Conjugal Partner: "Explain why..."

[innosense]

No, CIC will not wonder why they didn't get married. The common-law sponsorship class exists because CIC recognizes that some people in serious and committed relationships don't want to get married simply for immigration.

Ok. I thought it is for those people who have lived as common law in the past. But due to present circumstances like living in different countries, etc they are unable to get married.

 

[Ponga]

Nope. That's totally incorrect.

CIC has no business knowing why a couple in a genuine Common-Law relationship choose not to get married.

It is never a requirement!

 

[Amalthea]

You can send your application without your FBI record!

AS LONG AS you include a note explaining why, the long wait times, etc. That you've applied for it.. They will understand, as they are fully aware the FBI has been backed up. Explain that you will forward it along as soon as you get it.

I did this at the urge of other applicants who had done it with their medical, or FBI check, and gotten PR w/o issue - and I'm really glad. I sent in my background check after I received SA, and it was attached to my file at Ottawa without incident. It does make sense, considering they process they sponsor first, and then our "sponsored" applications collect dust for months, if not a year or more, before they get to them

Best of luck to you, hang in there!

 

[Amalthea]

I saw your comment where you said your partner and you are not planning on getting married or engaged, and I wanted to ask you a question!

Please don't feel obligated to answer and forgive me for the personal question! You have enough on your plate!

My partner and I never cared about marriage, we just see it as a piece of paper, it never was important to us and we never wanted to get married. However, we decided to do it since it would make our application easier. We eloped and took some pics and sent them to family, and had a reception later. Anyway, a month ago another applicant from the US who had been common-law for 5 years! in Canada w/ her partner got a letter from the officer asking for MORE evidence of their relationship.. We were shocked! They included bank statements and everything but the officer felt like they were just "boyfriend and girlfriend living together" (what?!??? does that even mean? lol)

So they decided to just go down and get married and sent in their marriage certificate for the officer to avoid denial. It's not their fault and I think it's asinine that CIC would make them do that or put them in that position, but if you were in the same situation, and it was going to effect the outcome of your PR application, would you then get married? or would you still choose not to?

 

[SchnookoLoly]

It's not "just living together", it's "living together in a marriage-like relationship". They want to see that you're basically living together like husband and wife but without the marriage certificate. So they want to see things like large joint purchases, having each other on life insurance or medical insurance policies, joint car or home insurance, and so on, and so forth. A girl and a guy can live together for a year and can have a joint lease and joint accounts, but none of the other stuff which just makes them roommates and not a couple. (I had this with a friend I lived with before Husband and I moved in together.)

My husband and I applied as common-law before we got married. We included our joint lease, our joint bank and utility accounts, a screenshot of him listed as my next of kin at work and vice versa, a statement from his medical and dental insurance listing me as his dependent, our joint house insurance policy, as well as the other stuff they look for like pictures, evidence of trips, evidence of communication, and so on. In addition, we also included details of the wedding we were planning like booking the registrar and the hotel and so on.

So it's important to differentiate between just living together, and living together like a married couple.

 

[Sheps]

joint bank accounts and/or credit cards (Tried, banks here won't let us.)

Find a better bank. CIBC let me add my wife to our account with very, very, very little hassle (Name, Passport and another ID is all I think was required)

joint utility bills (electricity, heat, water, telephone, etc) (Can't work cant provide assistance.)

Even though I am paying for the bills, the bills are still addressed to my wife. You could do that, CIC won't ask where the payments come from, just that the bills are going to you instead of your girlfriend/boyfriend.

sharing of household expenses (Can't work can't provide assistance.)

You can actually work remote for a US company (I think you are a US Citizen correct?)

joint purchases of household items (Can't work can't provide assistance.)

Get an authorized user credit card on your partner's account (Even easier then a bank)

correspondence addressed to either partner or both partners at a single address (I have some addressed envelopes from my parents and friends.)

These will definitely work

an affidavit from familiy members attesting to the fact that your relationship is genuine (We can get her parents and possibly her sister and brother in law, etc. to do so)

Make sure it is signed and notarized or witnessed by a commissioner of oaths

insurance policies listing the other as a dependent and/or beneficiary (Unsure)

If your partner works, you could get it changed relatively easy before you submit your application

joint ownership of pets (I'll ask about how this is done.)
joint car ownership (Not possible. Having issues with vehicle stuff already.)
car insurance listing both people as insured (Will ask about this.)

Depending on the province, you might not be able to "list both as being insured" as, for example, Manitoba doesn't have a Person-to-car relationship. You are insured by your drivers licenses, not by the car.

I hope we can gather a lot of the above in a month's time. My extension expires May 15, 2015.

Your application won't go to "In Process" in time for May 15th most likely. So there is a possibility that they will refuse your extension.

 

[Baffled]

I know it has been a while since I've been on here but here is the update on what we did, and hopefully it will come through:

We mailed our applications on July 31, 2015 and they received it on August 4, 2015.

We provided as much information as we could and explained in specific details about everything we could, even on documents we could not provide. We did not notarize the letters from her sister and my closest friend as we didn't know that was something required, nothing ever stated on CIC's website. We are sure we will hear about that from them. We are willing to provide them anything they ask for, but for now it is a waiting game. In regards to marriage, well, we don't want to be forced into marriage just so I can receive my PR, just doesn't feel right. It is a sacred thing marriage.

We've included messages, some of them not all 2000+ conversations.
We've included emails, some of them not all 1500+ emails.
We've sent out a letter explaining everything we could about our relationship and thorough information to every question on the application requested.
We were fortunate that our Property Management provided a letterhead stating we lived together for more than a year to present at our current address.

We provided all that we could. All we can say is hope for the best and provide the rest.

Thank you all for your support and time in helping us with the process.

Baffled

 

[Rob_TO]

We did not notarize the letters from her sister and my closest friend as we didn't know that was something required, nothing ever stated on CIC's website.

It is stated in the USA outland guide: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/3910e.pdf
10 PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP TO SPONSOR
If you are a common-law or conjugal partner, provide evidence that your relationship is genuine and
continuing and has existed for at least 12 months prior to your application. Also provide details of the
history of your relationship and at least two statutory declarations from individuals with personal
knowledge of your relationship supporting your claim that the relationship is genuine and continuing.

 

[kettle]

Edited:


We did not submit any notarized letters with our application, and only submitted a statutory declaration and had no issues, our application was processed and approved in five months. I don't think that is the norm, but I don't think the OP should worry just yet. Or, if they are worried, they can get the letters notarized, and send them in can they not?

My spouse is from the UK, we also applied common-law.


ETA:

You should be viewing your common-law relationship with the same eyes as marriage. It is not designed to be a back door into the country for someone who isn't ready to commit to their spouse via marriage. I am not saying this is the case in your situation, but unfortunately your answer and views on marriage make it sound as though it *may* be. I sincerely hope not.

Best of luck with your application.

 

[Baffled]

Thanks for the input. And it sincerely is not.