have to have something to do , to keep our minds off government spending.
Don't get me started on that.

[Skip426]

Originally Posted by TRAILERKING

Kinda wants a guy just to stay at home.

Come on , Trailerking, being from Regina you know exactly why we travel south every year. Can you say " wind chill "
Always remember a quote in National Geographic, from a North Dakota farmer when asked about the winters.
" You realize that the only thing , between here and the artic circle , is a barbed wire fence at the Canadian border." Kind of says it all.

[TRAILERKING]

I have never had issues at the Border with a car or truck back and forth. It all went quite smooth when I brought back the Coach from Florida when I bought it. However it scares me now to go back down with a loaded up Coach and have them rip it apart. So I haven't gone back into the U.S. with the Coach yet but sure would like to without being torn apart at the Border.
Have any other Canadians had issues crossing back and forth with their Coach?

[spinn]

I have not had the opportunity to take my coach across but for many years while I was living in Canada I would travel to the U.S.at least 3 times a month (I have since become a U.S. citizen).
The one thing I learned after crossing at least a hundred times was to always talk to the agent before they had a chance to ask you a question or begin their "stare of intimidation". I would start with "good morning" or "busy day?" Doing this I never had an issue. Even with a U.S. passport that shows me born in Canada, this will often bring up interesting conversation from both sides. But please be be careful of what you say, like a police officer these guards are trained to listen very carefully and watch your expressions.

They have a tough job, if they make a mistake and let the wrong person cross their careers could be limited. Occasionally you still find someone with a Rambo complex just keep smiling and answering "yes sir/mam" "no sir/mam".

Have fun and enjoy your travels, stay safe -Steve