Proving 7 year Old Marriage - How Much Proof is Too Less/Much?

[jdCanadian]

Question for successful applicants married to sponsor for more than two years (without children) applicants: did you send more than minimum sets of documents asked for? Basically, is less more or more, more?

For instance: To prove living together, checklist asks for "at least two sets of documents". Did you send just two sets or as many applicable sets?

Thanks!

 

[spousalsponsee]

Question for successful applicants married to sponsor for more than two years (without children) applicants: did you send more than minimum sets of documents asked for? Basically, is less more or more, more?

For instance: To prove living together, checklist asks for "at least two sets of documents". Did you send just two sets or as many applicable sets?

Thanks!

The appropriate amount is more.

If all they say is 'at least', then send at least the minimum, maybe a couple more, covering a decent timespan, which demonstrates the ongoing relationship. If they say to send 'x', send x - don't think that because you have 2,000 photos you should ignore the "maximum 20".

What you should be asking yourself is: Have you included at least the minimum they request? Have you avoided sending more than they request? Have you covered the timespan your relationship is?

 

[jdCanadian]

The appropriate amount is more.

If all they say is 'at least', then send at least the minimum, maybe a couple more, covering a decent timespan, which demonstrates the ongoing relationship. If they say to send 'x', send x - don't think that because you have 2,000 photos you should ignore the "maximum 20".

Thanks for your reply, spousalsponsee. Yes, that was my question: did successful applicants send just the minimum amount, or played it safe and sent a couple more. I'm obviously sending at least the minimum --the application won't even be valid if not-- and also not going over the maximum --I have no intention of annoying the VO, haha! My question really boils down to: if there are five sets of distinct documentation that can be sent, and the checklist states to send at least (i.e. not only) two, how many of the other 3 sets did long-term married childless applicants send? (I reiterate childless because the checklist states no relationship-specific proof is required for a couple that's been married for longer than two years and has one biological child)

 

[CanadianZenGirl]

My husband and I had been married for two and a half years when we filed. We lived in different countries and both supported ourselves. We had no joint anything and no examples of any monetary support. That meant we had to rely solely on relationship stuff - photos, Facebook posts, letters from family. I think we were really lucky that we were still able to use the old immigration package and the lack of joint household receipts wasn't an issue (that is one of the biggest drawbacks of the new package, in my opinion, and completely silly for the majority of outland applicants who live apart).

 

[jdCanadian]

My husband and I had been married for two and a half years when we filed. We lived in different countries and both supported ourselves. We had no joint anything and no examples of any monetary support. That meant we had to rely solely on relationship stuff - photos, Facebook posts, letters from family. I think we were really lucky that we were still able to use the old immigration package and the lack of joint household receipts wasn't an issue (that is one of the biggest drawbacks of the new package, in my opinion, and completely silly for the majority of outland applicants who live apart).

Thanks, CanadianZenGirl. Do you remember how many letters from family you included?

And the new package doesn't ask for joint accounts/receipts or same-address documents if the couple isn't living together either. CIC apparently isn't that unreasonable

 

[jptskt]

Thanks, CanadianZenGirl. Do you remember how many letters from family you included?

And the new package doesn't ask for joint accounts/receipts or same-address documents if the couple isn't living together either. CIC apparently isn't that unreasonable

The checklist doesn't give a min/max number for the letters. My husband I sent a total of 7 letters from family and friends. 4 from my side and 3 from his side. Of the 7 letters, two were notarized (not mandatory).

 

[CanadianZenGirl]

And the new package doesn't ask for joint accounts/receipts or same-address documents if the couple isn't living together either. CIC apparently isn't that unreasonable

Hmm ... back when the new kit first came out, I remember a bunch of folks posting about problems regarding what to send in because they weren't living together and couldn't provide stuff on the list. It seemed rather bizarre to me at the time that the CIC would be asking for such things in the first place. Maybe I was misunderstanding something somewhere.

We didn't really provide much in the way of proof. There were wedding photos and pics from family holiday get-togethers over the years, a bunch of Facebook posts that showed we were open about our relationship and had a bunch of mutual friends, a couple of letters. We've been together for six years, now married for half that time. Also, he's American, and that probably made it much easier for us as well.

 

[spousalsponsee]

Hmm ... back when the new kit first came out, I remember a bunch of folks posting about problems regarding what to send in because they weren't living together and couldn't provide stuff on the list. It seemed rather bizarre to me at the time that the CIC would be asking for such things in the first place. Maybe I was misunderstanding something somewhere.

We didn't really provide much in the way of proof. There were wedding photos and pics from family holiday get-togethers over the years, a bunch of Facebook posts that showed we were open about our relationship and had a bunch of mutual friends, a couple of letters. We've been together for six years, now married for half that time. Also, he's American, and that probably made it much easier for us as well.

I think they revamped the forms recently, I remember looking at the new ones when they came out and wondering how on earth couples who didn't live together could meet them.

