How Many Pages Is Your Application?

[JRPW]

Hello!

My name is Jeff. I am sponsoring my wife whom I currently live with in Japan.

I read a thread started by someone (sorry, can't remember the handle) who mentions that his/her spousal application was 500 pages long. Mine won't be 500 pages. I don't even think it will be half that.

Background Information:

As mentioned above, I live with the wife in Japan. We have been married for just over three years, but have know each other for six. I met her in Japan at a conference we both attended. We didn't have a wedding ceremony - I'm a non-practicing Catholic who doesn't and my wife is a non-practicing Shintoist.
We were friends for four months before we started dating. We then dated for three years. We didn't live in the same town. I lived one hour away from her when we were dating and for the first year we were married. I tried to get a job transfer so that we could live together, but was unsuccessful. After my contract was finished, my wife quit her job and we moved to another city in Japan where we live now.

My question:
Since we have known each other, we have either texted or phoned each other with our cell phones. The only time we emailed each other was when I was back home in Canada when I went on vacation. On four occasions, my wife came with me or came after me and then spent time with my family and friends. I have pics as proof - with the family, friends, other relatives. We also have emails from me to her and vice-versa. My wife has emails from my mother, too.
I am a bit worried that when we send our application in we won't have enough. I know that quality is more important than quantity, but I'm getting a little concerned.

 

[bagelbagel81]

Hello!

My name is Jeff. I am sponsoring my wife whom I currently live with in Japan.

I read a thread started by someone (sorry, can't remember the handle) who mentions that his/her spousal application was 500 pages long. Mine won't be 500 pages. I don't even think it will be half that.

Background Information:

As mentioned above, I live with the wife in Japan. We have been married for just over three years, but have know each other for six. I met her in Japan at a conference we both attended. We didn't have a wedding ceremony - I'm a non-practicing Catholic who doesn't and my wife is a non-practicing Shintoist.
We were friends for four months before we started dating. We then dated for three years. We didn't live in the same town. I lived one hour away from her when we were dating and for the first year we were married. I tried to get a job transfer so that we could live together, but was unsuccessful. After my contract was finished, my wife quit her job and we moved to another city in Japan where we live now.

My question:
Since we have known each other, we have either texted or phoned each other with our cell phones. The only time we emailed each other was when I was back home in Canada when I went on vacation. On four occasions, my wife came with me or came after me and then spent time with my family and friends. I have pics as proof - with the family, friends, other relatives. We also have emails from me to her and vice-versa. My wife has emails from my mother, too.
I am a bit worried that when we send our application in we won't have enough. I know that quality is more important than quantity, but I'm getting a little concerned.

Hi Jeff,
Have you been living together over a year now? If so, i shouldn't see any problem
- i am assuming you would have possibly a joint lease and or utilities or at least the same address that you both have been getting mail sent to during that time. I would just explain in your applicaion the same as you have here- and you are right- it's certainly quality over quantity.
I have been living with my common- law partner for a year and a half, but only eight months was on the same lease, so just included some bank statements from our first address and other mail that was sent to us during that time. All up I probably only had 30 extra pages of evidence on top of the forms, but I figured what we did provide presented all the evidence. Hope this helps. Good luck!


Edited to add: i just realised you are also married so don't even need the twelve months of livig together, regardless. I am assuming you are not applying as conjugal- so I am sure the evidence you do have would be sufficient, especially considering you have known eachother for six years and married for 3!

 

[JRPW]

Hi bagelbagel81,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, we have lived together since October 2010. The lease & utilities are in the wife's name - it's a lot easier to have it in the wife's name. The Japanese can be a pain to deal with if you are a gaijin, a foreigner. But, we do have the same address.

We are applying for a spousal visa. I guess we are getting a little paranoid. I don't know why. :-[

 

[bagelbagel81]

That's completely understandable to be paranoid! Espcially when reading all the various threads and stories from the forum. I am sure you have nothing to worry about though. Have you already applied? I think the hardest part to some degree is waiting, which then gives you so much time to stress about what you could have put in. It helps to know that being married for the length of time you have, and living together for the length of time you have, should make it quite a straight forward and strong case for you both!

