Canadians in Florida?

Well my dad has a condo in St. Pete's and has a Florida resident ID. I Also have an uncle that has lived down around Miami for years now. Both retired and living off Canadian incomes.

CanuckBob wrote:What about living there full-time? I think that has pretty stringent requirements. No?

It is hard to get a WORK VISA in US.

It is not hard to get a "no working I am
lazy retired person visa" Kinda like Rentista
down here. Note this is for Canadian or
European. This is not true for Mexican.
A Mexican will pay 125$USD for the right
to apply for a Visa non refundable. I think
Mexicans need a Visa for Canada now.

You have to have money or income. Don't
know the details but not a big deal for
retired person.

Z

CheenaGringo wrote:You can say what you want about Florida, but you never hear of anyone retiring and moving north.

So who wants to be OLD and COLD?

Z

CanuckBob wrote:This is not about Canadian medical. It is about the rule in the US that says a foreigner cannot be there for longer than 6 calender months per year without a special visa. Going back and forth is irrelevant as the total time in the US cannot exceed 6 months per year.

Zedinmexico wrote:If you own a house in the United States it is relativily easy to get
a visa to come and go for a Canadian. The health insurance six
month thing is a province thing not a federal thing so your miliage
may vary depending on province. If you don't want to work it is
generally no problem.

Z

Where I lived NoB there was a popular town for retiree's. Most of my neighbors went to Fl, Az, Ca for the winters with varying success or horror stories. Most were affluent so you would think aquiring a resident visa when they owned a home would have been easy but none of them had an easy go of it. There are ways around the medical system that any Canadian knows about, the issue is as Bob said. If you get nailed by someone in authority in the US having a power trip you are banned for 5 years to life and appealing costs a lot of $$ and takes a long time.

Probably speaking with a local immigration lawyer is a good first step. She/he will know the local system and how easy/hard it is to get a resident visa.

My own experience with hundreds of border crossings into the US is that the border guards are all convinced every Canadian is secretly trying to move to the US permanently and it is up to the person to prove otherwise. Bizarre to me. But hey, I am in Mexico so what do I know LOL

Zedinmexico wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:What about living there full-time? I think that has pretty stringent requirements. No?

It is hard to get a WORK VISA in US.

It is not hard to get a "no working I am
lazy retired person visa" Kinda like Rentista
down here. Note this is for Canadian or
European. This is not true for Mexican.
A Mexican will pay 125$USD for the right
to apply for a Visa non refundable. I think
Mexicans need a Visa for Canada now.

You have to have money or income. Don't
know the details but not a big deal for
retired person.

Z

Actually, Its a very big deal for a retired person. Though I am from England, not Canada (I believe the criteria is the same) We have owned property in Florida for 15 years, have B2 visas (6 month stay) and we are not allowed to stay in the US more than 6 months per year. There is no retirement visa (for anyone)and no legal way to stay, hence we moved here to retire (thank goodness!) Every time we go back to the US we are questioned even though we have never (never intend to) overstay(ed).
We have retired english friends who own property in Florida that have been banned from entering the states for 10 years because they overstayed their 6 months.

I tried NM because it was supposed to be a great retirement place (Albuquerque). Whe it snowed 28", I quit and came here.

Hot in the summer, cold in the winter and the wind blew all the time....

chelseagirls wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:What about living there full-time? I think that has pretty stringent requirements. No?

It is hard to get a WORK VISA in US.

It is not hard to get a "no working I am
lazy retired person visa" Kinda like Rentista
down here. Note this is for Canadian or
European. This is not true for Mexican.
A Mexican will pay 125$USD for the right
to apply for a Visa non refundable. I think
Mexicans need a Visa for Canada now.

You have to have money or income. Don't
know the details but not a big deal for
retired person.

Z

Actually, Its a very big deal for a retired person. Though I am from England, not Canada (I believe the criteria is the same) We have owned property in Florida for 15 years, have B2 visas (6 month stay) and we are not allowed to stay in the US more than 6 months per year. There is no retirement visa (for anyone)and no legal way to stay, hence we moved here to retire (thank goodness!) Every time we go back to the US we are questioned even though we have never (never intend to) overstay(ed).
We have retired english friends who own property in Florida that have been banned from entering the states for 10 years because they overstayed their 6 months.

I don't know what to say to you. I have brought over many folks from Canada.
Maybe the difference is we used a good immigration lawyer. My father was
friends with the education minister from China and we got his daughter and
her husband back over here after they left when there education Visa ran out.

