IMM5490E - Sponsored Spouse Questionaire - #9 Development of Your Relationship

[mrpeets]

Could someone provide me with some clear answers in regards to Question 9 on the IMM5490E form (Sponsored Spouse Questionaire)? I would like to know if my wife should have to answer how the relationship developed such as "Our relationship developed from a friendship to a romantic relationship from multiple visits that Patrick made to my store that I worked at and the time we spent together in the afternoon. We went on many trips and dates together. What Patrick visited me for the first time in April 2007, we visited the catacombs (name), archelogical site....".

What way should I answer that question? As well, are they looking to know about our activities each time I visited her? Because I have also included the activities in August 2007 and Febuary 2007. Is that correct? Please let me know if that is what they are looking for.

[LCS]

The immigration lawyer I used for an initial consultation said to write it like a developing story. It is good that you are using lots of examples with "we" and showing a unity in what you did and shared together. Perhaps note the duration and dates of each of these many and consecutive trips. REALLY specific details are probably not necessary but include references to the shared experiences while on those trips together in a "we" reference. If you can demonstrate any other people-friends and/or family- that you spent time with this will show you both involved others into the context of your relationship. It was open, known by others and not a concealed arrangement of convenience for either of you, which is what you really are trying to have them not make the assumption of.
For your package of 'evidence', include photos together and in groups of other friends/family too if you have them, ticket stubs to places you went, airline boarding passes, western union receipts, used phone cards. No you can't prove exactly who you called with them but why else would someone be handing over 40, 50 or 60 phone cards if it wasn't mainly to call this one person in another country. Email copies of your conversations that would show an ongoing committed relationship. Greeting cards etc. You will get it all back.

[mrpeets]

Thanks for the prompt response. I saw many postings from you regarding the troubles with the Lima office and that is the same office that is going to process my wife's documents. Scarey news! And i sympathize with you and your husband!

 So when I provide the pictures, how do i show which pictures belong to a certain time frame and occasion? I have plenty of pictures of me and my sister and my now wife as well as with her and her family and friends. Thank you very much for the advise about including examples of "we" in our write-up.

What about Question #6 on the IMM5490E form "Give any additional details describing the circumstance of your first meeting with your sponsor". She has this written down:

"Patrick came to Peru with his sister, [name], on vacation to visit me and my family. Me and my mother [name], and a family friend, [name](who is also a witness on our marriage certificate), picked them up at the airport and transferred them to the [name of hotel] in Miraflores. At that time i was working part time at [name of company] so in the afternoon I was able to show them around Lima."

Now should she add more information or this is good enough? Is it clear and consise?

[LCS]

That's a good beginning, it shows you both met by way of a mutual person, your sister, and you have plenty of pictures of you all together and also other people. Not at all an arranged marriage or meeting out of the blue on the internet. You shouldn't have any problem with them doubting you, you met through your sister and it developed from there.   
If that first meeting and trip was for several days afterwards, explain the rest of the time that you spent together also, not just literally that one first afternoon.
You are asking about the one particular question, but have the overall whole story longer than what your excerpt here is, not a novel but a good couple of pages of writing.
As you are making your written history with the timelines included, mark those same dates and places where they were taken on the back of the photos with a waterproof marker, like a fine Staedtler felt pen.
As you are laying out the storyline, put comments in there (as appropriate and as applied to you) about how you both might have felt the connection, what little things or events may have happened to cement you two together and forming your emotional bond that would be the basis for your being together and eventually getting married. Describe a bit about the ceremony, how many people were there, definitely include those pictures. If you've gone back even since then, write about it all up to this point, the point that you are at now in submitting for your Spouse application.