Help: Common-Law Partner's Ex-Wife

[bonitanita]

Hi

We're applying from inland. My common-law partner is sponsoring me. He has an ex-wife and on the background declaration, they ask for their marriage date, divorce date, her DOB and her address.

He does not know her current address. He can contact her if he has to but prefers not to. Do we have to fill it in? Can we just say that they are no longer in contact because that's the truth.

Thanks

[CheshireCats]

Try to cover your tracks and at least put the last mailing address you have from her (divorce order etc.) Don't leave spots blank if you don't have too Remember, you can always attach a note along with the papers stating that there is no contact and that is the last current address

Edited to add... can he not just send her an email and if she doesn't return it, print it off and send that along with the application to show he tried??

[bonitanita]

thanks.

yes, he can email her... it's just awkward because she is about to have a baby with her new hubby and we just wanted to avoid any unomfortablness.

I guess he should email her. No point in losing my PR over awkwardness.

[Victorfoxtrot]

I'd do as Cheshirecats suggests and fill in the form with the last known address if it really is going to be too painful for him to contact her. 

Out of interest can I ask why you are doing an inland application as opposed to outland?  If you're from the UK (and I am guessing you are given the Union Jack) it is much quicker to do an outland app.  It's more than half the average suggested time.  Don't mean to be nosey, but some people just don't realise how much quicker it is, so thought I would just ask.

[Jamgirl]

Is her address in the phone book? try there... or on 411...  u might be able to google it and find it as well...

[bonitanita]

I'd do as Cheshirecats suggests and fill in the form with the last known address if it really is going to be too painful for him to contact her. 

Out of interest can I ask why you are doing an inland application as opposed to outland?  If you're from the UK (and I am guessing you are given the Union Jack) it is much quicker to do an outland app.  It's more than half the average suggested time.  Don't mean to be nosey, but some people just don't realise how much quicker it is, so thought I would just ask.

We're applying from here because it's where we ended up. I've been living and working all over the world. We got here in the summer and decided to stay. I have been out of the UK for 9 years. I don't really have anything to go to there. If I apply from there, I would just be living with mum and doing nothing. I would rather be living here with him doing nothing and waiting a little longer. 

[scylla]

We're applying from here because it's where we ended up. I've been living and working all over the world. We got here in the summer and decided to stay. I have been out of the UK for 9 years. I don't really have anything to go to there. If I apply from there, I would just be living with mum and doing nothing. I would rather be living here with him doing nothing and waiting a little longer. 

You can apply outland via London without leaving Canada.

[rjessome]

Hi

We're applying from inland. My common-law partner is sponsoring me. He has an ex-wife and on the background declaration, they ask for their marriage date, divorce date, her DOB and her address.

He does not know her current address. He can contact her if he has to but prefers not to. Do we have to fill it in? Can we just say that they are no longer in contact because that's the truth.

Thanks

Actually, you can write "unknown" and advise in your cover letter that he no longer is in contact with her and does not know her current address.

[Victorfoxtrot]

We're applying from here because it's where we ended up. I've been living and working all over the world. We got here in the summer and decided to stay. I have been out of the UK for 9 years. I don't really have anything to go to there. If I apply from there, I would just be living with mum and doing nothing. I would rather be living here with him doing nothing and waiting a little longer. 

Do you realise though that you can apply Outland via London, yet still live in Canada with your man throughout the process?  Applying outland does not mean you have to go to the UK and live there whilst you apply.  It doesn't matter that you have been out of the UK for 9 years either.  You are a UK citizen.

Seriously I'd opt for outland - there is of course the risk you'd have to attend an interview there, but that is rare, very rare.  My outland case was processed in just under 5 months, and I have lived in Canada with my partner since July 2010.  We applied at the end of August 2011.  If I had applied inland, then based on the current estimates I'd still be only 5 months into the 19 month long wait period.  It seems to be a no brainer to me, I can't understand why people do inland.

[missmini]

Do you realise though that you can apply Outland via London, yet still live in Canada with your man throughout the process?  Applying outland does not mean you have to go to the UK and live there whilst you apply.  It doesn't matter that you have been out of the UK for 9 years either.  You are a UK citizen.