Z

ferret wrote:On TOB, someone mentioned that Florida was trying to implement a "Silver" Visa especially for retirees. That sounds like a win/win solution to the problem in the manner that Mexico has already adopted. A yearly renewal fee and showing that you have enough income from pensions and/or investments to live there comfortably should keep the government and the retirees happy.
The U.S. has to get over this phobia that everyone wants to live in the U.S. and has ulterior motives.
Most retirees are just lookin' for a warm place in the sun to spend their money.

Boy does that make sense. A warm place to spend our money is it!!!

Z

"My father was friends with the education minister from China and we got his daughter and her husband back over here after they left when there education Visa ran out."

Does that explain the absence of the word THEIR in your vocabulary? Inquiring minds would like to know the origin of this.

ferret wrote:You get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning Neil?

Perhaps we’re seeing the withdrawals symptoms from the “I quit John bashings”. Like most things it’s hard to go “cold turkey” No? jajaja!!!

CheenaGringo wrote:"My father was friends with the education minister from China and we got his daughter and her husband back over here after they left when there education Visa ran out."

Does that explain the absence of the word THEIR in your vocabulary? Inquiring minds would like to know the origin of this.

No you don't you are just being a sh** CG.

Z

Note to John: No Florida is not humid all year, 5-6 months are very comfortable. The orange crops have to be protected from freezing weather in central Florida. I lived a half block from Tampa Bay in St Pete and almost always a breeze. House was well ventilated and did fine with fans just like on the beach here in Mexico. Taxes back in the '80's were very low ... no idea now.

Zedinmexico wrote:

chelseagirls wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:What about living there full-time? I think that has pretty stringent requirements. No?

It is hard to get a WORK VISA in US.

It is not hard to get a "no working I am
lazy retired person visa" Kinda like Rentista
down here. Note this is for Canadian or
European. This is not true for Mexican.
A Mexican will pay 125$USD for the right
to apply for a Visa non refundable. I think
Mexicans need a Visa for Canada now.

You have to have money or income. Don't
know the details but not a big deal for
retired person.

Z

Actually, Its a very big deal for a retired person. Though I am from England, not Canada (I believe the criteria is the same) We have owned property in Florida for 15 years, have B2 visas (6 month stay) and we are not allowed to stay in the US more than 6 months per year. There is no retirement visa (for anyone)and no legal way to stay, hence we moved here to retire (thank goodness!) Every time we go back to the US we are questioned even though we have never (never intend to) overstay(ed).
We have retired english friends who own property in Florida that have been banned from entering the states for 10 years because they overstayed their 6 months.

I don't know what to say to you. I have brought over many folks from Canada.
Maybe the difference is we used a good immigration lawyer. My father was
friends with the education minister from China and we got his daughter and
her husband back over here after they left when there education Visa ran out.

Z

They just don't like us Brits! (Although they do like our money!) Perhaps your friends had Chinese passports which may have made all the difference. The Silver Visa thing has been spoken of for the last 10 years, that I know of, but has never come any where near fruition

chelseagirls wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:

chelseagirls wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:What about living there full-time? I think that has pretty stringent requirements. No?

It is hard to get a WORK VISA in US.

It is not hard to get a "no working I am
lazy retired person visa" Kinda like Rentista
down here. Note this is for Canadian or
European. This is not true for Mexican.
A Mexican will pay 125$USD for the right
to apply for a Visa non refundable. I think
Mexicans need a Visa for Canada now.

You have to have money or income. Don't
know the details but not a big deal for
retired person.

Z

Actually, Its a very big deal for a retired person. Though I am from England, not Canada (I believe the criteria is the same) We have owned property in Florida for 15 years, have B2 visas (6 month stay) and we are not allowed to stay in the US more than 6 months per year. There is no retirement visa (for anyone)and no legal way to stay, hence we moved here to retire (thank goodness!) Every time we go back to the US we are questioned even though we have never (never intend to) overstay(ed).
We have retired english friends who own property in Florida that have been banned from entering the states for 10 years because they overstayed their 6 months.

I don't know what to say to you. I have brought over many folks from Canada.
Maybe the difference is we used a good immigration lawyer. My father was
friends with the education minister from China and we got his daughter and
her husband back over here after they left when there education Visa ran out.

Z

They just don't like us Brits! (Although they do like our money!) Perhaps your friends had Chinese passports which may have made all the difference. The Silver Visa thing has been spoken of for the last 10 years, that I know of, but has never come any where near fruition

Yea we like your money! Brits are the number one foreign investors in the US.

