Obtaining Written Proof of Departure from Canada

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.



david ingram replies:

Usually people are trying to prove the time they were IN Canada, not the time they were out.

There are many things that he should be able to access.

1. Doctors' records

2. Dentists' records

3. Employment records

4. Church records

5. School records of his children

6. Statutary declarations by friends, fellow emnployees, relatives who visited you

7. US Census records

8. State Driver's licence records

9. Auto Insurance records

10. Bank account records

11.. Telephone company records - i.e. old phione books

12. Club memberships

13. Professional memberships

14. Old Warranty cards

15. Old passports

16. Old tax returns - the IRS has a form which they produce which says you filed a tax return as a US resident with the IRS - Ithink that it can only go back to 1967

17. A copy of his US citizenship apllication which will say where and when he lived there. It should be available from Homeland Security

18. His draft status - in 1964 and 1970, he would hav had to register for the draft. His address, etc., will be / should be on record

19. Library memberships

20. Sports Team Memberships

It takes a lot of looking sometimes which reminds me

21. Optometrist records

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