Unusual question before submission

[KimJuliBC]

Hello

We are new to your wonderful forum.
We are same sex...and married
Our application and documents for sponsorship are almost ready to send.
We understand that in most of forms the word "spouse" is the one. Sometimes the word "husband" and "wife" come across. Do we need to be specific and identify one of us as husband and the other as wife? Do we need to be specific in the covering letter about that issue? This is because we need to make our application as strong as it can be. We also used the Husband wife words in our chat and our emails. These will be included in our proof of relationship. Does it really matter? it does matter for us. We are specific about it.
Thanks

 

[frappii]

I don't think labels count as a bonus. That's just my opinion. But if you think that it would make your application stronger, then by all means Follow your heart..

 

[KimJuliBC]

I don't think labels count as a bonus. That's just my opinion. But if you think that it would make your application stronger, then by all means Follow your heart..

Mainly, we wanted to ask: do immigration want us to specify? Is it important to say so? what if there would be an interview? We heard that interviewers Imm officers can ask anything ..any question. Personally, we wish to keep it private, for us.
Thanks

 

[frappii]

Mainly, we wanted to ask: do immigration want us to specify? Is it important to say so? what if there would be an interview? We heard that interviewers Imm officers can ask anything ..any question. Personally, we wish to keep it private, for us.
Thanks

It's true that imm officers can ask anything but I don't really think labels are that important. Like for straight married couples, it's given that they are husbands and wives. For same sex couples, I don't think femme to femme, femme to butch or m2m who don't label themselves would make it less of a genuine relationship.

I'm saying these things because I didn't specify. It's pretty obvious in our pictures, anyways. It's really up to you.

 

[KimJuliBC]

My wife had been in a straight relationship for 5 years before we met. Once we met and fell in love, she left him and moved to me. would this be a big issue in the approval of refusal of the application?

 

[frappii]

I doubt it.. coz the focus of your application should be about the two of you. I don't think it's necessary to mention anything about your past relationships unless of course if previously married, divorced and what not. Just worry about it when you guys get invited for an interview, they might ask about it. You have time.. relax, you guys are married.. we're not. Consider yourselves lucky.

 

[KimJuliBC]

I doubt it.. I don't think it's necessary to mention anything about your past relationships unless of course if previously married, divorced and what not. Just worry about it when you guys get invited for an interview, they might ask about it. You have time.. relax, you guys are married.. we're not. Consider yourselves lucky.

how can we simply ignore the 5 year long relationship, specially when it was counted in different category (straight) from what we have right now? Also what questions do we expect in an interview?
Thanks

 

[matthewc]

If you're divorced, you have to put the details of your former spouse. If you're still legally married (but separated) and applying as common-law, you have to demonstrate that your marriage has broken down in fact, and your common-law relationship is genuine and continuing. If you previously sponsored another spouse / partner you can expect them to question whether that previous sponsorship was actually one of convenience.

Beyond that, past relationship aren't really relevant.

 

[KimJuliBC]

Thank you.
Am not sure if our situation is pretty clear for you:

My wife is the Canadian citizen. She was married to a guy (male) and she sponsored him 6 y ago. Undertakings are expired already. She got divorced recently. But our relationship started long before that, years ago. She was still with her ex husband when we started our relationship (same sex). Our relationship has caused a lot of strains in the family (her own family-her ex husband- and mine too). She is now sponsoring me. Someone, somehow can send a tip or a complaint to CIC but were perfectly genuine.

 

[BeShoo]

Do we need to be specific and identify one of us as husband and the other as wife? Do we need to be specific in the covering letter about that issue? This is because we need to make our application as strong as it can be. We also used the Husband wife words in our chat and our emails....

I think I would use the word "spouse" as much as possible rather than "husband" and "wife" in your situation. The reason is that "wife" usually refers to a female and "husband" to a male, even in same-sex couples, so it could be confusing. Of course, every couple is different and if you prefer to call one of you a husband, that's fine, it's just that I'd de-emphasize that for your application. Of course if you are including chats and emails where you use "husband" and "wife" it would be a good idea to explain that somewhere.

As for the 5 year long previous relationship, I think it would be important to explain that this has ended if it was a common law partnership because you can't be "married" to more than one person at a time. I assume that the very fact that you were granted a marriage certificate indicates that some official was satisfied that your past relationships had ended. I don't see the fact that the previous relationship was straight and this one isn't is relevant to the application. I don't think that is an issue. Update: it sounds like your partner was married, then divorced from her husband.

Since it is her second sponsorship, it does cast some doubt as to whether she is just sponsoring a series of people in marriages of convenience, but it should not be a problem as long as you have good evidence that your relationship is genuine. It really doesn't matter that your relationship started when she was still with her ex-husband. As long as you can show that your relationship developed over time and that you are still behaving as a married couple would, you should be fine.

