big age gap

[canadianwoman]

as in every activities we do with family and friends we should have pictures??  if we provided all of that will it be possible for the embassy to believe that the relationship is genuine?

You should send photos of the two of you in with your application. One thing the visa officer wants to see is that your friends and family know about the relationship. If the relationship seems to be secret, the visa officer is going to think the reason for that is that it is a fake marriage, and will refuse the visa.

One way to show that people know about your relationship is to provide photos of the two of you with others. Letters of support from family and friends will help too, but letters can be faked more easily than photos. So if you go out with some friends to a restaurant, take a picture of the occasion. When your boyfriend meets your family for the first time, get photos of all of you together. And so on.

[regine]

Everything canadianwoman has recommended is sensible advice.

Here's my two cents: get to know your boyfriend a whole lot better before you marry him.  You met online 5 months ago, that's pretty quick time to be talking about marriage.  I realise every relationship has its own timeline, but for your own sake, less for the sake of Immigration, I say you need to take time to get to know him and his family, and let him get to know you and your family.  You are talking about two people from different cultures, possibly different ethnicities, AND with a large age gap.  I'm not saying it won't work, I'm just saying, you need a heck of a lot more time than 5 months to figure out how it will work.

Agree 100%.

Are you really only 24? And you're planning on marrying a 48 year old that you've only met online 5 months ago? 

[medellinguy]

Agree 100%.

Are you really only 24? And you're planning on marrying a 48 year old that you've only met online 5 months ago? 

heheh sounds fraud to the visa officer!

[lovely20]

Agree 100%.

Are you really only 24? And you're planning on marrying a 48 year old that you've only met online 5 months ago? 

I agree with most people here.  You should not worry now about what the visa officer would think of your relationship rather what kind of relationship you might have with this person.  Please take the time to get to know each other, do you have the same likes, same hobbies?  You know sometimes love is not enough.  How well do you know this person?  What are your future plans?  Are you planning to have kids?  What are his thoughts about having kids, knowing you guys have 24 years age gap.  You are from a tropical country where everything is warm and nice all year round, do you think you can live in Canada where winter weather can be brutal?  In the Philippines, you can just go out and chit chat with your neighbour something you cannot really do here. 

[toby]

Let me start with a practical suggestion. Using a landline can be horrendously expensive.  Just use SKYPE out to call your partner, taking maybe 10 seconds to say “get on your computer so we can talk free via SKYPE”. It's free, computer to computer.  You can print out a log of calls by SKYPE OUT to show that you talk frequently.

All the suggestions (photos with family, special ceremony, etc) are valid.

But the more important issue is to avoid the appearance of a contrived marriage just to get you a visa.  The more hurried you seem – and marrying at the first meeting does seem hurried – the more suspicious you will make the Visa Officer (VO) examining your case.

While two people can learn a lot about each other by internet, there is no replacement for spending time together, face to face. I'd suggest marrying no earlier than the second or third meeting.  It's expensive, and this may not be feasible, but it would look better to the VO.

And, of course, it would BE better for you two – to know each other better before marrying.

[confusednscared]

24 years age gap? As long you feel comfortable with it.

Like everyone has suggested in this topic, get to know him a bit more before tying the knot. 5 months of knowing someone that is 24 years your senior and then marriage would definitely raise a red flag for the Officer reviewing your case. It wouldn't hurt if you spend an additional 5 months getting to know each other on a greater level and gather extensive amounts of evidence for your relationship. Otherwise, I will start preparing myself from now for an interview and maybe a tough time through the immigration process.

[canuck0469]

harumi, we were successful in getting through with a 30 age gap but close to 4 years of visiting her as well as our daily communications, money transfers etc.. As others mentioned the real red flag will be marrying without getting to know each other in person. There is little doubt that should you marry at your first or second meeting the VO will have some serious reservations about the relationship. Better to spend a year or so getting to know one another than a year or so going through rejections and appeals. Most on these forums have a genuine relationship and want to be with thier significant others as I'm sure you do. Better to do it right the first time. Certainly will assist with immigration anyway and help you ensure that he is indeed the one.
Good luck with your decision

[asiddiq]

Canadianwoman has outlined very clear. I am agree with his/her post. Very useful advice. Sometimes, age and Education difference ( like sponsor is grade 10 while sponsored is a doctor or other high post etc) makes a VO feel uncomfortable to issue PR visa. VO might consider it as marriage of convenience providing that sponsored has entered into marriage to gain entry into Canada. Therefore, an interview is scheduled which is sometimes a long time waiting.

It is my personal opinion that in Asian countries ( Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Srilanka), mainly in village environment, 15 to 20 years age difference marriage has been happening. Some VO have approved such cases ( based on village marriage nature), BUT if this kind of age difference marriage ( 20 to 25 years gap) happened in cities ( like Karach, delhi, Dhaka, Colombo) then, VO rethinks about it.

VO are well trained with respective countries marriage natures ( Village and cities wide marriages). So, advice to those who are of well age gaps are to gather as many proofs they can. They will have to demonstrate more evidence to proof it genuine. If it is a love marriage, give more time to know each other. Record all meetings, outings, Chats, dating etc. try to establish your relationship first. Once you know each other well enough, then marry.

If it is arranged marriage, give it more colourful ( Engagement, Wedding Function, Reception, Honeymoon, Both families, relatives and friends involvement in your pre and post marriage, pictures with family, relative and friends). These are must. Because, your marriage nature is not common. It's different because of Age gap. I have detailed here basically for Asian people. Certain big age gap marriage is still happening in Asian countries.

Hope it helps.
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