Z

Zed: "No you don't you are just being a sh** CG."

For someone as learned as yourself, one would think you could grasp when someone was flipping you a bit of grief?

As for your statement: "Brits are the number one foreign investors in the US."

You may wish to do a bit of research before making such a claim? I did to educate myself and was more than a bit surprised as to which country holds that #1 spot!

sparks wrote:Note to John: No Florida is not humid all year, 5-6 months are very comfortable. The orange crops have to be protected from freezing weather in central Florida. I lived a half block from Tampa Bay in St Pete and almost always a breeze. House was well ventilated and did fine with fans just like on the beach here in Mexico. Taxes back in the '80's were very low ... no idea now.

Everyone must feel humidity differently. The only time it's confortable on the Pacific coast is late Novemnber to April not thru April. When we go to PV at Thanksgiving we still need A/C and the first week in April we visited was oppressive humidity. Right now the humidity is oppressive In Nuevo Vallarta, PV, Manzanillo, etc. And same in FL too. It's even a "bit" humid at Lakeside after the rain.

sparks wrote:Note to John: No Florida is not humid all year, 5-6 months are very comfortable. The orange crops have to be protected from freezing weather in central Florida. I lived a half block from Tampa Bay in St Pete and almost always a breeze. House was well ventilated and did fine with fans just like on the beach here in Mexico. Taxes back in the '80's were very low ... no idea now.

The real estate prices have really dropped. The area we're researching has very low taxes...as long as you stay out of Alatchua County. It cracks me up when people like "his highness" makes grand statements about the entire state. There are several different climates. There's a reason why so many huge thorobred breeders have moved to Ocala..north central Fla, from Kentucky. Huge grandaddy oaks, lush pastures and rolling hills. I think I'd rather deal with AC in the summer but still have sun in the winter...rather than heating bills and achy joints in the winter and nice summers. It's a trade off. Those low low RE prices are sure attractive...especially with so many things to do close by.

jrm30655 wrote:I tried NM because it was supposed to be a great retirement place (Albuquerque). Whe it snowed 28", I quit and came here.

Hot in the summer, cold in the winter and the wind blew all the time....

New Mexico, AZ and Texas totally suck for weather. oppressive heat in summer, super high electric bills and frigging cold in winter. $ 1,000. elec bills in AZ! MS, AL, and FL ain't much better. TN ain't much better.

How about those sandstorms in NM and AZ?

kipissippi wrote:

sparks wrote:Note to John: No Florida is not humid all year, 5-6 months are very comfortable. The orange crops have to be protected from freezing weather in central Florida. I lived a half block from Tampa Bay in St Pete and almost always a breeze. House was well ventilated and did fine with fans just like on the beach here in Mexico. Taxes back in the '80's were very low ... no idea now.

The real estate prices have really dropped. The area we're researching has very low taxes...as long as you stay out of Alatchua County. It cracks me up when people like "his highness" makes grand statements about the entire state. There are several different climates. There's a reason why so many huge thorobred breeders have moved to Ocala..north central Fla, from Kentucky. Huge grandaddy oaks, lush pastures and rolling hills. I think I'd rather deal with AC in the summer but still have sun in the winter...rather than heating bills and achy joints in the winter and nice summers. It's a trade off. Those low low RE prices are sure attractive...especially with so many things to do close by.

Yep, they're giving away houses and condos in FL because there's so many foreclosures. Just like Nevada and CA. I talked with one of CBobs friends who lived in Jacksonville and hated it because of humidity. My cousin wants to move from here to Bradenton. She already bought a house there. She's going to regret the oppressive humidity and high electric bills. My friends had a place in FL for 16 years and said it's humid in December. My cousins taxes in FL will be more on a lesser priced house in FL than what we're looking at in NC. NC taxes are low.

Our neighbor, who was born and raised in North Carolina, said she remembers one day it was so hot and humid the air actually had a green tinge to it. After living here for 16 years she said she could never move back there.

Since I refuse to read what the resident idiot has posted, I am going to guess that he is assuming again and lumping AZ and NM together with the same characteristics? Since the fool has never spent any time in either, he hasn't a clue but AZ and NM are distinctly different States!

We made the choice to move to NM and I don't thing anyone has ever seen where I have expounded that it is the best place to be. It works for us and that is all that matters. If someone wishes to criticize, so be it and I certainly won't take it personally, especially from an idiot who hasn't a clue!