Fam Class - Spousal Sponsor Application Questions - about to send it in!

[TheProfessorsWife]

Hello Everyone,
    I am happy to report that my FBI background check and my husband's Option C finally came and we are 'ready' to send in our in-land PR application, however, I am super nervous and have some questions related to what additional information to include. My husband and I were never those people with cameras strapped to themselves all the time, so we have few (3) pictures from the first year of our relationship in which we were 'casually dating' we have quite a few of us doing things together on my trips to visit him in Canada before we were married, but they are of just us (snow shoeing on mt seymour, sunset walks, etc).   Also prior to the application process I switched phone carriers in the US and lost all my phone records as a result (as my mother threw out all of my 'old bills' when I moved out and when I called my old phone provider they said my records had been exspongued from their system already  ) therefore I do not have any from the first year of our relationship, and my husband had a pay-as-you-go phone (no records) the phone records I do have are sparse starting from January-now they show 1-minute calls I made to my husband and then he would call me back on Skype (video-chat through the computer). We have been able to print a record of the Skype phone calls. We also included in our application the lengthy facebook message thread between my husband and myself starting the day after our first day until July (I think this is our strongest piece as you read it you really get a feel for how we interacted complete with the ups & downs we have been through together). I also included a print out of our joint checking account we have here in Canada (its not notarized, should it be?).
     We also had a surprise wedding - at our formal engagement party we pulled a fast one on everyone and got married (it was pre-planned by my husband and myself with the minister as the only one who knew what was happening - even my MoH didn't know and she made my dress!) I included in the application an explanation of our wedding and how it was a surprise.
   Finally, we also added, pictures of our honey-moon (which we just got back from!) and the tickets and receipts from the cabin and such.
    I've been as open and honest in the application and have done my best to try and explain things, I know my husband and I aren't your average typical couple and have had our own odd but wonderful relationship; I guess I'm really just nervous that we wont have enough documentation (I've read some people send in 4 pounds of stuff which makes me even more nervous) I have had complications at the border in the past (denied entry) due to lack of documentation and I've got the 'fear of Canadian officials' in me now... I know no one can tell me what exactly to put in with the application but some of you have sent in applications before and that's what this site is about right? So, is there anything else I should do? Should I include letters from friends and relatives (notarized?) and if so what should they say?
   Thank you all very much for your help already, hopefully this will go smoothly!
 

[CharlieD10]

Where you don't have records, just explain as you did here.  The bills and so on don't need to be notarized.

Letters from family and friends are useful but not required, and only in the case of common-law couples do they need at least two to be notarized.  If you do include them, they need to say how long they have known either/both of you, what occasions they may have spent with you, what they observe about your relationship.

It's not the size of the package, it's...how you organize it to document your relationship from inception to current. What? 

[TheProfessorsWife]

Thank you very much CharlieD10! So helpful again!

[HoneyEllis]

I just this week got approved and our application was not nearly as extensive as some people on here! I was very worried when I sent it in (just like you)

We had about 8 pages setting out the development of our relationship - about 6 photos of our first year together and then 6 photos of our (very small) wedding. We also included 4 letters from family and friends attesting to our relationship.

So my advice is not to get too stressed, just work with what you have, explain what you don't have, and set everything out really clearly (labels, tabs etc). GOOD LUCK

[TheProfessorsWife]

I just this week got approved and our application was not nearly as extensive as some people on here! I was very worried when I sent it in (just like you)

We had about 8 pages setting out the development of our relationship - about 6 photos of our first year together and then 6 photos of our (very small) wedding. We also included 4 letters from family and friends attesting to our relationship.

So my advice is not to get too stressed, just work with what you have, explain what you don't have, and set everything out really clearly (labels, tabs etc). GOOD LUCK

Thanks for your reply, what do you mean by 8 pages setting out the development of your relationship? Did you type 8 pages about the relationship and how you met until where it is now? if so that's great because I've already done something similar, but I was told (by someone from Immigration Service Society) that I shouldn't send in so much of my own type-written account of our relationship, is that true or false?

[ccbrasil]

Thanks for your reply, what do you mean by 8 pages setting out the development of your relationship? Did you type 8 pages about the relationship and how you met until where it is now? if so that's great because I've already done something similar, but I was told (by someone from Immigration Service Society) that I shouldn't send in so much of my own type-written account of our relationship, is that true or false?

Hi!

I just sent in my application, and I guess the type-written account is very subjective. It needs to make sense to your story, and also the supporting documents and evidence you have.
Our type-written answers were only 3 pages, but we had emails, facebook print outs, wedding invitations, lots of plane tickets for trips we took, about 30 pictures, so we felt we didn't need to explaint too much because the proof is there.

Like someone else said earlier, if you don't have proof for something, just explain why.

Every relationship is unique, so don't worry about that. All they want is to ensure the relationship is true  and by the sounds of your story, you have nothing to worry about.

I wish you good luck, and keep us posted when mail the application!

You are on the September 2011 thread also right?

[TheProfessorsWife]

Hi!

I just sent in my application, and I guess the type-written account is very subjective. It needs to make sense to your story, and also the supporting documents and evidence you have.
Our type-written answers were only 3 pages, but we had emails, facebook print outs, wedding invitations, lots of plane tickets for trips we took, about 30 pictures, so we felt we didn't need to explaint too much because the proof is there.

Like someone else said earlier, if you don't have proof for something, just explain why.

Every relationship is unique, so don't worry about that. All they want is to ensure the relationship is true  and by the sounds of your story, you have nothing to worry about.

I wish you good luck, and keep us posted when mail the application!

You are on the September 2011 thread also right?

Thank you CCBrasil! And Yes I am in the September thread too! I am putting the final touches on it this week and trying to make my application as comprehensible as possible :-)