Proof you are recognized as each other's spouse

[robaraz]

Hi again , I already asked few question in this forum , but I have another and i'll try to brief my situation.
I'm Roberto from Italy came in canada around 2 months ago and I got married with my Canadian Wife .
Now im waiting for the marriage to get registered in order to apply for sponsorship .
I was going through the sponsorship checklist to find all the documents and such I need to provide before I'll apply.

On the Checklist there is one line saying "Important documents for you and your spouse showing that you are recognized as each other's spouse ( such employment or insurance benefit) "
I don't know about the thing between the brackets , but Im pretty sure the marriage certificate is a pretty valid document to show we are each other's spouse no?

I'm confused beacuse 2 pages above that there is a check asking to attach the marriage certificate .

My question is can I check " Important documents for you and your spouse showing that you are each other's spouse" attaching the marriage certificate which is valid also for the marriage proof 2 pages above this?
Thank you in advance

 

[vensak]

In your case a marriage certificate is enough.
Those other documents are for common law (where you need to prove that you were living together).
Of course you need to prove that your relationship is a genuine one (which are things like common photos or such).

 

[robaraz]

Sadly we didn't take any photos for the wedding , it was a really quick ceremony at the city hall with random witness , we didn't feel like to get a selfie , but we have multiple pictures of us togheter in different occasion plus we are going to get a joint bank account and we are living under the same roof so I hope that is enough.
One more question that i already asked in many threads , I keep reading multiple times to submit originals but also read so many times " do not mail original documents beacuse they don't get returned "
So im asking should i only attach a scan of the marriage certificate and other documents like police certificate?
Or should i mail the actual piece of paper I got in the mail from the Government and Tribunal in italy ( in my case for police certificates)

 

[vensak]

Sadly we didn't take any photos for the wedding , it was a really quick ceremony at the city hall with random witness , we didn't feel like to get a selfie , but we have multiple pictures of us togheter in different occasion plus we are going to get a joint bank account and we are living under the same roof so I hope that is enough.
One more question that i already asked in many threads , I keep reading multiple times to submit originals but also read so many times " do not mail original documents beacuse they don't get returned "
So im asking should i only attach a scan of the marriage certificate and other documents like police certificate?
Or should i mail the actual piece of paper I got in the mail from the Government and Tribunal in italy ( in my case for police certificates)

That will go against you. it will show, that you did not have that much of an interest to save that special moment with the significant other (photos from the marriage are the most common asked for). And yes photos and other proofs of a genuine relationship will be needed (that are other photos, vacations together, living together and even that joint account).
But of course those are not proof that the other person is your spouse but that your relationship is genuine.
Also if you have to send anything per mail (not email or upload the PDF versions), you need to send:
1. Either whatever document you can part with (for example a police certificate that will be just for that occasion and after a while will become invalid; or some kind of confirmation of a residency address which is again temporary).
2. Send certified copies of whatever you cannot part with (for example your marriage certificate). Here I think you can maybe send just copies, but certified copies are better as there is somebody approving that that copy is exactly as the original (well it is not really hard to make a fake copy these days).
3. Of course from documents like photos or maybe reservations of hotels or such, just send a simple copy (it has no sense to go for a certified copy there).

 

[canuck_in_uk]

In your case a marriage certificate is enough.
Those other documents are for common law (where you need to prove that you were living together).
Of course you need to prove that your relationship is a genuine one (which are things like common photos or such).

No, it isn't enough and those other documents are not for common-law. There is a completely different common-law checklist.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi again , I already asked few question in this forum , but I have another and i'll try to brief my situation.
I'm Roberto from Italy came in canada around 2 months ago and I got married with my Canadian Wife .
Now im waiting for the marriage to get registered in order to apply for sponsorship .
I was going through the sponsorship checklist to find all the documents and such I need to provide before I'll apply.

On the Checklist there is one line saying "Important documents for you and your spouse showing that you are recognized as each other's spouse ( such employment or insurance benefit) "
I don't know about the thing between the brackets , but Im pretty sure the marriage certificate is a pretty valid document to show we are each other's spouse no?

I'm confused beacuse 2 pages above that there is a check asking to attach the marriage certificate .

