My research before moving here, and what I was told at the border when I came over, is the same. You need a Visa if you want to work or anything like that, but if you're just "visiting," you can come on up and wander around for six months out of any 12 no problem.

A few things to keep in mind:

What someone said earlier about being at the whims of the border guards are true. I've never gotten any ****, but I do have friends that have (basically the guard accused him of trying to move in and denied him entry).

Also, the "six months out of any 12" is, as far as I understand, a rolling number. As in, you can't have been in Canada for more than six months out of the last 12. So you can't go up in June of 2013, stay for six months, say "that six was for 2013, now I'm going to stay for six more from January-June 2014!" or anything like that.

If you're not planning getting a Visa of some sort and are just going to be visiting Canada for X months, there's no need to contact Canadian authorities ahead of time. You can if you want, but you're likely to be told something to the effect of "That's great dude... can you stop bothering us and just write it on your blog instead?"

Now obviously, if you ARE planning on staying longer than six months / getting a job here / obtaining citizenship, that's an entirely different hockey game.

100% correct, going both ways, which makes most anecdotes about how something worked for someone when they crossed the border once or twice not all that relevant.

Yup. All decisions are ultimately left up to the discretion of the border guard. Just be honest and don't try to smuggle anything in or pull anything shifty, and you shouldn't have any problems.

They'll probably be a dick to you, but that seems to be in the job description. I've found that if you just answer shortly and honestly things go the smoothest.

Me. Warmer weather, beaches and cheaper living.

I spent three months in Canada last year. I crossed at Windsor (Detroit) and was just totally honest with the border guard. She said that I would need some documentation if I wanted to stay 3 months, so I showed her my bank statements. She went to an office somewhere and came back around 10 minutes later with a piece of paper authorizing me to stay for 90 days, which she stapled to my passport.

Since I had friends in Michigan, I crossed over and back around 6 times during the 90 days and each time I told both the border guard in the U.S. and Canada exactly what I was doing. Not one guard was a jerk to me, and many wanted to talk to me about poker related things.

So if you are just honest, I think the chance that you have problems is pretty low. Obviously, though don't mention the 50K you are trying to get off. Just say that you are a professional poker player and that you want to play on Poker Stars and Full Tilt.

No


Americans can stay in Canada for 180 days out of any one year period without a visa.

OP, how old are you? Are you cleancut? Do you have a criminal record?

These will all effect how you get treated at the border.



FWIW: I'm cleancut and older than most on 2+2. Driving a nice car with current insurance, I had a 30 second conversation with the Canadian border guard and drove on in.

yeah im looking at windsor as a possible place to set up shop.. prob a good idea not to mention withdrawal.. rather mention i want to play.. do they have three month leases up there? my plan is to sign a lease.. stay there for about a week and set up bank/skrill submit withdrawals.. n go back on weekends until i get all the money out

im 25, male, no criminal record coming from NY

do you think it would be better to fly in or drive in.. obviously flying is easier and quicker but if i fly in with one suitcase and say im renting an apt would that seem weird?

Is there a reason why windsor if you are from new york?

i was doing some thinking windsor is too far haha, probably going to look into niagra falls, is that a decent area? i dont feel like getting mugged

My credit score is complete ****, I keep thinking that getting an apartment in canada isn't possible?! But if I have the cash upfront does it matter?

There are many interesting places you can live in Canada. Why not go and experience somewhere new for a few months while you do this? If you are a pro poker player, I expect you have that freedom.

Depending on who you are, you might love Vancouver or Montreal, or Victoria or Whistler or somewhere in the rocky mountains.

It can be done with some of the shortcuts mentioned, but if you want zero problems I would do as Kahn suggested. Like a lot have said things will come down to chance if you want to take shortcuts, such as the the mood of the bank teller, or the border guy. It is doable though as I assisted a guy getting 6 figures off of merge about 2 months ago and he never had residency or a visa. Not sure about the rest of Canada but things like credit score don't really affect your ablitity to get an apartment on the east coast. Feel free to pm me I will tell about my personal experience.

sorry very new to this site... how do i go about PMing you?


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try
Helpful Beginner FAQs
and 2+2 FAQs

I'm looking to stay in Vancouver for at least 6 months and possibly move there in the long run but am a us citizen. I am eligible to apply for a work visa as a self employed/ entrepeunal person. Would it be smart to apply as a professional gambler trying to play on overseas sites or as a photojournalist which is my hobby?

I would just say you are traveling there to play online poker. I did that for a few years and they didn't have a problem with that as long as I maintained a residence in the United States. The six month limit is for one stay, but if you spend more than half the year overall in Canada cumulatively they might refuse you entry.

If you try to get a work visa the requirements are much more stringent. You would have to prove that you have skills to fill jobs in Canada that no Canadians could do.

I might move to Canada for a few months and would like to know how the rules/laws are regarding playing online, taxes etc? I'm Swedish/Swedish citizen.

Anyone who knows?

You're forgetting US tax law. Unlike every other country, US citizens are required to pay taxes no matter where they live. You can give up your citizenship to do this, but they still make you pay for 10 years afterwards.

I don't know that he was forgetting so much as asking, but given that he was asking almost 7 years ago, he's probably figured it out now.

To those of you with s**t credit but hoards of cash. You will not get a place in a city like Toronto or Vancouver with bad credit. You can show them you have 10 years rent covered in your account, and you still will not find a lease in those two cities. So if your credit is bad you will want to venture to a city or town that isn't a real estate hot zone

I've skimmed a blog article somewhere that due to Canadian laws, Canadian players cannot play on PokerStars even though the company itself was founded in Canada? I didn't check how old the blog post was. Now I'm wondering if US player can live in Canada as a tourist and play PokerStars there?