Extending visit longer than 6 months without family member

[ajwhite]

I have a question regarding the application to extend one's stay. I do not have a visitors visa as I am a US citizen.

I am visiting my partner (not married, and not yet qualified to be a common-law as we haven't been living continuously for 12 months yet). In order to be eligible, do we have to be in a common-law relationship? Everything I'm reading refers to "family members", and we are not yet considered to be one.

We are trying to fulfill this requirement by spending the year together, but I have to apply to stay longer than 6 months in order to do so. Since we are not married and not yet common-law, will I be allowed to extend my stay?

 

[zardoz]

I don't think that you have to be "family members" to apply for the extension, as a number of people have successfully done exactly what you are attempting. I think a lot depends on exactly how you pitch the extension request. A search round the forum should throw up cases that you can crib off.

 

[ajwhite]

I don't think that you have to be "family members" to apply for the extension, as a number of people have successfully done exactly what you are attempting. I think a lot depends on exactly how you pitch the extension request. A search round the forum should throw up cases that you can crib off.

Thanks! I figured it was to the discretion of the application reviewer. I just wanted to verify there's no "blanket rule" that says it must be a family member, common-law partner, etc..