Anyone want to double check our genuine relationship proof?

[throwmyapples]

I agree with missimini that some examples of written communication (copies of emails and copies of handwritten cards/postcards/etc are what we used) from the beginning and throughout the relationship up until now would be good to include.

Thanks for the help. We don't have much in the way of initial communications as I basically never went home from our first date 4 and a half years ago. Ha. Great for us, bad for evidence! We have tons of pictures to show our beginnings, but the written things just weren't there because we were always next to one another.

wooow nice piece of evidence u have there....i'm jealous too

at least 2 letters have to be affidavits for common-law...no need to rewrite them in front of the notary just sign it in front of him; yes, a public notary should be fine
yes the common-law paper is not requirement but many embassies r asking for it during the process, including Buffalo; so why not just do it from now?!
I think u have enough; if u think to add i would say (from my own list):
- cards given to each other on different occasions
- pictures of gifts or gift receipts on different occasions
- house appliances, electronics common bills/receipts
- receipts from other going outs if u have - ticket concerts, other shows etc
- old communication - old phone bills or some email/skype log before u started to live together
- each of u write an essay about ur relationship (for him the essay is more or less the answers to spouse questionnaire, for u it would a separate letter)

good luck

Thanks for your input! I feel better hearing from you. We got 2 of our letters signed in front of a notary today, and we also went ahead and did the Statutory Declaration form with a notary as well. The first place was a little to homophobic to stamp our common-law Declaration but hooray for the second notary, they were kind and quick and FREE! I'm glad you mentioned that I should write my own essay. I had actually done that already and was wondering if it was alright to have added it in, so now I feel great knowing I have a few pages telling our love story from my side. We are horrible with receipts from household purchases, but we have concert tickets/plane reservations from trips/etc. Would photocopies of cards we've given each other work? We don't do cards very much, but there are some really special anniversary ones from over the years that I'd hate to lose track of by including the original. The trouble with us is that we haven't spent more than a few days apart since our first kiss, so emails and cards just haven't been that common. The good news is that at least six of our letters are from people who have seen our entire relationship from the first date until today, so I think that will make up for the lack of written communication between us when we began dating and moved in together in 2006. I hope..!
I CAN'T BELIEVE WE ARE GOING TO FedEx tomorrow!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!

[aerogurl87]

I'm wondering if it's ok to send copies of cards myself since I too don't want to lose the ones that my boyfriend and I have exchanged. Anyone done that before, sent off copies of cards instead of the originals?

[Love_Young]

We sent off photocopies of the outside of the card and inside (sometimes envelope if it was addressed to us both) and everything was fine. 

[Canuckfever]

Sometimes they dont get to send you back all the proffs you have sent so it is more practical if you just send them copies. Whether they return it or dont it wont hurt because its just a copy and the real things are with you.

[missmini]

I'm wondering if it's ok to send copies of cards myself since I too don't want to lose the ones that my boyfriend and I have exchanged. Anyone done that before, sent off copies of cards instead of the originals?

initially i prepared a document with a selection of cards photocopied...i managed to put what's inside and the cover on one page....the anniversary cards r the most imp for an relationship but also st valentine, bday, christmas so a selection throughout the years should be fine
some people say originals some say photocopies overall it depends what's written in ur region specific guides....i believe for Buffalo photocopies should b fine....the Middle East guide for example is more strict, they wrote in capital and bold to send originals of everything so i have to add a few originals too 
good luck!

[sidkrose]

My partner and I are applying common law. We are including 4 Declaration Letters that are notarized plus about 6 that aren't. We did not even include contact information on the letters, although 2 are from family members whose addresses/phone numbers are included in the app, so they could find it. I don't think contact info is strictly necessary.

We had our Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union signed by a notary who can also do civil weddings in Germany. I think as long as they are allowed to notarize something, it's ok.

[throwmyapples]

We are officially in the July/Buffalo family now! Went to FedEx this morning and handed over what feels like our entire lives in exchange for a tracking number. Our application should arrive in Mississauga on Thursday! I anticipated feeling a big load of relief, which I do, but I did not anticipate feeling this much NEW worry because now it's out of our hands. Relieving, yet terrifying!

[QCSunshine]

throwmyapples, glad you got it all put together! Yes...the waiting time is hard because it is out of your control. Good luck!

[missmini]

We are officially in the July/Buffalo family now! Went to FedEx this morning and handed over what feels like our entire lives in exchange for a tracking number. Our application should arrive in Mississauga on Thursday! I anticipated feeling a big load of relief, which I do, but I did not anticipate feeling this much NEW worry because now it's out of our hands. Relieving, yet terrifying!

aaaah me too i'll b soo happy when we sent but also so worried in the same time....new stage glad u r there already good luck!!

