Do I need proof of a common-law relationship if I posess a marriage certificate?

[QuebecOkie]

If you have life insurance, adding her as a beneficiary?

As for huge age difference, 8 doesn't sound like much to me. I don't know a lot about cultural expectations for marriage in Taiwan (CIC takes into account the cultural backgrounds of those involved; i.e. in some cultures, a Muslim and Christian marriage wouldn't be a big deal, while in others it's a huge deviation from the norm and would require some explanation).

The length of your relationship and the time spent together in the same country help show the genuineness of your relationship, as does involvement with friends and family.

Photos showing the two of you together at different points in the relationship (and photos from the upcoming wedding/honeymoon) should be included, and travel itineraries from visiting each other or traveling together. Sounds like you'll be able to put together a pretty strong app.

 

[chatsubo20]

The plan was to apply just before we left on the honeymoon, but maybe it's better after all to wait until we get back, and include photos from the trip. It's only an extra 3 weeks in the end!

I'm assuming there won't be any issues with the application, as we've been a couple for a while, even if we weren't living in the same place at times. We have photos from our first days together and all throughout the years, including with my family and friends. And we also have TONS of emails that we've sent back and forth over the years. Not sure I'd really want to print all those out and expose a lot of private conversations though!

Good idea about the life insurance, I'll be sure to put her as the beneficiary! Thanks again to everyone for the feedback and advice. If there are more ideas out there, please comment!

 

[BeShoo]

To clarify more, there are three kinds of "conjugal relationships": a marriage, a common-law partnership, and a conjugal partnership. All of these are relationships where two people are joined together ("conjoined") as a couple.

As for the tons of emails, you have, chatsubo20, they really don't want to read 600 pages of messages or to read stuff that's too private. What would be useful is a few small samples, spread out over time. What they are looking for is evidence that your relationship developed over a period of time and is still ongoing. They want to make sure that you didn't just invent the relationship the week before you applied, and for that, they want hard evidence.

Pictures from the honeymoon are a good idea. They would like to see that you look happy together and also to show that you really were together on a trip. They don't need a lot of pictures (although I probably sent way too many), but they want evidence of where you went, which of your family and friends each other met, etc. Since her father can't attend the wedding, a signed letter from him saying he's happy about the wedding would be a nice addition.

Another idea: wills or powers of attorney naming the other spouse.

 

[Alurra71]

*snip* We've been in a relationship over four years, which started in Taiwan and went on about 1.5 years, continued in Canada for 6 months, then she went back to Taiwan and we remained in a long-distance relationship where we communicated every single day, I visited her once, and she visited me once, and the culmination of this long story is that we will be married at the end of the month She'll arrive at the end of the week, and we'll go on our honeymoon to Europe right after the wedding. Almost every member of my family will be there (about 60 people) plus 10 close friends. She first met my family about four years ago when she came back with me for Christmas, and has spent a lot of time with them over the years, including my closest friends.

Unfortunately her parents won't be at the wedding - her mom passed away when she was 13, and her father is in poor health and cannot handle a 15-hour flight to Canada. Two of her best friends will attend though. We plan to have a wedding banquet back in Taiwan with her father and family once Chinese new year rolls around. I'm hoping the lack of her family attending won't be a big deal. Her father is certainly aware of the marriage, and is happy about it.
*snip*

This entire statement. ^^^^^ "Pretty" it up a little bit and you have a VERY good relationship development explanation and a good reason WHY her parents didn't come to the wedding. It will all help CIC to see why things are the way they are and how they developed.