Outland Spousal sponsorship situation

[SerenityBrown]

I had my PGWP refused for not maintaining full time status. My girlfriend and I are thinking of getting married. She has PR. We are having a small intimate wedding here in Canada. We are from the same country and close in age.
We have a geniune relationship and we’ve been together for a while. We have pictures and chats to prove this. We are also going to be living together after the marriage. We currently aren’t to prevent pregnancy.
I’m worried of the chances that our sponsorship would be refused based on the fact that we aren’t getting married in our home country and we have just a few friends attending. Money is tight right now and we can’t afford a large wedding.
Our family is also aware of the situation so they aren’t pushing us to cultural marry now. We plan going back home next year when we are settled for the cultural ceremony.
Would this be seen a red flag or marriage of convenience?

 

[scylla]

I had my PGWP refused for not maintaining full time status. My girlfriend and I are thinking of getting married. She has PR. We are having a small intimate wedding here in Canada. We are from the same country and close in age.
We have a geniune relationship and we’ve been together for a while. We have pictures and chats to prove this. We are also going to be living together after the marriage. We currently aren’t to prevent pregnancy.
I’m worried of the chances that our sponsorship would be refused based on the fact that we aren’t getting married in our home country and we have just a few friends attending. Money is tight right now and we can’t afford a large wedding.
Our family is also aware of the situation so they aren’t pushing us to cultural marry now. We plan going back home next year when we are settled for the cultural ceremony.
Would this be seen a red flag or marriage of convenience?

It's recommend that you have a cultural wedding before applying if at all possible. This doesn't automatically mean you will be refused but then you would want to make sure other part of your application are strong. The fact you have a refused PGWP / are presumably out of status weakens your application. You want to avoid having IRCC think this is a MOC. I think the small wedding is fine but make sure you have some family members in attendance. I would also make sure you move in together first (after getting married) before you submit the application.

 

[SerenityBrown]

We intend to live together after marriage. We would have our family members in Canada attending. The cultural wedding is not possible as we both can’t travel now and my father is battling cancer which is draining financially. It is not end stage yet but we would need to save up money for traditional rites. I’m hopping a well written letter from my parents would address that.

 

[armoured]

We intend to live together after marriage. We would have our family members in Canada attending. The cultural wedding is not possible as we both can’t travel now and my father is battling cancer which is draining financially. It is not end stage yet but we would need to save up money for traditional rites. I’m hopping a well written letter from my parents would address that.

In communications with IRCC, I would not emphasize your plans to do a traditional wedding in future. That's your business. You don't want to give the impression that the wedding you're doing now is in any way not 'real.'

It's important you show this is your wedding. The main one. Yes, you're doing a smaller one, but friends and family that can are attending. Communications from family that they can't travel - well, doesn't hurt.

Bluntly: it will strengthen your case to start living together ASAP. It seems inconsistent to have a civil wedding and delay living together (usually the province of those who would favour religious weddings). Pardon me being indelicate - but birth control.

As noted, you will get some additional scrutiny because of your status. Comments above only in the context of presenting a straightforward case.

 

[canuck78]

Agree with all the points made already. In cases where there is a small civil ceremonies to initiate sponsorship many don’t want to go public with their marriage. I would be prepared to post your wedding and the fact that you are married on social media. Many want it both ways: small civil wedding that most don’t know about and the “real” wedding at a later date. Also agree would live together given your lack of status with no obvious pathway to remain in Canada and get PR. Sadly lots of people with fake marriages for immigration purposes these days especially international students. Of course birth control but also the option of sleeping separately until you get married if this is some sort of moral/religious issue. The couch or an air mattress is always an option.

 

[SerenityBrown]

In communications with IRCC, I would not emphasize your plans to do a traditional wedding in future. That's your business. You don't want to give the impression that the wedding you're doing now is in any way not 'real.'

It's important you show this is your wedding. The main one. Yes, you're doing a smaller one, but friends and family that can are attending. Communications from family that they can't travel - well, doesn't hurt.

Bluntly: it will strengthen your case to start living together ASAP. It seems inconsistent to have a civil wedding and delay living together (usually the province of those who would favour religious weddings). Pardon me being indelicate - but birth control.

As noted, you will get some additional scrutiny because of your status. Comments above only in the context of presenting a straightforward case.

Thanks. Your comment is well appreciated.