Common Law Spouse Sponsorship

[gabb_k12]

I am applying for a canadian common law sponsorship with my partner. My partner is a canadian citizen and we have been living together for 4 years. I am an Australian citizen and my partner has been living in Australia with me for the last two years. We will be applying outland. Is there any disadvantages of applying outland? He can show intention of moving back to canada as he has been accepted into college end of 2013 meaning we will be apart between him starting college and my visa being approved (if approved) will it affect the application process if we are no longer living together during the process?

We can provide evidence of our relationship with photos, testimonials from family and friends, joint lease agreement, chat and e-mail history, phone records, holidays and airline tickets together etc. However we do not have joint bank accounts or have both our names on any bills. We can show bank transfers for electricity, gas, internet etc to show that we do actually share the bills although it is only in my name. Will this be sufficient?

The other issue I am finding is providing exact dates for previous jobs and rental properties as I have lived in many places and worked at many jobs throughout my travels 3 - 5 years ago. (I met my partner on my travels) It is difficult to provide exact dates as i no longer have contacts for some of these places. Is it vital to have exact dates? If i am unable to obtain specific dates and need to put a rough estimate will this affect the outcome?

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[kb07]

Hi Gabb_k12

So my partner and I applied outland and I think is the best way. I feel like the processing is faster then inland, though it is very hard to be apart, it is quicker. Our situation was that my boyfriend and I were long distant for 8 months and then he lived in Canada for a year and then he was back in Belgium for 3 months (this was while my sponsorship for him was underway) now I am visiting him for 6 weeks and hopefully we should be approved in the next couple of months (so should be about 5 months). Like I said, the distance sucks but as long as you have proof and you have worked hard to make sure everything is organized, you should be fine!

For the Joint bank account, if I was you I would get one asap. In my way of thinking, I feel like the more you can prove that you are very serious about the relationship...the better! My boyfriend and I set up an account when he moved to canada at the beginning of the year. We only put a few hundred in it, barely touched it...and we just sent in a bank statement with both our names on the account to the government. Bank transfers I would definitely show as proof, the more the better! Alot of sections on the application ask for detailed answers...say if you never had a joint account etc. Just answer on another piece of paper, in great detail why, we had to do this for why we are not married...so I just wrote (at length) our reasons why etc etc.

They are apparently sticklers for dates...so make sure you line up all your dates accordingly for where you have worked, lived etc. I travelled in australia for a year in the last 10 years ( same with my boyfriend, and that is how we first became friends) so I wrote Jan 2007-Jan 2008 Working Holiday Visa No permanent address b/c I was backpacking. That seemed to work fine for this but maybe double check with other people. Also, I had several jobs in australia and I did my best to go back in time and just copied down via internet the places that I worked. It was so long ago that they probably have no idea who I am anymore, but as long as you are honest thorough you should be fine!! Remember this application is alot of repition and they want the nitty gritty of your whole relationship!! So give it to them the best you can!!

Inbox me if you want anymore advice. I have just been through all of this very recently and it took over our lives...but hopefully now we will get an answer anyday...and when he can finally come to Canada it will all be worth it! Good Luck!

 

[Rob_TO]

He can show intention of moving back to canada as he has been accepted into college end of 2013 meaning we will be apart between him starting college and my visa being approved (if approved) will it affect the application process if we are no longer living together during the process?

Don't worry. You have already established common-law status, so once that happens you are then allowed to live apart for temporary reasons, such as work, school, visa or family issues. Applying common-law while not living together during the application process is very common. Just make sure to show you are still communicating regularly and still a genuine couple during the time living apart.

However we do not have joint bank accounts or have both our names on any bills.

I assume one of you has a credit card? If so, get a 2nd supplementary card in the other person's name. Then you will see both names on 1 bill.

Also you can buy some very cheap term life insurance, and list each other as primary beneficiary.

The other issue I am finding is providing exact dates for previous jobs and rental properties as I have lived in many places and worked at many jobs throughout my travels 3 - 5 years ago.

Again don't worry. For dates you absolutely can't remember for certain, just approximate to within a few months. CIC won't be actually checking all the old education, living and work facts you give them. As long as you show a full timeline of your history with no gaps, having dates off by a couple months shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[Sweden]

Also - because you're from a visa-exempt country, you can choose to go and "visit" in Canada for 6 months ( or more) if you don't want to be away from each other. You would be coming into Canada as a tourist, which means no work permit, and no healthcare for the majority of provinces, but apart from that - you could be together.

Sydney is one of the fastest office. Stage 1 is one month currently, and if he can show that he has been accepted into college, then it shouldn't be difficult to get approved. Stage 2 for Sydney is listed as 7 months, but quite a few people get done before that - so if you apply now, you might have your PR already sometimes in September, and could move to Canada together.

Good luck,
Sweden

 

[gabb_k12]

Thank you so much guys! That is all very helpful!!

I will look into the joint bank account/supplementary card asap!

Good luck with your visas!

 

[BrazilianGirl]

Don't worry. You have already established common-law status, so once that happens you are then allowed to live apart for temporary reasons, such as work, school, visa or family issues. Applying common-law while not living together during the application process is very common. Just make sure to show you are still communicating regularly and still a genuine couple during the time living apart.

Thanks Rob!

I'm also in a common-law relationship.
We were apart for 8 months, but we have proof of talking EVERYDAY by Facebook and Skype.
We don't have joint bank accounts, but we bought a house on his name (I was without status in Canada) and the papers for him to sign came to my e-mail address. Does it help?
We both have Driver's License and fishing license showing the same address. On my Driver's License shows the date 2011/03/28. I left Canada on April 23th, 2012. So that's just a bit over a year only for the sake of proof, cause we actually live together since October 1st, 2010. But there's nothing to prove that I moved in with him on that date, only Christmas pictures with his kids in our house.
We put A LOT of pictures! 77 pages with average of 4 pictures per page, telling our story with dates and locations. Lots of locations! All the 4 seasons!
We applied in the end of November and he came to visit me and meet my family and friends in the end of December, and stayed 3 months. =]

Now, tell me that is enough, please!