+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

LN13

Star Member
Dec 15, 2013
92
0
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
11-6-2015
AOR Received.
16/7/2015
File Transfer...
8/13/2015
Med's Done....
Upfront
Morning, welcome to my stream of consciousness and I do the final work on our forms for me to sponsor my husband to become a permanent resident.

I've got a high level of stress about this and thought if I got it out there someone might take the time to make me feel better or clarify if I"m screwing something up!

On IMM 5406, we've included us, our kids, his parents and his brother. I'm assuming I don't have to include my sister in-law since it says step and half but says nothing about married in relatives?

We've been married for 8 years so I've got a lot of documents - bank statements, the leases from two places we've lived together, birth certificates for our kids, insurance docs, wills, some cards, emails, facebook messages, copies of taxes filed jointly ...not a ton of pictures. I saw elsewhere where people had sent in something like 70 pages of pictures. I have approximately 60 pictures total from our 10 years together. My husband prefers to be behind the camera and honestly, I never think to take pictures. Most of what I have are formal pictures we had taken together or things like at the hospital after the baby was born. I've literally been through every photo album and every digital file we have and that's all I can find. They do show a nice collection across the years but in order to get more pictures of us together I"d have to put a call out on social media to friends and family and we haven't made it widely known that we are planning on moving because of job considerations with my husband.

There are a ton of posts on facebook that he's taken a picture with me in it and tagged me, so it shows up on his facebook. Should I print some of those? We aren't in the picture together but it makes an obvious connection.

Also, the messages between us from facebook are REALLY utilitarian. A lot of it is like "hey, here's the link to that car I was talking about" or "found these shoes that I thought would be a great gift for our son" and "got an email that the job was filled already." I do have a journal from when we were first dating and married that we did some writing back and forth in. I haven't looked into it in years but photocopying that feels really personal, think it's better that I do or that it doesn't matter that much?

Neither of us can remember the date we got engaged. Nope. No idea. I know approximate month! Is it fine just to stick a date in and write a note that we guessed because we don't remember? We've both forgotten our wedding anniversary on various years so this is not unusual for us. :P

We filed for an FBI check at the end of April but haven't heard back yet as those long processing times are lovely. I assume I can include a letter that says "we'll send it on it's way once we have it?"

Er...I think that's all. Feel free to ignore my ramblings. I'm sure you are all well aware of how stressful this can feel!
 
5406: In-laws are not included, unless your in-laws are also blood relatives, in which case, that makes the additional family form really complicated.

I sent 25 pictures. You've been married for 8 years, so 60 pictures over that time period is fine. It's ideal to have them over a period of time, rather than 50 from your wedding day and 3 other photos.

I didn't include any Facebook messages.

If you can't remember the exact date, then write the month and include a letter explaining why. I imagine the section asking for the first meeting is a challenge for couples who have been together for a long time.
 
I've been together 8 years with my husband and some of the questions I could barely remember so don't feel bad and when we first met was hard too figure out dates and such it wasn't like it was yesterdago that's for sure and we got letters from friends and family too prove we have been together that long because a lot of our stuff from when we first got together has been misplaced and we moved across the country so it wasn't easy I sent as much as I had that is for sure but this application was a hard one too do
 
Relax.

With an 8 year marriage, kids and your spouse being American, your burden of proof is VERY low. I mean, really, really low. You guys are as far from Marriage of Convenience risk as a couple can get. You could probably ditch pretty much every proof you are planning to include and still not have any issues being approved.

60 pictures is more than enough. Many people submit only 10-20 pics without issue.

Unless you've spent extended periods of time living apart due to job or whatever, don't bother including any communications proofs, i.e. emails, chats, Facebook messages etc. Unnecessary for a couple that lives together.

Don't include your journal. That is not something they need to see.

As said above, just include a letter explaining that you aren't sure on some dates because it was so long ago. This is very common and CIC will not have an issue with it.
 
Thank you all for replying!

Makes me feel a ton better and gives me a bit of clarity.

one more question? My oldest son has his certificate of citizenship already and my youngest son we've filed for and have a filing receipt but not the certificate yet. Since the three of us are Canadian citizens, though some with paperwork still in process, I assume we don't have to fill out a IMM 0008Dep form?
 
Also, since it's spousal I don't have to meet the minimum financial requirements I just put N/A all blocks under 19 on the supporting document list?
 
LN13 said:
I assume we don't have to fill out a IMM 0008Dep form?

No.

LN13 said:
Also, since it's spousal I don't have to meet the minimum financial requirements I just put N/A all blocks under 19 on the supporting document list?

Yes.