Help with "Have you ever lived together?" section

[shandymoo]

I visit my boyfriend (soon to be husband) every 3 months and stay with him at his home with his family (parents and sister)
We have been together 6 years and we have spent 570 days together in person either at my house in England or at his house in Toronto. The most time I have spent at his house was 84 days. Is this classed as living together? Could all the times I have spent at his house be classed as living together or does it mean like buying/renting a place together and just us 2 living there? If I answer no to the question I have to explain why we have not lived together. Some help and advice would be much appreciated!!!

 

[sasmak]

Hi,

You can put in the situation where you were living together and mention your living arrangement, Mention that as you did not have PR and had commitments back home you could not live full on together. I would show copies of my passport like entry and exit stamps when you came to Canada for a visit or when he came to England.

Also it wouldnt hurt to show pictures of your time together and clearly indicate Time and Date and what trip number it was like Trip 2 to England or Trip 3 to Toronto etc. Also show proof of bank statements such as when you purchased your airline ticket or spent money in Canada and same applies to the boyfriend as well. Also get letters from Friends from both sides mentioning your arrangement and when they saw either of you etc..

 

[sasmak]

It does class as living together, you dont need to rent or buy to be classified as living together. It just makes it easier. But please check with CIC hotline first if you can check living together first as your app may get delayed or even the IO might think you are lying and send it for an interview. Be sure

 

[shandymoo]

Evidence is not a problem I have all of that. Just wasnt sure if this classed as living together.. maybe I should just answer no and then explain our situation

 

[giggles1985]

Its a judgement call, honestly. I had a similar situation and I put yes. Although it might not "legally" be defined as living together.
I'd say either yes or no would work as long as you thoroughly explain your answer.

 

[canadianwoman]

I visit my boyfriend (soon to be husband) every 3 months and stay with him at his home with his family (parents and sister)
We have been together 6 years and we have spent 570 days together in person either at my house in England or at his house in Toronto. The most time I have spent at his house was 84 days. Is this classed as living together? Could all the times I have spent at his house be classed as living together or does it mean like buying/renting a place together and just us 2 living there? If I answer no to the question I have to explain why we have not lived together. Some help and advice would be much appreciated!!!

It is definitely a judgment call, but since having lived together is very good proof the relationship is real, I would put 'yes, we have lived together'. And then explain. If you explain clearly, the visa officer will not think you were lying even if he/she does not classify that as 'living together'. Put the start and end dates of each period of cohabitation, and offer proof. You were living with his family, so you can get a letter from one of them attesting to the fact that you were there sleeping together in the same room.
I have seen situations like yours where people put 'no', and others like yours where people put 'yes'. Either is OK, just explain clearly so the visa officer sees how much time you have spent together. One appeal case I saw, the judge wanted to know why they had put 'no' when actually they had 'lived together' for two weeks at a hotel during their honeymoon.

 

[rrdiggy76]

I'd say either yes or no would work as long as you thoroughly explain your answer

Agree with both above regarding it being a judgement call.

I would say yes, but the really important bit is the additional notes explaining your answer.

London will look at it and probably say 'that should be a yes/no but we now have the information from the answer we require anyway' or something like that i hope!

 

[BeShoo]

I would definitely say, "yes" and explain. It is much stronger evidence that you are a couple. If you had visited each other's countries and not spent time with each other, it wouldn't look like you were a genuine couple at all so use your own situation to your advantage.