My question is can I check " Important documents for you and your spouse showing that you are each other's spouse" attaching the marriage certificate which is valid also for the marriage proof 2 pages above this?
Thank you in advance

No, you can't show your marriage certificate for this requirement. You need other documents.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Sadly we didn't take any photos for the wedding , it was a really quick ceremony at the city hall with random witness , we didn't feel like to get a selfie , but we have multiple pictures of us togheter in different occasion plus we are going to get a joint bank account and we are living under the same roof so I hope that is enough.
One more question that i already asked in many threads , I keep reading multiple times to submit originals but also read so many times " do not mail original documents beacuse they don't get returned "
So im asking should i only attach a scan of the marriage certificate and other documents like police certificate?
Or should i mail the actual piece of paper I got in the mail from the Government and Tribunal in italy ( in my case for police certificates)

You need to read the checklist more thoroughly. It clearly states to send a photocopy of the marriage certificate unless country-specific instructions say otherwise. PCCs must be original and are never returned.

 

[vensak]

You need to read the checklist more thoroughly. It clearly states to send a photocopy of the marriage certificate unless country-specific instructions say otherwise. PCCs must be original and are never returned.

Ok so he needs to prove following:
1. legal relationship to the other person (that they are either married or a common law)
2. the honesty of the relationship (that it is not a marriage or a common law partnership of convenience)

So since not everybody has things like:
1. joint bank accounts, family health insurance, common home address. So all those documents are optional but not having them will not disprove that he is married.
With that said marriage certificate that is recognized by Canada is a proof of legal relationship.

In his case he does have a Canadian marriage certificate (so no headache about certain specific marriages that might not be recognized here).
So with marriage certificate alone he will fulfill the first requirement.

Of course for the second requirement (to prove that he did not marry just to get in Canada) he needs to prove more. And that is where all kind of documents come in (like join bank accounts, same living address, photos, common vacations or others).

As for the photocopies.
A certified photocopy is deemed to be equal to an original (that is for any document that he needs or wants to keep). That certification itself is proving that such copy is fully equal to an original.
This would be for example useful if his marriage certificate would have been from other non English / French speaking country and he need it to be translated. In this case official certified translators use certified copies of the documents (unless he wants it to be permanently attached to English translation).

An added benefit of having certified copies of original documents is that they can be used in lieu of originals. This way, if you are submitting an application that requires important documents to be included, you can keep the originals and submit certified copies. Doing this means you are never without your originals and you don’t have to worry about them being lost in the mail or otherwise misplaced.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Ok so he needs to prove following:
1. legal relationship to the other person (that they are either married or a common law)
2. the honesty of the relationship (that it is not a marriage or a common law partnership of convenience)

So since not everybody has things like:
1. joint bank accounts, family health insurance, common home address. So all those documents are optional but not having them will not disprove that he is married.
With that said marriage certificate that is recognized by Canada is a proof of legal relationship.

In his case he does have a Canadian marriage certificate (so no headache about certain specific marriages that might not be recognized here).
So with marriage certificate alone he will fulfill the first requirement.

Of course for the second requirement (to prove that he did not marry just to get in Canada) he needs to prove more. And that is where all kind of documents come in (like join bank accounts, same living address, photos, common vacations or others).

As for the photocopies.
A certified photocopy is deemed to be equal to an original (that is for any document that he needs or wants to keep). That certification itself is proving that such copy is fully equal to an original.
This would be for example useful if his marriage certificate would have been from other non English / French speaking country and he need it to be translated. In this case official certified translators use certified copies of the documents (unless he wants it to be permanently attached to English translation).

An added benefit of having certified copies of original documents is that they can be used in lieu of originals. This way, if you are submitting an application that requires important documents to be included, you can keep the originals and submit certified copies. Doing this means you are never without your originals and you don’t have to worry about them being lost in the mail or otherwise misplaced.

Have you actually read the checklist? If a couple does not meet the 4 requirements listed in the relationship proof section, there are addiional proofs required. One option is the one quoted by the OP, "Important documents for you and your spouse showing that you are each other's spouse". A marriage certificate does NOT qualify as that proof.

