Hi everyone,
My spouse (the sponsor, a Canadian citizen) and I (the applicant) are currently preparing our inland spousal sponsorship application, and I’d appreciate some input on how to best navigate a potential concern in our cover letter.
Brief Background:
I didn’t explicitly declare “dual intent” on my visit visa applications, as my decision to marry and settle in Canada evolved naturally after my visits. I don’t want this to be misinterpreted by IRCC as misuse of my visitor status.
Questions:
My spouse (the sponsor, a Canadian citizen) and I (the applicant) are currently preparing our inland spousal sponsorship application, and I’d appreciate some input on how to best navigate a potential concern in our cover letter.
Brief Background:
- I first came to Canada on a visitor visa in June 2024, planning to stay with my aunt and explore the country. I had no intent to immigrate at the time.
- During that trip, I met my now-spouse through my aunt, and we hit it off.
- We got married in Pakistan in February 2025.
- In December 2024, before the wedding, I applied for another visitor visa to ensure a smoother return post-wedding (opted going this route as opposed to doing Outland to avoid processing delays of application).
- I received approval and returned to Canada on that visa in May 2025.
- We’ve been living together since then and gathering cohabitation proof for our inland application.
I didn’t explicitly declare “dual intent” on my visit visa applications, as my decision to marry and settle in Canada evolved naturally after my visits. I don’t want this to be misinterpreted by IRCC as misuse of my visitor status.
Questions:
- How should we explain this in our cover letter so that IRCC understands the timeline and genuine progression of events?
- Would it help to emphasize that we’ve respected all terms of my visitor visa and are now applying through the proper inland sponsorship process?
- Should we write one joint cover letter or submit separate letters from the sponsor and the applicant?
