American with some questions

[blacksmithden]

Just one thing that popped into my mind when you said you plan on keeping your citizenship. A few years back, the US government decided that it had the authority to collect income tax from US citizens living and working in another country. I don't know the exact ins and outs of it, but it might be something you want to look into. The last thing anybody needs is to have their home government coming after them with a bill for 20 years of back taxes.

[harbl_the_cat]

Just one thing that popped into my mind when you said you plan on keeping your citizenship. A few years back, the US government decided that it had the authority to collect income tax from US citizens living and working in another country. I don't know the exact ins and outs of it, but it might be something you want to look into. The last thing anybody needs is to have their home government coming after them with a bill for 20 years of back taxes.

FATCA, FATCA, FATCA... the most Draconian piece of financial legislation any government in history has ever implemented.

Long story short - every bank on the planet that doesn't want to get gooned by the U.S. government MUST report to the IRS any U.S. citizens who hold an account with them.

Pray that Trump repeals that legislation, although it's pretty unlikely. That said, he'd probably make up for it by Making America Great Again and in the present time we live in, fewer Americans would likely become expats as the wheels fall off the rest of the world (including Canada) and who knows, Canada might accede to the U.S. as a consequence.

That said, to Elle308, welcome to Western Canada - really the only place in Canada to be with respect to Gun Ownership if you don't like being treated as a social pariah, getting SWATTED by jerk wad neighbors, having spontaneous visits from the police, registering your single shot .22 rifles, and having separate ATTs to take your handgun to the range, to the gunsmith at the range, and to a retail store next door to the range.

As a blatant generalization, the rest of B.C. outside of Vancouver seems pretty chill with respect to guns - they're almost Albertans. My guess is it has something to do with living in the mountains in the middle of nowhere as opposed to living on the coast where everything is on easy mode (except for buying real estate).

Also, if you're coming into Canada be VERY careful with respect to what you bring in. Our laws and regulations are ridiculously confusing, full of loopholes and contradictions that provide no value and make no sense, and the penalties for non-compliance of benign, harmless laws or regulations being reminiscent of despotic 3rd world dictatorships.

Case in point - bringing in a 10 round magazine "designed and manufactured" for an AR-15 rifle that fits in an AR-15 pistol is prohibited, carrying very stiff mandatory prison sentences, however bringing in a 10 round magazine "designed and manufactured" for an AR-15 pistol, even if it functions in an AR-15 rifle, is not... until some hot shot bureaucrat at the RCMP firearms lab changes his mind decides that it is.

Coincidentally, they tend to change their minds whenever the Liberal's hold Federal, although the Conservatives really aren't much better.

[kennymo]

^^ That's Harbl. He goes a little overboard sometimes. But yes, welcome to Canada...

[Elle308]

Great replies and I'm thankful to get a wealth of information from you all who are obviously intimate with the countries laws.

For the record and local recommendations, I'm in Vancouver so please do suggest places, clubs, and more for friendly faces and service in our mutual interest.

I have indeed already felt like a pariah for being a gun enthusiast and not a hillary/Obama apologist. I assume that's mostly the city and perhaps outside that, in the rural areas, the attitude would be more open. Maybe I can convince my fiance to move to Alberta!

You all are spot on about the irs and the deadly clutches of its all too long reach. They truly do demand their money. I know there are some treaties to avoid double taxation but I also know most of us so aren't rich enough to have a small any of accountants and Lawyers will end up paying more. Bottom line is a broad tax code or rewrite of the tax system is very unlikely. .. too many people making too much money with the status quo and even the fake conservatives betray their constituents and promises all the time. . Sadly I expect the same of trump.

You can't even really renounce your us citizenship very easily. Frankly I do love my country but would forego it if I could truly find a more libertarian place to live that still had more socially open attitudes. Obviously I'm in canada because of the heart but certainly want to live in a way that's as consistent with my values and beliefs as possible.

Apologies for the minor rant. It's not easy to find people to express it to!

I may end up just buying local as if nothing else that would support a good Canadian gun shop which would be my preference. I'll look into the import as part of my settlement but will keep it simple and stupid in terms of what I potentially bring in which is to say, a very ordinary bolt action that should be boring enough to not fall into the many loopholes and exceptions cited above like the higher capacity pistol mags used on semi auto rifles like the 458 RRA variant of the AR.

[Marshall]

Let me also welcome you to Canada. I can relate to a lot of what you're going through. Although I was raised in BC I am also a US citizen, so all the tax implications etc. are realities for me as well.

As far as importing your currently owned firearms, there has been some good advice presented here already. You are allowed a one time exemption from the rigors of the ITAR export rules if you are moving from the US. That said, you would still need to contact the US Stare Dept to confirm that and get the proper documentation to present to CBP on the way out of the US and then again to CBSA on the way in to Canada.

As registered exporters from the US and importers in Canada we are extremely familiar with the laws on both sides of the border so please feel free to call or email me any time if you have any questions or concerns. Contact info can be found at www.aztecharmory.com. I'm also an RCMP verifier so I have access to the Canadian FRT (Firearms Reference Table) so if you need to confirm the status of any given firearm I can help with that to.

Oh, and you don't have to move to Alberta... not that there is anything wrong with Alberta, there is some beautiful country and great people there, but all you need to do is come inland a couple hundred miles and you will find a much more relaxed gun friendly social climate...