HELP! QUESTION ABOUT COMMON-LAW SPONSORSHIP!!

[mc1234]

Me and my common-law partner are preparing his application for Canadian PR under the family class common-law. Just wondering what other people have submitted as proof of their common-law relationship? We have taken trips together,  we obviously live together, he has recently got his driver's license that has our address on it, we have already begun to ask our family and friends to write letter vouching that we are a bonfire couple, we have pictures, a lease agreement, rental receipts, a joint bank account, many conversations, some letters, photocopies of his multiple entry visa, proof of phone calls and email logs prior to us living together, etc. Just wondering what other people in our situation have done?! thanks a bunch! Also, in July 2011 we were separated for 11 days because I came earlier to get things ready for him before he came since we were living together in Mexico since April, would that be a problem?? Thanks again!!

[AllisonVSC]

It seems from your list that you got quite a bit of documentation. What you will want to consider is having evidence in each, if possible, of 4 broad categories which the cic calls "interdependence" in conjugal relationships. The assessment of whether two individuals are in a conjugal relationship should focus on evidence of interdependency – physically, emotionally, financially, socially.

Check out the OP2 manual, specifically section 5.26 where you will find a description of how conjugal relationships are supposed to be assessed. They also provide details for each of the interdependencies followed by examples of the types of documentation that you could provide as evidence. Just check to see that the evidence you have covers the range of interdependency (don't worry if you can't prove all 4, or that you have more of one type than another) that they are looking for.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op02-eng.pdf

Also, be sure you have external evidence of the one full year of co-habitation (don't worry about the 11 days as long as you have lived together for a year). By external, I mean something more than you declaring that you lived together. Leases, friend/family/neighbor declarations, evidence of mail received at the same address are "external" evidence.

[mc1234]

Thanks so much! That gave me a lot of the little additional info we needed!