Canadian in SG: do we need to report to Canadian Embassy?

[kn1ghtx]

Hi all...

I'm a Canadian Citizen, who just relocated to SG in mid-June. I consider myself a non-resident of Canada as I don't have any plan to go back to Canada for now...

my question is:

do I have to report myself to the Canadian Embassy?? that I now live here, etc... what if there's jury duty, election, or anything of the sort...??

Thanks

[sundaymorningstaple]

It would still be in your best interest to register with the embassy giving them your family details/ages/addresses/contact numbers, etc. This way, should there be major disruptive influence here and the country goes to hell in a tin cup, you may have to be evacuated by your government. If they don't know who or where you are, you will be s.o.o.l. in an emergency.

So, unless you are running from the mounties, I would suggest you do and always update them if you move, add family members or change contact numbers.

[kn1ghtx]

haha, no I'm not running away from the mounties...

actually, I'm more concern about the jury-duty. are non-residents like us exempted from jury duty??

if yes, how to let them know that? worst case if we are away, then there's a jury duty letter that we don't even know about... and since we dont show up, it's considered criminal??

so, is the registration at the High Comm a ticket to let them know, and thus exempt from jury duty???

Thanks

[sundaymorningstaple]

That I don't know as I'm actually one of your southern neighbours!

Maybe Barczar, one of our regulars, can help you out there as he's a Canuck an not a Yank like me.

[Barczar]

Niiiiiice! Good to see you're catching on there SMS!

To answer your question kn1ghtx you may consider yourself a non-resident but does the governement? I know it took me the first 3 years out of Canada to convince them otherwise! Despite that - every year I have to let them know that I intend on staying out because they call up and check up on me...maybe I'm just special?! Regardless, I keep a Canuck Passport and although it's not required to check in it is probably not a bad idea eh?

If not for you, then for others in case of emergency here or at home like if the French try to invade and the good ol boys like myself from the west die from laughing so hard at watching the French try to be tough! It would cause a national crisis that may require getting ahold of you!

Just give them a call and ask them direct. The consulate is at One George Street downtown if you're in the area!

[ksl]

I think you will find that residence takes 3 years to give up, and also 3 years to achieve. Even though you may be a citizen, i believe, because i was told in UK and another Country i moved to, that it takes 3 years. Something to do with the electorate roll, welfare benefit laws, and national insurance contributions.

So even though you leave the country, you still have voting rights...the same problem occurs when you move back, in UK especially I was not allowed to vote, because i hadn't lived in the UK for 3 years... Some crazy bullshit armchair bureaucratic system they have in UK and probably the Common Wealth Countries signed up for it. Does nobody realise in government that the world is moving and these bureaucratic systems have stood still for 200 years.

This problem is a real hitch for UK citizens, I don't know about Canada, But a UK citizen if married to a foreign spouse, can find it very difficult to move the family back, and immigration normally deport the spouse until all the paper work is done.

One cannot just move back to settle, because the residence rules apply, the foreign spouse may not claim any help whatsoever until she/he becomes a resident. and that is 3 years.

Yet immigrants that are smuggled in can draw unemployment benefits, and sign on in different Cities.

Identity theft is a big problem in UK, so it is always best to tell the local Town Halls, that you are moving abroad. and the national insurance department, otherwise you may return to an unwanted arrest warrant.

The arrest warrants stay active 5 years. So I would suggest to notify the embassy you are here, and to ask them to notify those that should be notified in Canada with regards to jury service.

[sundaymorningstaple]

So what you are saying is the same thing I said?

[kn1ghtx]

Hi Barczar....

wow, it took you 3 yrs to convince the government? do you currently still own a property in Canada? and btw, how to convince the government?

I owned a property in Canada too, and it was sold back in July. you know the rules about if a non-resident selling a Canadian property, government will withhold 25% of the resale value. and that 25% will be returned if proven that the property was my primary residence before I left.

well, I already got that 25% withholding returned to me. I dunno if that means anything to the government (maybe as another proof that I have left the country??). I cancelled my OHIP before I left Canada. I cancelled all my credit cards there, etc.

anyway, I did call the embassy yesterday. but, the operator just forwarded me to an automatic phone, even though I told her I'm a Canadian with some questions. so how did you let them know in the first time? did you drop by the embassy in person??

would the be the same as this one?
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/sos/roca_notice-en.asp

thanks a bunch...
fellow Canuck... ^_^

[CalgaryM]

You can do it on-line: http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/sos/rocapage-en.asp