Seriously I'd opt for outland - there is of course the risk you'd have to attend an interview there, but that is rare, very rare.  My outland case was processed in just under 5 months, and I have lived in Canada with my partner since July 2010.  We applied at the end of August 2011.  If I had applied inland, then based on the current estimates I'd still be only 5 months into the 19 month long wait period.  It seems to be a no brainer to me, I can't understand why people do inland.

while it's true that many people didn't do enough research outland vs inland and thought their only logical option is inland, for others inland has much more benefits; here r a few reasons why

1. some visa offices (outland) r actually slower than the inland process...
2. even if the visa office is not that slow but takes longer than 6 months there is a risk that the couple will be separated during the process - especially if the applicant had just a single entry visa and is NOT from a visa exempt country; some couples will do anything to avoid that especially if there r children involved too
3. with inland u will get a work permit after i think 10-11 months and for some people especially families with children it's very important
4. some applicants have no status in Canada and the inland application would or should give them an implied status
5. lastly, but maybe the most important some really cannot go to the home country if needed (for an interview for example) - maybe it's a war zone, maybe they risk going to prison, being tortured, God knows, this world is full of problems;

so really it depends from situation to situation; we have the fortunate nationalities vs less fortunate ones

[Victorfoxtrot]

while it's true that many people didn't do enough research outland vs inland and thought their only logical option is inland, for others inland has much more benefits; here r a few reasons why

1. some visa offices (outland) r actually slower than the inland process...
2. even if the visa office is not that slow but takes longer than 6 months there is a risk that the couple will be separated during the process - especially if the applicant had just a single entry visa and is NOT from a visa exempt country; some couples will do anything to avoid that especially if there r children involved too
3. with inland u will get a work permit after i think 10-11 months and for some people especially families with children it's very important
4. some applicants have no status in Canada and the inland application would or should give them an implied status
5. lastly, but maybe the most important some really cannot go to the home country if needed (for an interview for example) - maybe it's a war zone, maybe they risk going to prison, being tortured, God knows, this world is full of problems;

so really it depends from situation to situation; we have the fortunate nationalities vs less fortunate ones

Thank you - that's a very helpful guide about inland apps.  I hadn't considered the fact that some outland apps do take longer, but you are right, some offices do take an eternity compared to London, UK.  Having said all that though, given that Bonitanita appears to be a UK citizen, I'd still stand by my assessment, that she would be crazy to apply inland. 

[missmini]

Thank you - that's a very helpful guide about inland apps.  I hadn't considered the fact that some outland apps do take longer, but you are right, some offices do take an eternity compared to London, UK.  Having said all that though, given that Bonitanita appears to be a UK citizen, I'd still stand by my assessment, that she would be crazy to apply inland. 

ooooh yeah definately she should apply outland considering everything written here anita, if u send a strong application and take ur time to prepare it well u might not even need an interview and the passport can b sent/received by post; and to land u'll just go until us border and come back unless there r others things which worry you about having ur file in uk........

[bonitanita]

You can apply outland via London without leaving Canada.

REALLY? HOW? Please can you give me the details of this!?!?!

[bonitanita]

Do you realise though that you can apply Outland via London, yet still live in Canada with your man throughout the process?  Applying outland does not mean you have to go to the UK and live there whilst you apply.  It doesn't matter that you have been out of the UK for 9 years either.  You are a UK citizen.

Seriously I'd opt for outland - there is of course the risk you'd have to attend an interview there, but that is rare, very rare.  My outland case was processed in just under 5 months, and I have lived in Canada with my partner since July 2010.  We applied at the end of August 2011.  If I had applied inland, then based on the current estimates I'd still be only 5 months into the 19 month long wait period.  It seems to be a no brainer to me, I can't understand why people do inland.

I have just started getting my documents together and had NO IDEA about this!!! I would like to know more. If that is the case, then yes, I would love to opt for the one with a shorter time! How is it that it doesn't matter that i am here in Canada. If that is the case, why do they even have the inland application? Any advice you give me would be MUCH MUCH appreciated.

[bonitanita]

ooooh yeah definately she should apply outland considering everything written here anita, if u send a strong application and take ur time to prepare it well u might not even need an interview and the passport can b sent/received by post; and to land u'll just go until us border and come back unless there r others things which worry you about having ur file in uk........

I am pretty certain that we have enough evidence of our relationship that we're likely to not need an interview. Our relationship is solid and for proof of it we have:
- tickets to 9 countries travelled together with stamps in our passports
- hotel bookings
- photos with friends and family in several different countries
- facebook messages etc

So, if it is really better to apply outland, I am going to look it up now and any advice you have would be AWESOME! thanks guys!