SPONSORSHIP ONLY ONE WEEK AFTER MARRIAGE

[Leon]

Common laws are treated like marriage but they have to be able to prove that they have lived together for at least 12 months.

[canadianwoman]

Do you actually know this is true, or are you guessing? It is quite common to wait a very long time. A friend of mine was married for years, she is Vietnamese, and she got approved without a hitch in a matter of months.

My lawyer also told me that waiting longer gives you the advantage of having more history together...

I have read all the summaries of immigration appeal cases in REFLEX - cases where they waited a year or more after marriage before applying tended to be rejected, because the appeal board thought that spouses in a genuine marriage would want to be together as soon as possible. It's true you'll have more history together, but only if you are in the same country. If one spouse is in Canada, and the other is waiting for his or her visa in another country, waiting to apply makes it look like you don't mind living apart. The original poster has a long history with her partner already, so waiting to apply will only raise suspicions. It took me three months to get my husband's application redy, and I was afraid the visa officer would wonder why we hadn't applied right away.

[Karlshammar]

Nobody needs to worry about 3 months.

Obviously if you get married and then stay apart for ages it will be suspicious... You have to use common sense here.

I have read all the summaries of immigration appeal cases in REFLEX - cases where they waited a year or more after marriage before applying tended to be rejected, because the appeal board thought that spouses in a genuine marriage would want to be together as soon as possible. It's true you'll have more history together, but only if you are in the same country. If one spouse is in Canada, and the other is waiting for his or her visa in another country, waiting to apply makes it look like you don't mind living apart. The original poster has a long history with her partner already, so waiting to apply will only raise suspicions. It took me three months to get my husband's application redy, and I was afraid the visa officer would wonder why we hadn't applied right away.

[Suin]

we applied being just two months married and everything went just fine.

[italo-argentina]

Yes, it might somewhat simplify things if you change your name to his already before you apply.  It could be seen as even further proof of your relationship.

Why is changing your last name to your spouses a means of showing you're married/in a relationship?  What if you don't believe in that or what if in your home country it is not necessary to do so? 

Thanks

[Karlshammar]

I don't think it is. My wife didn't take my name. If you get married in Quebec you're not even allowed to take your spouse's last name.

I think the post was more a reflection of the personal opinions of the poster than any actual immigration laws.

Why is changing your last name to your spouses a means of showing you're married/in a relationship?  What if you don't believe in that or what if in your home country it is not necessary to do so? 

Thanks

[italo-argentina]

Ah ok thank you.  It is not common where I am from to take your husbands name thats all.

[tgchi13]

Why is changing your last name to your spouses a means of showing you're married/in a relationship?  What if you don't believe in that or what if in your home country it is not necessary to do so? 

Thanks

It's old English traditional but socially ambiguous and an entirely personal decision.  Theoretically, it implies that you 'belong' but legally most all documentation can be easily changed to/from a change in surname.  Oddly enough, the only thing I've had any difficulty dropping my last name from previous marriage (years ago) on is my Air Miles card...but I just realized something, so thank you:  I can order a new card and start using it and just 'cash out' the old when it arrives.

Changing a surname upon marriage is by no means a social or legal requirement and I *think* you are always safe to say state that you did/did not do something because it is not the norm for the country./religion/tradition which you are from.