Bird Talk Featuring the letters & concerns of our members SEND YOUR LETTERS TO Bird Talk, c/o CSANews 180 Lesmill Road Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5 Online at www.snowbirds.org/bird-talk or by e-mail: csawriteus@snowbirds.org Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, With the recent approval of Trump’s big, beautiful bill, was there any inclusion regarding taxing the sale or capital gain on foreign property. I have heard an individual stating that starting in 2026, there will be a separate tax on foreign property sales in the U.S. and if this is the case, then it certainly would discourage Canadians from buying property in popular places like Arizona and Florida. Joe Shafer Bonnyville, AB Ed.: Currently, there are no new tax implications for Canadians selling their U.S. real estate. Business as usual. Dear Bird Talk, My husband and I will be returning as snowbirds to Arizona in November. I assume we will be issued I-94 forms for six months when we fly out of Toronto. In February, we plan to take a cruise to Mexico for a week. Will this trip out of the U.S. impact our I-94 forms when we depart the U.S.? Will we be issued new I-94 forms on our return, or will the expiry date of the initial forms still be valid? Paula Travers London, ON Ed.: Taking a cruise to Mexico generally does not reset or extend your I-94 validity. In most cases, short trips to Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands are considered travel to “contiguous territory,” meaning that your existing I-94 remains valid upon re-entry to the United States, as long as it has not yet expired. However, in some cases – depending on your specific circumstances, the port of entry and how you are processed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection – a new I-94 may be issued when you return. Dear Bird Talk, I have a flight booked to California from mid-November to mid-February. I believe a shortly expiring passport can be a reason to decline entry. My passport expires in August 2026 and I’m wondering whether this expiry is far enough out. John Lynch Calgary, AB Ed.: Canadian citizens visiting the United States have to have a valid passport for the duration of their visit. Visitors to the U.S. who are citizens of other countries have to have a passport that is valid for six months beyond their anticipated date of departure from the U.S. Dear Bird Talk, We understand the new border-crossing requirements. My question pertains to Nexus cardholders. Are the rules any different? They already have all our information. Anita Simpson Maryhill, ON Ed.: Nexus cardholders are subject to the same rules and procedures as any Canadian citizen travelling with just a passport who intends to stay in the United States for 30 days or longer. Dear Bird Talk, We believe in democracy and are leery of the current situation as snowbirds to Florida. Are other snowbirds concerned? We are seriously considering not going south this winter. As we own a home there, we have also thought of selling. We are very sad as in the past 12 years, we have loved our winters south. Almost all our neighbours, family and friends have mentioned to us that we should not go; they won’t be going or visiting us. If we didn’t own, we absolutely would not go. And are close to being positive in not going even though we own a home there. We feel we must take a stand for democracy! Emily Port Toronto, ON Ed.: Hundreds of thousands of Canadians are going south for the winter. We suspect that many of them are doing it quietly. The media loves a negative story and gets lots of attention when they amplify the rhetoric. Do what is right for you, your family and your conscience. Enjoy your winter and travel well! Dear Bird Talk, If you travel down to the states but come back to Canada for family events, etc., do the days you’re back in Canada still count towards the 183 days? Anne Upton-Taylor Alberta Ed.: They could be counted. Short visits back to Canada may be counted toward your six-month limit, at the discretion of the U.S. CBP officer handling your entry. To be safe, it’s advisable not to exclude these brief trips from the day count of your overall stay duration. CSANews | WINTER 2025 | 7
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