 

[robaraz]

Ok so he needs to prove following:
1. legal relationship to the other person (that they are either married or a common law)
2. the honesty of the relationship (that it is not a marriage or a common law partnership of convenience)

So since not everybody has things like:
1. joint bank accounts, family health insurance, common home address. So all those documents are optional but not having them will not disprove that he is married.
With that said marriage certificate that is recognized by Canada is a proof of legal relationship.

In his case he does have a Canadian marriage certificate (so no headache about certain specific marriages that might not be recognized here).
So with marriage certificate alone he will fulfill the first requirement.

Of course for the second requirement (to prove that he did not marry just to get in Canada) he needs to prove more. And that is where all kind of documents come in (like join bank accounts, same living address, photos, common vacations or others).

As for the photocopies.
A certified photocopy is deemed to be equal to an original (that is for any document that he needs or wants to keep). That certification itself is proving that such copy is fully equal to an original.
This would be for example useful if his marriage certificate would have been from other non English / French speaking country and he need it to be translated. In this case official certified translators use certified copies of the documents (unless he wants it to be permanently attached to English translation).

An added benefit of having certified copies of original documents is that they can be used in lieu of originals. This way, if you are submitting an application that requires important documents to be included, you can keep the originals and submit certified copies. Doing this means you are never without your originals and you don’t have to worry about them being lost in the mail or otherwise misplaced.

Thank you for the reply , I'm just concerned now beacuse I don't know how long it will take to get my police certificate in the mail , my father is mailing them and is also scanning them and sending it to me by email .
I guess printing a scan of a certified copy / original is not valid to attach in the application , correct?

Have you actually read the checklist? If a couple does not meet the 4 requirements listed in the relationship proof section, there are addiional proofs required. One option is the one quoted by the OP, "Important documents for you and your spouse showing that you are each other's spouse". A marriage certificate does NOT qualify as that proof.

I did read the checklist thats why im confused i read no where that a marriage certificate is not a valid proof

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thank you for the reply , I'm just concerned now beacuse I don't know how long it will take to get my police certificate in the mail , my father is mailing them and is also scanning them and sending it to me by email .
I guess printing a scan of a certified copy / original is not valid to attach in the application , correct?

I did read the checklist thats why im confused i read no where that a marriage certificate is not a valid proof

You need the original.

The marriage certificate is a basic required document. You cannot apply without it. It cannot be used as an additional proof. You need to submit other stuff.

 

[robaraz]

https://ibb.co/cA7Pvz this is the line where i have to check 2 of the following , The only one i can check is the public status on Facebook saying we are married and friends comments on it , but i don't really have much else , i just came here 2 months ago , she was suppose to come back to italy with me but instead we decided to get married so i could ve stayed and live here with her since she doesn't speak italian .
Meanwhile i got the paper saying we are both in the same property and a joint bank account , i even bought a sim card at my name is not a bill but still shows up my infos and the address which is the same of my spouse

 

[Addus]

In our case we attached:
* Proof I added my spouse to my health insurance at work
* Proof we added each other as beneficiaries for work life insurance policies
* Joint bank account and additional user on credit card
* ID (Driving license) showing my spouse had adopted my surname

Still no decision on my application but I am pretty sure they are the kind of proofs they are looking for.

Basically anything that shows that you are recognized as married by companies (banks, utilities, employer), government (name change if applicable) etc.

I don't see any reason you wouldn't at least have some of those things, they seem pretty normal.

 

[robaraz]

In our case we attached:
* Proof I added my spouse to my health insurance at work
* Proof we added each other as beneficiaries for work life insurance policies
* Joint bank account and additional user on credit card
* ID (Driving license) showing my spouse had adopted my surname

Still no decision on my application but I am pretty sure they are the kind of proofs they are looking for.

Basically anything that shows that you are recognized as married by companies (banks, utilities, employer), government (name change if applicable) etc.

I don't see any reason you wouldn't at least have some of those things, they seem pretty normal.

In my case all I can attach is , marriage certificate , joint bank account , paper that shows we live in the same roof and facebook status .
I don't have any insurance or any work because I cant have a job until my application is approved.

 

[robaraz]

I thought about something else might be good to show as important document .
I mailed her a box of personal effects before coming here and I have the UPS paper saying my italian address and the actual canadian address where the box has been sent , plus I have multiple amazon recipts got from my account where there are all the gifts I bought for her.
Is that a good proof? I even have the recipt of both of the wedding rings