Common-law and fast relationships

[couteausnob]

This isn't an urgent issue or anything, I'm just wondering if anyone might have any insight. I know that for spousal applications, the relationship evidence is there to prove that the marriage is genuine and not a marriage of convenience, and that a lengthy pre-wedding relationship helps support this. So my question is this: Is there such a thing as a common-law partnership of convenience?

That probably sounds like a stupid question, sorry. I'm just curious if anyone knows if/how much it matters that a couple dated for an extended period of time before moving in together, when applying for PR as common-law. Does CIC bother judging a couple's wisdom in choosing to live together, or do they pretty much figure that if you can prove 12 months of cohabitation in a genuine, conjugal relationship then you're good? Or might they suspect someone of establishing common-law solely for immigration, the way some fraudsters use marriage?

My concern of course stems from the fact that my relationship with my partner was measured in months rather than years before we took the plunge and decided to go for this whole life thing together. Funny how long-distance relationships can make that sort of progression more urgent. Fortunately, our communication while apart was mostly online, so I have logs of nearly every conversation that led us to the point of cohabitation, even the times when we tried to talk ourselves out of moving too fast, so I can definitely demonstrate our relationship progression. I'm just not sure if it matters how quickly that progression, well, progressed. Anyone know?

 

[canadianwoman]

Who knows what the visa officer processing your application will focus on. It depends on your visa office and whether your relationship has a lot of 'red flags'. I agree though that if you can prove 12 months of cohabitation, less other evidence is going to be needed.
I have heard of cases where the couple was living together and could prove it, but the visa officer rejected the applicant (or at least questioned the applicant at an interview) because he or she thought the two were just roommates. So you still do have to prove the relationship is genuine.

They do want you to document the progression of the relationship, so since you have actual copies of conversations where you discussed this, this will be a great help for you.

 

[SchnookoLoly]

I applied as common-law for my then-boyfriend now-husband. When we applied we had been living together about a year and a half. If I remember correctly, a lot of the evidence we had to provide was the same as spousal in terms of proving a genuine relationship - pictures, letters, trips, phone calls, all that stuff. What you had to additionally prove with common-law is that you were living together in a marriage-like relationship, and NOT as roommates - so things like joint lease, joint bills, joint bank accounts, all of that in additional to the relationship proof is what convinces CIC that you are living together in a marriage-like relationship, and not just as roommates. So you have to show both sides.

There's one question that asks you to outline the progression of the relationship - that's where you can describe how you met, the circumstances of long distance, and your decision to move in together "more quickly" (as you say) than others normally might. Just be honest in your application and include as much evidence as you can (and by that I mean quality evidence, not a thousand pages of phone logs!) to show that you have a legitimate and ongoing relationship.

 

[rachiy]

Absolutely there is such a thing as a common-law relationship of convenience. In fact it is probably more common as once you get PR you can effectively just walk away without the strings that a marriage brings.
As other posters have mentioned, the importance is proving that you have combined your affairs and are living in a marriage-like relationship just without the piece of paper and ceremony. You need to go above and beyond what a married couple may do to show that you are not just roommates. Many roommates share a lease, have joint utilities and split bills etc. However they are unlikely to have RSP's insurance policies, joint vehicle ownership and other things which prove that you have a genuine and continuing relationship.

If you can prove that you are above and beyond a roommate or "live-in boyfriend/girlfriend" situation and have combined your affairs then you will be fine.