[Crillz]

Just want to say that your proof of relationship is wider and over a longer period than ours (common-law also, we were living together just over the year with a lease and shared bank account), also we didn't have the Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union and we just got our passport request. We didn't have notarized letters, but statutory declarations.

[throwmyapples]

Thanks, guys! Your support and help has been priceless!

Just want to say that your proof of relationship is wider and over a longer period than ours (common-law also, we were living together just over the year with a lease and shared bank account), also we didn't have the Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union and we just got our passport request. We didn't have notarized letters, but statutory declarations.

Thanks for throwing this out there! Congrats on your passport request, that's wonderful!

[aerogurl87]

Just want to say that your proof of relationship is wider and over a longer period than ours (common-law also, we were living together just over the year with a lease and shared bank account), also we didn't have the Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union and we just got our passport request. We didn't have notarized letters, but statutory declarations.

Crillz how long did it take for you to get your passport request? Just wondering cause my boyfriend and I will be applying as common law after living together a little over a year.

And congrats throwmyapples! I hope your processing time is swift and you get your PR soon.

[Crillz]

Crillz how long did it take for you to get your passport request? Just wondering cause my boyfriend and I will be applying as common law after living together a little over a year.

And congrats throwmyapples! I hope your processing time is swift and you get your PR soon.

Our timeline is kinda complicated, as we are going to be living in Quebec which adds an extra step, and we initially got told by Mississauga that we didn't qualify for common-law and had our application returned, we re-sent our application with a letter explaining why we did qualify.

February 14th Sent application to Mississauga.
March 15th Application was returned from Mississauga.

I had to request a new police certificate from Ireland as the one in the original application would now be older than 3 months which caused delays here.

May 1st Returned application to Mississauga.
May 4th Sponsorship application approved. (I guess they quickly realised a mistake was made initially)

May 12th Application and medicals received in London (according to ECAS).
May 13th CSQ application handed into Montreal office.

May 20th Received email from London requesting we forward CSQ if we already had received it.

June 10th Approved for CSQ - did not know this until July, as they held all mail due to postal strike in Canada.
July 11th Called Quebec Immigration to say we still hadn't received CSQ and if they could fax a copy to London.
July 12th Faxed copy of email from London that requested the CSQ to Quebec.

July 15th ECAS says they started to process my application.
July 18th Passport Request!
July 19th Mailed passport to London.

It moved very fast once we returned our application, not sure if that was due to the massive mistake that was made in Mississauga or if London is just working really fast! 3 days from beginning to process to passport request seems fast. My partner did an amazing job organising the application making it very easy to access the proof, so I have no doubt that helped massively.

[aerogurl87]

Our timeline is kinda complicated, as we are going to be living in Quebec which adds an extra step, and we initially got told by Mississauga that we didn't qualify for common-law and had our application returned, we re-sent our application with a letter explaining why we did qualify.

February 14th Sent application to Mississauga.
March 15th Application was returned from Mississauga.

I had to request a new police certificate from Ireland as the one in the original application would now be older than 3 months which caused delays here.

May 1st Returned application to Mississauga.
May 4th Sponsorship application approved. (I guess they quickly realised a mistake was made initially)

May 12th Application and medicals received in London (according to ECAS).
May 13th CSQ application handed into Montreal office.

May 20th Received email from London requesting we forward CSQ if we already had received it.

June 10th Approved for CSQ - did not know this until July, as they held all mail due to postal strike in Canada.
July 11th Called Quebec Immigration to say we still hadn't received CSQ and if they could fax a copy to London.
July 12th Faxed copy of email from London that requested the CSQ to Quebec.

July 15th ECAS says they started to process my application.
July 18th Passport Request!
July 19th Mailed passport to London.

It moved very fast once we returned our application, not sure if that was due to the massive mistake that was made in Mississauga or if London is just working really fast! 3 days from beginning to process to passport request seems fast. My partner did an amazing job organising the application making it very easy to access the proof, so I have no doubt that helped massively.

Oh wow, that was quick once you were able to resend it in. I'm hoping mine will go as quickly as that.

[throwmyapples]

Crillz how long did it take for you to get your passport request? Just wondering cause my boyfriend and I will be applying as common law after living together a little over a year.

And congrats throwmyapples! I hope your processing time is swift and you get your PR soon.

Thanks! We are hoping for the best but trying to make room in our hearts for a long wait. It's so strange when all our friends here in the States are asking how long it will be before we leave them in the American dust, and we say "Sometime between February and next July???".    (Such a range of emotions going on!)