 

[IrishApplicant]

As noted above, you need to prove:

1st - Your current relationship between the both of you is genuine (This is your Priority)
2nd - that neither of you are still in a previous, continuing (legally, emotionally etc) relationship
3rd - That those previous relationships were ordinary/genuine, ie not for the purpose of sponsoring people.

Because your spouse has already gone through the sponsorship process they will look extra hard at Your relationship - it will actually probably help that you are a same-sex relationship, as it is quite seperate from the previous one.

Going on from this, by continuing the relationship despite the difficulties with your various relatives you actually appear more believable than if you were a different sex relationship.

The true test of a genuine relationship is getting through crisis' together - financial, legal, emotional etc. You have a very good proof of your love as you are dealing with a continuing, very 'close to the bone' crises - ie your families have issues with your relationship. And nothing can exert as much emotional pressure as a family.

Yet you are still together.

So, if someone did complain etc the CIC would certainly ask you to clarify, but if anything would prob weigh in on your side, IF you have a decent quantity/quality of evidence.

Officially, Canada is gay friendly, remember

Best of luck!
IA

 

[KimJuliBC]

Thank you everyone

Thank you IrishApplicant, for your assurance

I am actually the one referred to as "wife" above. Most of the content of the entry above was done by my partner, referred to as "husband".
I have been divorced officially and recently. Shortly after that we got married (same sex). BTW: I just don't like, don't taste the word "GAY". Don't ask me why...I don't know why either.

My ex is a loving-lovely man. We were genuinely married and there was nothing to do with visa or marriage of convenience at all. He is honest and straightforward. I just discovered, at one point, at one stage of my life, that I could not fit or say adjust to straight (Male to Female) relationship. That was triggered or say discovered by meeting and finding my current loving "Husband". My ex does not approve it for reasons belonging to his own beliefs.
Although I received assurance from you (above) I am still conscious and worried that CIC may question why I have changed extremely, from straight (Gender Male to female) into same sex relationship. My concern is triggered by the fact that I have had to sponsor both.

Another issue: we are planning to have kids. In my eyes and opinion, the best biological father for our future kids is my ex. He may not go for it..he may not approve. But also, my current husband is not feeling ease about this. Would that create any problem with CIC even later after the sponsorship is finished?

 

[MD2B]

Im not judging, just from the point of someone who has been in the gay community my whole life....it just makes me a bit suspicious. and it would and IO too.
I guessed (without having read the part that one of you had previously been married to a man), that you had been.

Most people struggle with the idea that labels exist at all. In fact I would legally bring up (and have) any forms in the government that specify male/female genders as its not right to have such forms. they should all be gender neutral.

I have nothing against assigning genders in any relationship. But gay people do not typically refer to each other as "husband" or wife unless they are trying to hide their gay relationship from others. In fact Ive never heard of it in my life.
And if you have done that, or cant prove that this is open - then you are in trouble.

I personally dont know how genuine this all would seem to an IO about your chat logs. How long have you been together?
Im only saying it to help you out - because I dont know that many of us from the GAY GAY GAY (yes the word is great and all encompassing) community would buy it.

I think you have a ton of red flags here.....and I would not be prepared to reassure you herein. anyone with any degree of intuition would start to question the validity of this marriage.
Just trying to prepare you ahead of time.

 

[KimJuliBC]

MD2B

You are welcome to differ with me. Life is about experience.
But I think you misunderstood me totally. I am proud as I am and of what I have been through. The are too many words in the dictionaries that have been totally deviated from the original (nobel) meaning. But the excessive use of certain words in the wrong direction (labling) has distorted the meaning. Hope you are happier now.

 

[MD2B]

Im just raising the idea that IOs are trained to assess applications based on "norms" of different religious, cultural, and societal groups (including same sex). Not everyone's life experience "fits" but there has to be some element of fluidity between you and your "category" as it were.

Where it would be strange for an Englishman and a Canadian to have an arranged marriage, or one by proxy, it wouldnt be strange in other cultural setting. Yes the former couple have the right to do as they please, and call it life experience but if it doesnt fit with the trend of the group within which they are trying to identify, red flags go up.

Im saying your situation doesnt "fit" with what is the "norm" in the gay community. Im not saying your relationship isnt real (I certainly hope it is), but you have many components of it wherein you'll have to be prepared to truly explain.

Points like: previous sponsorships, this husband/wife talk, previous heterosexual long term relationships, and an interest in having an "ex" husband as the father of a future child...among others.
All Im saying is.....be prepared, and take it as you will, but Im trying to be helpful. Im sorry but if noone else sees this as a bit off, then....peace be with you.