Other Services for American Citizens Living in Toronto

Entry for all American Citizen Services is at 225 Simcoe Street, NOT 360 University Avenue. Effective August 17, 2009, an appointment is required for all passport, consular report of birth abroad (CRBA), notarial and other services. Please see the listed websites before you come.

Absentee ballots: U.S. citizens vote according to the laws of their state or territory of domicile. The federal government, including the U.S. State Department, does not register absentee voters and the consulate is not a voting station. To get an absentee ballot please follow the links for your state or territory at www.fvap.gov.

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Arrests: We visit Americans arrested or imprisoned in Canada to monitor their general welfare. We inform U.S. persons according to the wishes of the detainee due to privacy laws. Please contact us anytime to report the arrest of an American at 416-595-6506 or TorontoPassport@state.gov. We cannot intervene in immigration or civil disputes and cannot act as a detainee's legal advisor. We offer a List of Attorneys.

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Child Abduction: Please contact the U.S. State Department's Office of Children's Issues.

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Customs Duties and Import Restrictions: Please contact U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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Death: In the event of the death of an American citizen in Ontario, the Consulate can issue a Report of Death of an American Citizen Abroad. This certificate may prove helpful in insurance or estate matters. Please contact us anytime to report the death of an American at 416-595-6506 or TorontoPassport@state.gov.

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Destitution: Destitute Americans outside of the U.S. are generally unable to receive U.S. welfare benefits. We refer inquirers to low- or no-cost help from local authorities, and contact U.S. relatives or friends to get funds transferred for subsistence and repatriation.

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Information by Telephone: Due to insufficient resources, we are unable to provide this service. Please start your search on any topic with www.USA.gov. We are not responsible for the accuracy of verbal information.

Our switchboard operator has no consular or visa information.

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Judicial assistance and depositions: Click here for Canada-specific information concerning legal matters, depositions, service of papers or collection of evidence. Consular officers cannot offer legal advice, serve papers or arrange depositions. There are no deposition facilities in the consulate. Advance planning is essential, especially for government agencies or interests, or compulsion of testimony, which require the Canadian Government's prior approval. U.S. government officials must first contact the Departments of State and Justice in Washington DC, as well as their own agency headquarters.

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Notarials and Authentications: Documents for lawful use in the U.S. may be notarized during our workdays by appointment only. Please bring each signer, valid photo ID for each signer, any required witnesses and all documents fully prepared, as our staff can neither serve as witnesses nor offer any legal advice. For details and fees on notarial and authentication services of U.S. consular officers abroad, click here. If it is inconvenient to come here, documents may be notarized by an Ontario notary public and authenticated by the Ontario government.

Selective Service: All male U.S. citizens ages 18 through 25 must register with Selective Service.

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Social Security: Please visit Social Security's website to apply for benefits or a number if you live in Canada. You are strongly encouraged to apply by mail or at the closest Social Security office. The office closest to Toronto is located at 6540 Niagara Falls Blvd, Niagara Falls, NY 14304, telephone 716-283-1066 or fax 716-283-1774. You may apply for a Social Security number at the Consulate, but you should expect to wait 6-8 months before receiving a response from the Social Security Administration.

Taxes: Please obtain IRS forms and guidance from the Internal Revenue Service website. Americans with earned or unearned incomes above certain levels, sourced from anywhere, and foreigners with U.S.-sourced income, may have U.S. federal and state tax obligations. For more information on federal taxes for international taxpayers and taxpayer identification numbers, click here. For more information on state taxes, click here.

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U.S. police records: The FBI maintains a central U.S. criminal history database. To obtain your police record please click here. We have no fingerprint facility. Please obtain fingerprints from a local police authority.

U.S. Treasury Financial Management Service - Exchange Rates for Tax Year 2008.

Veterans Affairs: Please contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Regional Office (21), 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT 05009, telephone: 802-296-5177, fax: 802-291-6299.

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