Help! I have two months to prove we're common law :(

[chess101]

Hey guys,
After waiting for 9 months to get a response regarding our application for permanent residence, we received a letter urgently asking us for more prove regarding the cohabitation.
Here are the facts,
We applied outland via the Buffalo office
He's been living with me for 2 years now, however we live in a suite in my parent's house so we don't have any joint rental agreement.
We've bought several appliances together but however it's all in my account since he doesn't have a sin number. ( he's just here on a visitor)
I'm thinking of sending them my entire bank statement since we started living together.
Any ideas?
Just throw them out here!
Oh I'm also collecting receipts of large purchases and grocery bills.
Help!

[CharlieD10]

Notarised statement from your parents to the effect that he has been cohabiting with you since x date in their home.

Requests for extensions of visitor's status that have been approved (surely he was required to provide a home address in order to get those extensions).

Photos of events/occasions celebrated in your home, showing both of you together.

[pinklady]

Perhaps you could send in some additional letters from both parents, stating that they let you stay in there home. Sending your bank statements could be good aswell with the big purchases highlighted.
Do you have any mail addressed to him at your address, old envelopes with date stamps on them.
Photographs taken around your home.
Maybe even letters from neighbours stating you both live there.
Anything and everything you can think of.
Good luck!

[chess101]

Perhaps you could send in some additional letters from both parents, stating that they let you stay in there home. Sending your bank statements could be good aswell with the big purchases highlighted.
Do you have any mail addressed to him at your address, old envelopes with date stamps on them.
Photographs taken around your home.
Maybe even letters from neighbours stating you both live there.
Anything and everything you can think of.
Good luck!

Thanks Charlie for the quick reply! We do have a stamp saying his 6 month visa is good up to MarchX. But he's actually in the process of renewing his visitot visa and does have a letter mailed to him requesting the fees be paid, we can send that.
But it seems like the officer is satisfied that we've lived together since July 2010 ( there was an issurance letter with both our names on it) he writes that doesn't make exactly a year, so we need the extra document to prove June 2010! The only way I see is through my bank account, we actually did pay rent a couple of times, so I'm thinking of highlighting that on my bank statement and getting a receipt from my parents for the months we actually paid.
I've actually collected all the envelops with his name on it addressed here. I've taken pictures of where we live, items we've bought together ( fridge, microwave)....

[missmini]

- notarized letter from ur parents that u live together
- notarized letter from other family and friends stating ur genuine and continuing relationship and that u live together, since when
- joint expenses from ur common bank account - i do intend to send bank statements to show how we use that account regulary to buy food, pay bills, etc
- mailing from bank, gouverment, university, anything, which shows that u both live at that address
- common memberships - do u use the same ebay, itunes, paypal account to purchase online - just an idea
- statutory declaration of common law signed by both providing the proofs asked in that form
- common-law status declared for tax purposes, gouverment, etc - for both

isn't it possible that ur parents add both of u to the apt lease or to the hydro bill? also u could add him to ur credit card (no need of sin) and to the bank account (no need of sin either, just some id)

good luck!! get back to us if possile to let us know if it was ok (me too i'm working on these proofs  )

[chess101]

- notarized letter from ur parents that u live together
- notarized letter from other family and friends stating ur genuine and continuing relationship and that u live together, since when
- joint expenses from ur common bank account - i do intend to send bank statements to show how we use that account regulary to buy food, pay bills, etc
- mailing from bank, gouverment, university, anything, which shows that u both live at that address
- common memberships - do u use the same ebay, itunes, paypal account to purchase online - just an idea
- statutory declaration of common law signed by both providing the proofs asked in that form
- common-law status declared for tax purposes, gouverment, etc - for both

isn't it possible that ur parents add both of u to the apt lease or to the hydro bill? also u could add him to ur credit card (no need of sin) and to the bank account (no need of sin either, just some id)

Ok, we don't have a common bank account, it's technically my bank account, but we both use it so I'm gonna go right now to the bank to get all my previous statements.
I could never declare we were common law for my taxes or student loan because they consider you single if your partner can't "provide" any income and is considered to be living "outside the country" I even called them regarding that I know!


good luck!! get back to us if possile to let us know if it was ok (me too i'm working on these proofs  )

[scylla]

Do you have any emails from that period that show you were living together? For example, emails where one of you is telling the other that you did the groceries, cleaned up the house, when you'll be home tonight, etc.

[QCSunshine]

Like others have mentioned, it is possible to have a joint account, even if one person does not have a SIN (at least at some banks). It is also possible for a person without an SIN to open an individual account (I had one with RBC).

Have you listed each other as beneficiaries for your individual bank accounts and can you show proof of that?

Do you have a family/shared cell phone plan? (Which could also show you being billed jointly at the same address...)

Holiday cards with envelopes addressed to both of you?

Old emails from friends in which they comment on you guys moving in together?

Good luck!

[missmini]

Ok, we don't have a common bank account, it's technically my bank account, but we both use it so I'm gonna go right now to the bank to get all my previous statements.
I could never declare we were common law for my taxes or student loan because they consider you single if your partner can't "provide" any income and is considered to be living "outside the country" I even called them regarding that Sad I know!

that's strange cuz i did declare my partner in my taxes for 3 years, as non-canadian citizen who resides outside Canada...since he's not a citizen, they don't asked abt his income...i did that on both provincial and federal taxes, they never said anything..

some banks allow to have joint account (u as the main person) and u could add anyone u want based on the fact that they show some id...they could b able to sign cheques and deposit money...td for example

scylla suggestion is good, sms with shopping list could help or other communication like this

good luck!!

[chess101]

Well I found tons of text messages between us so that was a good idea.
Well for my student loan it considered me single so I assumed it was the same for everything else.
Got my bank statements gonna work from there.