 

[Sweden]

Hey JRPW,

You will be fine! some applicants put more information than others, but it really depends on each case. Concentrate on what the checklist says, and you will be fine. You have a very straight forward case - known each other for a while, dated, got married, and not applying to move back to Canada. I'm sure that th VO will understand that the lease are not in your name, just explain why - and you will be OK.
INclude pictures of you and your wife with family and friends, get some letters, and you will be approved...

Some applicants need to include more proofs because they have been together for not so long time, or coming from very different backgrounds. Also - for some countries, the rate of fake marriage (in order to gain status in Canada) is quite high, so the "genuine" applicants have a harder time proving they are a genuine couple as the VO will be more suspicious. However, I highly doubt it's the case for Japan, as the life standards are pretty equivalent to Canada - so your wife doesn't have anything economic to gain by moving to Canada, it's only because she is with you - and the VO knows that, as they are aware of the life standards in Japan.

So - even if you don't have a lot of proofs, but you still put your application in order of the check list etc, and explain well your situation, you will be fine.

About being paranoid - that's normal! it's quite stressful to put the application together, and I remember feeling a bit like a criminal although I hadn't done anything wrong - just because I had to prove so many things! but once your application is sent, it feels like a burden has been lifted off your shoulders... and waiting is stressful, but since in your case you are living with your wife, at least you are not away from each other ( which is the case of lots of applicants on the forum).

Put together the application piece by piece and come back for advise anytime you need, but try not to compare your application with others, as it just becomes more stressful - each application is unique.

good luck,
Sweden

 

[clubcanada]

no worries. Your wife is from a developed country and you've been married for some time anyway. Just do a thorough documentation of your last years including pictures of wedding, tickets of trips, proof of joint daily life (renter's agreement, bills, life insurance, etc.) that shows both your names on it. in addition, bring avidafits from friends/colleagues (can be informal as you're married). You might also provide some indication of how you and your wife plan to live in Canada and how you're planning to get settled (e.g. language classes for her, taking some classes at local college, moving closer to family, getting a job, etc.) - so basically covering the going-forward life rather than the past. As long as there is no huge age difference or other aspects that are outside a typical pattern, you should be fine (she/you brought 3 kids into the marriage, you sponsored three wifes to Canada over the last 20 years, etc.). All in all you might not produce more than 50 pages. I think ours wasn't that much and our basis was much much thinner than yours (my wife's from China, I'm from Germany and we turned in the application about 4 weeks after the weeding registration....)

One more thing, as you;re currently residing out-side of Canada you must provide proof that you're returning to Canada as part of your application otherwise you'll have an issue.

 

[Fencesitter]

OP, your situation is very similar to mine, but like Sweden said, there is really no use in comparing. It helps in a way, but at the end of the day it all comes down to what you have provided as proof of your relationship and other factors.

You have been married for about the same time as we have...no rush to marry and then move to Canada...this is a good thing for your case. If you were in a marriage of convenience, the chances of waiting for so long is highly unlikely.

You'll be fine. Just make sure to complete all the IMM forms correctly and submit quality evidence. Oh, and make sure it's well organized!

Good luck!

FS

 

[JRPW]

Thank you all for the replies.

I know I shouldn't compare what others are doing with their applications, but I couldn't believe the pictures of the 500 page application. I showed them to my wife and her expression was......

We haven't applied, yet. We are still in the process of getting all the documents and other necessary materials together. I have family members who will write letters stating our intentions about moving back to Canada.

I need some more advice - I am not going to get an Option C from Revenue Canada. I was going to write a letter why and have my former employer write a letter stating how long I work for them and what my salary was. Of course, I will have to get it translated.

Any and all advice is, and has been, greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

J

 

[Sweden]

For the option C you don't need it, and you can explain why you don't have one, and instead get a letter from your employer stating your salary and period of employment. You don't need a minimum income to sponsor your wife, but you need to prove to CIC that you will not go on welfare once you return to Canada. So they want to see a bit how much you are making, and what are your plans in order to get a job once you return to Canada - so if you already have thought about what you intend to do, it's best to include it already.
Good luck,
Sweden

 

[Fencesitter]

I didn't send an Option C. I included an explanation, a letter from my current employer, pay stubs for the past 8 months, statements of earnings and benefits from my employer for 2010 and 2011, and notarized Chinese tax assessment for 2010 (still haven't received the one for 2011). No problem with my sponsorship approval.

FS