Spouse Sponsorship: How To Start

[epmarshall]

Hi all. I am a just starting to research all of this, so excuse any lack of knowledge, please. I'm wondering where to start and could use a few pointers and some advice on how to get started the right way.

I am a US citizen and my goal is to immigrate to Canada and live with my boyfriend, who is a citizen. We met online and I have visited Canada 2 times so far to meet him in person (3rd visit is coming up this month). I want to go with the Family class sponsorship option, but there are certain factors that confuse things and I'm not sure which category I fit into.

It can't be spouse, as we aren't married. We haven't lived together outside of visits, so common law is out. Conjugal partners is the only one left, but I've heard that conjugal option should be avoided if possible and I'm not sure what counts as something that would keep us from living together or marrying. I didn't think anyone could just live together with their spouse without being accepted into Canada, so I was wondering if that counts. I assume it doesn't, though?

Also, marriage violates both of our personal beliefs. So that prevents us from getting married, if that's relevant. Could this possibly count as a personal/religious reason we can't marry which would qualify us as conjugal partners?

A couple of other things I was considering. Is it better to get a visitor visa and live in Canada with him first? And if those are only 6 month stays, how is that going to work? We have living arrangements worked out already. His parents would be fine with us staying with them for the transition. I also plan to make my income with an online business I started, which is beginning to yield its first profits. I'm not sure how this factors into visitor/work visa stuff, but I thought I'd mention it in case it was important.

Anyway, sorry to put so much out there, but I'd appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction or help me figure out my options.

Thanks!

 

[mikeymyke]

If you're from the US, conjugal is automatically out of the question. Religious/personal reasons are not enough for conjugal. Nothing is preventing you guys from living together in the US, as it's not illegal for you guys to live together.

If marriage is against your beliefs, then the only option for you is common-law sponsorship, but you have to live together for at least a year. I think your best option is to visit Canada for 6 months, then apply for an extension while inside Canada for another 6 months, it shouldn't be a problem.

Working online business will not violate the terms of your visitor visa as long as it's not a Canadian business.

 

[keesio]

Also, marriage violates both of our personal beliefs. So that prevents us from getting married, if that's relevant. Could this possibly count as a personal/religious reason we can't marry which would qualify us as conjugal partners?

The only way it would count is if there is some LEGAL barrier to getting married or common-law. Like how divorce is not legal in the Philippines so someone who is once married there cannot divorce to marry another.

US citizens do not have these barriers. Personal choice is not a valid excuse. You can try conjugal but you will certainly be on the "slow track" at best while they scrutinize your relationship, transfer your application to LA with all the "problematic" applications, and deal with at least a 20+ months timeline while the standard "fast track" for US applicants is 3-6 months.

As mikemike said, common-law is a better option. You can come up for 6 months and apply for an extension so that you can live continuously for 1 year. Note that US common-law applications tend to not get fast tracked as much as the ones that are married but it is infinitely better than conjugal

 

[epmarshall]

Thanks everyone, this gives me a much better idea of what I need to do. Will I be limited to a certain number of visitor visas? Or can you just reapply again continuously?

 

[Rob_TO]

Thanks everyone, this gives me a much better idea of what I need to do. Will I be limited to a certain number of visitor visas? Or can you just reapply again continuously?

You can just keep reapplying. Assuming you get in with 6 months initially, many US citizens have then gotten additional 12 months extensions after that was almost expired.