We did similar to you - a few pages of photos covering our r/s, including 'milestone' events like being at family Christmas dinners, screenshots of facebook chats and posts, 2 supporting letters from friends.

 

[jdCanadian]

Hmm ... back when the new kit first came out, I remember a bunch of folks posting about problems regarding what to send in because they weren't living together and couldn't provide stuff on the list. It seemed rather bizarre to me at the time that the CIC would be asking for such things in the first place. Maybe I was misunderstanding something somewhere.

We didn't really provide much in the way of proof. There were wedding photos and pics from family holiday get-togethers over the years, a bunch of Facebook posts that showed we were open about our relationship and had a bunch of mutual friends, a couple of letters. We've been together for six years, now married for half that time. Also, he's American, and that probably made it much easier for us as well.

I'm using the one updated in June 2017. I think you're right about the one they had before that being ridiculous.

My spouse and I have been together over 8 years and married for 7, so I didn't think I needed a lot of proof either but reading some of these threads about returned applications (most of them for intent to return and source of support though, which we'll have to prove as well) and the fact that we're not including Facebook posts had got me worried. Thank you very much for responding and letting me know what you sent!

 

[jdCanadian]

The checklist doesn't give a min/max number for the letters. My husband I sent a total of 7 letters from family and friends. 4 from my side and 3 from his side. Of the 7 letters, two were notarized (not mandatory).

Thanks, jptskt. Did you end up sending Facebook posts as well?

 

[jdCanadian]

I think they revamped the forms recently, I remember looking at the new ones when they came out and wondering how on earth couples who didn't live together could meet them.

We did similar to you - a few pages of photos covering our r/s, including 'milestone' events like being at family Christmas dinners, screenshots of facebook chats and posts, 2 supporting letters from friends.

I wish we were better at remembering to take pictures. We've been asking friends and family for candid ones but I think we do have enough, even if they are non-candid ones at relatives' weddings and out with friends. Thanks for mentioning how many pages of photos and letters you sent.

 

[jptskt]

Thanks, jptskt. Did you end up sending Facebook posts as well?

No we did not. Both my husband and I don't have any social media accounts. But we did have lots of text messages from over 1.5 years of our relationship (at that point in time) and also lots and lots of letters/ cards/ postcards sent to each other (old school snail mail with stamps). We had so many of those that we ended up having to select which ones to use for our application since there is a 10 page limit. We also had some emails and screenshots of us videochatting over the years but we didn't end of using them.

LOL i just realized this makes us sound very old when in fact we're both 31. hehe

Of course, we also sent other kinds of supporting evidence for our relationship besides the ones mentioned above. If you want a complete list let me know and i will post them.

 

[Alurra71]

No we did not. Both my husband and I don't have any social media accounts. But we did have lots of text messages from over 1.5 years of our relationship (at that point in time) and also lots and lots of letters/ cards/ postcards sent to each other (old school snail mail with stamps). We had so many of those that we ended up having to select which ones to use for our application since there is a 10 page limit. We also had some emails and screenshots of us videochatting over the years but we didn't end of using them.

LOL i just realized this makes us sound very old when in fact we're both 31. hehe

Of course, we also sent other kinds of supporting evidence for our relationship besides the ones mentioned above. If you want a complete list let me know and i will post them.

Focus more on QUALITY of your proof rather than QUANTITY of your proof.

 

[jptskt]

Focus more on QUALITY of your proof rather than QUANTITY of your proof.

Was this intended for me?

 

[jdCanadian]

No we did not. Both my husband and I don't have any social media accounts. But we did have lots of text messages from over 1.5 years of our relationship (at that point in time) and also lots and lots of letters/ cards/ postcards sent to each other (old school snail mail with stamps). We had so many of those that we ended up having to select which ones to use for our application since there is a 10 page limit. We also had some emails and screenshots of us videochatting over the years but we didn't end of using them.

LOL i just realized this makes us sound very old when in fact we're both 31. hehe

Of course, we also sent other kinds of supporting evidence for our relationship besides the ones mentioned above. If you want a complete list let me know and i will post them.

I hear you! We hardly use social media and don't use our last names or profile pictures in them. And we're in our 30s as well. I'm glad to hear that not including social media posts didn't result in negative bias.

Thanks for the offer of posting the complete list. Since we're living together, the new checklist only needs
(a) documents that show we're recognized as each other's spouse, (b) evidence of financial support/shared expenses, (c) proof that the relationship is recognized by family/friends, so we don't need to send CIC any other evidence of relationship.

We both have govt. IDs that recognize the other as spouse for set (a), not a whole lot of financial support/shared expenses for set (b) --since we're living with family (so no rent and utilities, yay) and financially independent but do have a minute number of bank transfers, phew. We have 5 letters for set (c) but only from family so we're getting one from mutual friends (or maybe we should get one more from another friend?).