Where do I live?

[imp]

Funniest question I've ever asked I think.  I'm currently on visitor status in Canada with my husband and will hopefully be able to wait here while the application is being processed.  I don't want to appear as though I believe I've moved here because I know and respect the rules (and most of my stuff is still in the US), but there are questions like are you currently living with your spouse.. I guess I am, right?  I also lived with him for 4 months last year, which I included in the cohabitation question.  So now the question is when I list every place I've lived since the age of 18 do I include this address for the times I've been here for an extended period?  I assume when it asks if I'm living with someone other than my sponsor I should put my mother-in-law who lives with us, is this correct?

[CharlieD10]

Yes, you should definitely include significant periods spent visiting with your husband when listing addresses where you resided since age 18. 

Yes, you are living with him, and your mother-in-law, if she's in the house where you stay.

[canadianwoman]

Several forum members have listed the address of their sponsor in Canada as the address they were living at, even though technically they were only visiting. None of them have ever reported a problem with this.
Plus actually living together is good evidence the relationship is real. So I would put your sponsor's address in Canada as the address where you are living; you can attach a note explaining the situation if you like.
For a four month visit, I would also put that in your list of address.
You should include your mother-in-law as one of the people you are living with.

[brin]

 @ Charlie
I'm a little confused now
 
My husband lives with his friend but in the application we said he doesn't live with anyone.
Only because, they share the house, and pay rent separatly, so we considered it as sharing the accomadation. Not like they have any relationship, more like they are just house mates. I hope it's ok and doesn't bk fire! getting worried now!

[CharlieD10]

Brin, no worries on a situation like that.  Living with your mother-in-law or a relative is different from a housemate.  You don't live with your housemate in the sense being referred to here.

[brin]

Brin, no worries on a situation like that.  Living with your mother-in-law or a relative is different from a housemate.  You don't live with your housemate in the sense being referred to here.

Wheeeewww!!!! Thank you! 
I can't seem to help getting confused over these questions on and off again. Can't wait till this is over with  )

[CharlieD10]

LOL, brin, relax.  I'm pretty sure your husband will be home to you soon.

[canadianwoman]

 @  Charlie
I'm a little confused now
 
My husband lives with his friend but in the application we said he doesn't live with anyone.
Only because, they share the house, and pay rent separatly, so we considered it as sharing the accomadation. Not like they have any relationship, more like they are just house mates. I hope it's ok and doesn't bk fire! getting worried now!

They just want to know who your husband lives with; they are not using "living with" as a euphenism for "having a common law relationship with someone". You should have listed the roommate.
For:
Question 12, Sponsor Questionnaire, IMM 5540
and
Question 29, Sponsored Spouse/Partner Questionnaire, IMM 5490:
the visa officer wants to know who the sponsor and applicant live with. They are not talking only about someone you have a romantic relationship with - as proof of this, there are spaces to list four people! Clearly not your lovers. They also want to know the relationship to you. So anyone sharing the same house or apartment should be listed.
So a mother-in-law should be listed, as should a roommate.

[CharlieD10]

  What? Damn.  I didn't read it like that, I have to admit.  I view a relative as "living with" but someone you share space with, like a house mate, I didn't see that way.  Sharing houses is common in Jamaica, many persons rent out part of their homes for extra income.  I wouldn't have listed them in answer to that question if I had lived in a situation like that.

[brin]

They just want to know who your husband lives with; they are not using "living with" as a euphenism for "having a common law relationship with someone". You should have listed the roommate.
For:
Question 12, Sponsor Questionnaire, IMM 5540
and
Question 29, Sponsored Spouse/Partner Questionnaire, IMM 5490:
the visa officer wants to know who the sponsor and applicant live with. They are not talking only about someone you have a romantic relationship with - as proof of this, there are spaces to list four people! Clearly not your lovers. They also want to know the relationship to you. So anyone sharing the same house or apartment should be listed.
So a mother-in-law should be listed, as should a roommate.

Oh well..it's done...can't do much about it now and I hope the VO knows people usually gets confused over this. I can understand it'll be considered misrepresentation if someone was living with a woman and didn't decalre it, this might raise concerns in the relationship with the sponsor. However I think I agree with Charlie.. Lets just say for argument sake...what if you were renting a room in someone's house? You can't consider that 'living with' the land loards, though u'll be still sharing the kitchen, living room etc!  Regardless of if the land loard is a friend or not, there is a legal contract of a lease agreement!

[canadianwoman]

What? Damn.  I didn't read it like that, I have to admit.  I view a relative as "living with" but someone you share space with, like a house mate, I didn't see that way.  Sharing houses is common in Jamaica, many persons rent out part of their homes for extra income.  I wouldn't have listed them in answer to that question if I had lived in a situation like that.

I would say it depends on how they are sharing the home. In Canada it is common to rent the basement of a house to one person or family, and then the owners or other renters live upstairs. They do not mix; they most likely didn't know each other before and do not share any of the space. Here I would say they are in separate accomodations and would not list them on this type of form.

But if, for example, two friends rent an apartment together, one has one bedroom, the other has another bedroom, but they share the use of the living room, dining room, and kitchen, then I would definitely say they live together and would list the friend on these forms - as a roommate or friend. Brin said her husband lives with a friend, so I would have listed him.