I'm a citizen of Canada but not of the USA. I'm approaching retirement and since I'm a widower with no children and all my closest friends are in the USA, I'm hoping to retire in the USA. However, after reading a few threads in this forum, I learned that I can only stay in the USA a maximum of 6 months in a calendar year.
Also if a Canadian is out of Canada for more than 6 months, he losts his Canadian health insurance eligibility, which is why lots of "snowbirds" comes back in spring.
So in order to do this legally without losing my Canadian health insurance, I'm trying to learn how snowbirds do this? Do they live in the USA in the 2nd half of the year then live the 1st half of the year in Canada? But how will Canada health insurance authorities know they've been gone for 6 months in each year? Do they get that from the Canadian (or USA?) border control?
And when we travel between the USA/Canada border, either by land or by air, do USA stamp our passport both when entering and exiting? If they don't, how will Canada know how long one has been in the USA for?
I'd really appreciate if I can get some help from this forum so I can start planning on my retirement. Thank you.
Also if a Canadian is out of Canada for more than 6 months, he losts his Canadian health insurance eligibility, which is why lots of "snowbirds" comes back in spring.
So in order to do this legally without losing my Canadian health insurance, I'm trying to learn how snowbirds do this? Do they live in the USA in the 2nd half of the year then live the 1st half of the year in Canada? But how will Canada health insurance authorities know they've been gone for 6 months in each year? Do they get that from the Canadian (or USA?) border control?
And when we travel between the USA/Canada border, either by land or by air, do USA stamp our passport both when entering and exiting? If they don't, how will Canada know how long one has been in the USA for?
I'd really appreciate if I can get some help from this forum so I can start planning on my retirement. Thank you.