PROOF OF COHABITATION QUESTION - WE ARE MARRIED

[TorontoFox]

Hey guys,

Just received a letter from CIC regarding our Spousal Sponsorship.
We are married and they are asking for proof of cohabitation - I thought that was necessary for conjugal/common law ?

We are not on the mortgage together because I bought the place myself before he moved in.
We both have separate cell phone bills but same address
Hydro bill is in my name since I had to pay while he wasn't able to work.
He has a bank account and I have a bank account - Same address different banks.

What the hell kind of sorcery is this?

It's not 1970 it's 2016

 

[CDNPR2014]

this is odd for married couples, since it's not required. i would recommend responding back to CIC and making sure it wasn't sent by mistake. In the letter, explain your application is for married couples, not commonlaw and you are not sure why they are asking for cohabitation proof.

i would also send what you have with the letter, just to cover the bases - even though it's not required. do both of you have driver's licenses with the same address? that could help too.

which visa office is your application at?

 

[Ponga]

If you submitted an Inland application, it is a requirement...even for married couples, because the couple must be living under the same roof.

If you submitted an Outland application...it's just another screw up by CIC. Send a Case Specific Enquiry `reminding' them that you are married.

 

[CDNPR2014]

If you submitted an Inland application, it is a requirement...even for married couples, because the couple must be living under the same roof.

oh, that makes sense - if it is indeed an inland application.

 

[annakrystyna13]

Even though you are married you still need to proof that the relationship is genuine and you are in fact living together. Not having a joint back account is a red flag, but submit what you have anyway. Not having "joint" bills is not an issue, as long as you have some and he has some at the same address. So submit any documents you can find with your address and the same for your spouse. Any other mail that comes to your house is good evidence, whether it has both your names or just one.

 

[TorontoFox]

So we HAD one joint account which is now closed because my husband is now working ... i will send that in with a blurb as to why it's not open anymore.
I can send a void cheque with both our names on it ... ?

We both have credit card statements coming to our home ...
Our paystubs both have our addresses on it ...

maybe i'll send them a picture of our bed with all the photos of us on top of it - - jesus H christ.

Thoughts?

We only had a joint account for when he wasn't working so that we could easily transfer money to each other -

We closed it when he started working because he has money and we just use E-transfers ???
These reg flags are ARCHAIC

 

[CDNPR2014]

Even though you are married you still need to proof that the relationship is genuine and you are in fact living together. Not having a joint back account is a red flag, but submit what you have anyway. Not having "joint" bills is not an issue, as long as you have some and he has some at the same address. So submit any documents you can find with your address and the same for your spouse. Any other mail that comes to your house is good evidence, whether it has both your names or just one.

this is certainly not true for outland applicants, and it is unclear if the OP submitted inland or outland. relationship proof is NOT the same as cohabitation proof. with OUTLAND applications, it is assumed the couple is NOT living together and would not have these things. there are many married couples approved outland without needing to prove cohabitation - myself included. this is the reason for gaining PR status - to be able to live together in the same country!

Thoughts?

is your application INLAND OR OUTLAND? this information will help us give you proper advise...

 

[canuck_in_uk]

We both have credit card statements coming to our home ...
Our paystubs both have our addresses on it ...


We closed it when he started working because he has money and we just use E-transfers ???
These reg flags are ARCHAIC

This has nothing to do with red flags. You can ignore what annakrystyna13 said, as a lack of a joint account is NOT a red flag; many couples choose to keep their money separate. From your previous posts, you applied inland. A requirement of inland is that you be COHABITING IN CANADA. If you didn't submit any proof of cohabitation in the app, then there is nothing surprising about CIC's request.

There is plenty of things you can send: your individual bank statements, cell phone bills, credit card statements, payslips, any other mail in individual or both names, IDs showing your address, letters from family/friends/neighbors confirming you live together.

 

[TorontoFox]

It is an inland application

under the work permit pilot

 

[TorontoFox]

This has nothing to do with red flags. You can ignore what annakrystyna13 said, as a lack of a joint account is NOT a red flag; many couples choose to keep their money separate. From your previous posts, you applied inland. A requirement of inland is that you be COHABITING IN CANADA. If you didn't submit any proof of cohabitation in the app, then there is nothing surprising about CIC's request.

There is plenty of things you can send: your individual bank statements, cell phone bills, credit card statements, payslips, any other mail in individual or both names, IDs showing your address, letters from family/friends/neighbors confirming you live together.

Why are you so amazing? Thanks
I was wondering about this joint account thing i'm 30 and he's 29 - it's 2016 and E transfers are the bees knees especially when you work for the bank because they're free!!!

good thing is - THEY HAVE OUR APP. amazing.

 

[CDNPR2014]

It is an inland application

under the work permit pilot

ahhhh... that is why they are asking for cohabitation proof. as ponga suggested, cohabitation is a requirement of the inland application. send everything you have. even if the bills are separate, they are for the same address. collect mail you both receive at your address, send copies of your driver's licenses (get them updated if the addresses aren't the same). is there anyone who can verify you live together? not sure how accepted letters from family and or neighbors will be, but it may be worth a shot. good luck!

 

[Ponga]

Why are you so amazing? Thanks
I was wondering about this joint account thing i'm 30 and he's 29 - it's 2016 and E transfers are the bees knees especially when you work for the bank because they're free!!!

good thing is - THEY HAVE OUR APP. amazing.

*Ahem*

I guess I'm chopped liver?

 

[TorontoFox]

*Ahem*

I guess I'm chopped liver?

HAHAHA omg sorry Ponga, I missed ya!
Thank you to everyone lol

We both have credit card statements coming here
I work for the bank so I'll just add him
I have a cheque with both our names on it - however my address is 2871 and just noticed there's a typo - says 28 instead of 2871 LOL but everything else on the cheque matches
Pay stubs
My T4 tax thing
Two wedding congratulation cards with our names together on it
Drivers licenses,
My work Health benefits letter

That should be enough - part of me wants to send a photo of us with our super intendent.

I'm also going to write in the letter that it's 2016 and women can take care of themselves.
He JUST started working - so we haven't started splitting things yet, I pay for 90% until he gets his feet on the ground.
He gets his first paycheque ( EVER ) this Friday.

 

[CDNPR2014]

I'm also going to write in the letter that it's 2016 and women can take care of themselves.

um.... i would suggest NOT doing that (and part of me assumes that was sarcastic?). keep the emotions/attitude out of it and just stick to the facts. the last thing you want is your visa officer to not like the way you say something and trigger a longer process or other difficulties... you seem to have a good amount of proof. this isn't about it being 2016. this is about proving you live together in canada because that is THE essential piece of the inland application. if you didn't want to have to prove cohabitation, then it would have been better to submit outland.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I'm also going to write in the letter that it's 2016 and women can take care of themselves.

Leave out the letter. CIC didn't in any way imply that women can't take care of themselves. Just include the cohabitation proofs.