I'm leaving Canada for a few years. What do I do with my credit cards and driver's license?

Question

I need an address to keep my driver's license and credit cards. But if I am not living in Canada how can I do that? any advice.

Answer 1

I'll pretend you live in Ontario - each province will have it's own regulations which you'll have to investigate with your own provincial transportation authority.

"You will also need your new address including street number, street name, apartment number or lot concession (if applicable), township and rural route, city and postal code. The ministry requires a complete residential address—a post office box is not sufficient." - http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/dri...

"Drivers Outside Ontario

Under the ministry's photo licensing program, you are required to have your photo taken by the ministry at licence renewal time unless your renewal application states that a new picture is not needed for this renewal. Renewals not requiring a photo can be processed by mail; otherwise, you must renew in person in Ontario. If you are out of the province at the time of renewal and will be returning within six months, you may be sent a one-time temporary driver's licence valid for up to a maximum of six months, to enable you to drive while you are away.

The ministry will need your driver's licence number, the length of time and reason for your absence, an out-of-province mailing address, and a copy of your driver's licence photo-card. You may send this information to:

Ministry of Transportation

Licensing Administration Office

Building A, Main Floor

2680 Keele Street

Downsview, ON  M3M 3E6

Fax: [phone]

If you will not be returning within six months, please contact the ministry's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Call Centre at 416-235-2999 or toll free in Canada at 1-800-387-3445, for more information.

Drivers Who Will Be Outside Ontario When Their Driver's Licence Expires

Drivers whose licence will expire when they are outside Ontario can renew their licence 180 days before the licence expiry and before they leave the province. If you are eligible for this option, please attend a Driver and Vehicle Licence Issuing Office to renew your licence. The licence office will print a driver's licence renewal application and the licence renewal will be processed at the same time.

Note: Drivers whose licence renewal requires a test as a condition of licence renewal must attend a DriveTest Driver Examination Centre to renew." - http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/d...

Personally, I'd cancel the credit cards - it's the safest thing to do.  It's so easy to get cards these days, that you'd have little/no trouble replacing them later.

Answer 2

I am not sure I understand your problem entirely. When I left Canada I took my drivers license plus the International one you can get with me. I like to know I am driving legally in whatever country I end up in. My license had my address that I had when I got it with a sticker on the back noting a temporary change of address to a friend's address put there by Motor Vehicles; the International license had my destination address on it - the Motor Vehicles Department puts them together and knows I am out of the country. I was back before my regular license expired and I put in a change of address then.

I also took my Visa card and my ATM card. My bank account location never changed, I had Internet banking in place. The bank held the hard copies of my statements but I could get copies off the Internet. I'm back in Canada now but my bank account is still in the same place which happens to be 3 provinces away from where I am living. A plan I was part of is not available to me anymore if I move my account but it is still valid if I leave the account where it is so I leave it there.

Answer 3

put it in a safe

Answer 4

Send them to me and I keep them for you.

I not sure, you mean like a mailing address for bills and renewals? I would use a Family member address or you may be able to use something like Mailboxes Etc. and they forward your mail (This a maybe).

http://www.mbe.com/

This link (If it work) you can check if they in a Country you go to;

http://go.mappoint.net/mbe/PrxInput.aspx