To Marry or Not to Marry..is the question!!!

[SeverusSnape]

Can 2 individuals in possession of CoPR as Single have a ceremonial marriage without legally registering the marriage and travel with the same individual CoPR?
Since both individuals are currently Single, plus are not common law partners and the relationship is not 1 yr old. Their individual applications are truthful.

Options being considered are:
1. Before marriage, Have the landing done and complete the PR process. Then come back and get married.
2. If IRCC allows both CoPR holders to not legally register the marriage and do the landing. Have the marriage ceremony done but register the marriage at a later date.
3. After the marriage ceremony, get the marriage legally registered. Modify the application of 1 of the partner to be primary n follow due process and then make the landing.
4. Do not get married for another 1 year. And move to Canada as Singles

Option 1: is an expensive affair
Option 2: is best case n wishful thinking
Option 3: most probable but delays landing
Option 4: least favourable, given our age

 

[steaky]

Can 2 individuals in possession of CoPR as Single have a ceremonial marriage without legally registering the marriage and travel with the same individual CoPR?
Since both individuals are currently Single, plus are not common law partners and the relationship is not 1 yr old. Their individual applications are truthful.

Options being considered are:
1. Before marriage, Have the landing done and complete the PR process. Then come back and get married.
2. If IRCC allows both CoPR holders to not legally register the marriage and do the landing. Have the marriage ceremony done but register the marriage at a later date.
3. After the marriage ceremony, get the marriage legally registered. Modify the application of 1 of the partner to be primary n follow due process and then make the landing.
4. Do not get married for another 1 year. And move to Canada as Singles

Option 1: is an expensive affair
Option 2: is best case n wishful thinking
Option 3: most probable but delays landing
Option 4: least favourable, given our age

Why do you concern if IRCC allows it or not? Both individuals have their COPR and they are singles which mean they will not sponsor each other spouses/dependents after landing. Besides, couldn't they get marry (have both ceremony and registration in Canada) after landing is done?

 

[Bs65]

All seems very complicated and I guess depends on priorities of the individuals given a COPR has an expiry date whereas can get married any time.

For sure not advisable really to land as single when in fact married or common law as that could come to light later on although personally not aware how a ceremonial marriage is viewed legally by immigration.

I do not really understand option 4 given can land as singles and get a licence to get married straight away so not sure where the 1 year comes in. Landing as singles (not married at all or common law) with individual COPRs not linked in any way can do whatever they want with any relationship post landing.

 

[russ6970]

I don't understand the fact that you would want a marriage ceremony and not be legally married? Anyway, if it was me, I would land and then get married (if that's what you desire)

 

[meyakanor]

Assuming you two are not common-law partners, then option 1. Both of you should land in Canada as soon as possible as 'singles', and then get married (both ceremonially and legally).

Do not give IRCC any grounds for accusation of misrepresentation at any point of time in the future, and you want all information on your CoPR to be as accurate as possible at the time of landing (if you get married first, then technically your marriage status on the paper is not accurate).

Yes, option 1 is expensive, but grounds for misrepresentation can linger forever, and 20 or 30 or even 100 years from now, IRCC can always go back and question your status.

I suppose option 3 can work too, but why risk it and delay landing, when you can perfectly do option 1 without any problem.

Forget about option 2.

As for option 4, if you live together for a year, then you would be common-law partners, even if you do not end up getting married.

Landing as singles after becoming common-law partners is a bad bad idea. A lot of people (search for these cases on CanLII) got their PR status revoked precisely because of this reason.

 

[SeverusSnape]

Why do you concern if IRCC allows it or not? Both individuals have their COPR and they are singles which mean they will not sponsor each other spouses/dependents after landing. Besides, couldn't they get marry (have both ceremony and registration in Canada) after landing is done?

Well, we have to get married in India that's a given...U know family relatives..The whole Indian wedding scene..In fact we are getting married twice...Once in Church..Since my partner is Christian And then also in Hindu style ...
This whole affair is 3-4 months away and is taking place in 2 different cities and is also emptying our coffers .. PoF is intact though
I jokingly keep saying we can land as singles n get married again for the 3rd time in Canada!!(as u suggested)

It is sad if 2 perfectly eligible CoPR holders will have to redo the process ...
Hence my query....How would IRCC view the ceremonial marriages.
I don't mind making it official in Canada after we land.

There is just too much effort to reschedule the marriage..Given that we are booked for both cities.

One another way is we could get officially married earlier n restart the PR process now...But then our wedding looses it's charm..It an emotional thing... Since we both are looking forward to the ceremonies and would like those dates to be OUR marriage dates.

Would the Visa office be able to clarify?
How can I reach out to them...Case Specific Request???

 

[vensak]

Well, we have to get married in India that's a given...U know family relatives..The whole Indian wedding scene..In fact we are getting married twice...Once in Church..Since my partner is Christian And then also in Hindu style ...
This whole affair is 3-4 months away and is taking place in 2 different cities and is also emptying our coffers .. PoF is intact though
I jokingly keep saying we can land as singles n get married again for the 3rd time in Canada!!(as u suggested)

It is sad if 2 perfectly eligible CoPR holders will have to redo the process ...
Hence my query....How would IRCC view the ceremonial marriages.
I don't mind making it official in Canada after we land.

There is just too much effort to reschedule the marriage..Given that we are booked for both cities.

One another way is we could get officially married earlier n restart the PR process now...But then our wedding looses it's charm..It an emotional thing... Since we both are looking forward to the ceremonies and would like those dates to be OUR marriage dates.

Would the Visa office be able to clarify?
How can I reach out to them...Case Specific Request???

Ok and just how any other options except 4 will make the marriage cheaper? The only difference there is 1x round ticket for you and your future spouse (if you want to land before getting married).
Technically the cheapest option would be option 4. Come to Canada, be a bit together then decide what you want to do. (for example a simple cheap civil marriage in Canada would be much cheaper).

 

[Bryanna]

Well, we have to get married in India that's a given...U know family relatives..The whole Indian wedding scene..In fact we are getting married twice...Once in Church..Since my partner is Christian And then also in Hindu style ...

Not sure if you're aware that both marriage ceremonies - whether in the church or a temple - will be legally invalid as both of you are of different religions.

For all future purposes, you would want to first get married under the provisions of the Special Marriage Act.

Any other marriage ceremony conducted later in a church or a temple would only be ceremonial/to keep everyone happy but these "marriage ceremonies" won't have any legal validity

 

[SeverusSnape]

Not sure if you're aware that both marriage ceremonies - whether in the church or a temple - will be legally invalid as both of you are of different religions.

For all future purposes, you would want to first get married under the provisions of the Special Marriage Act.

Any other marriage ceremony conducted later in a church or a temple would only be ceremonial/to keep everyone happy but these "marriage ceremonies" won't have any legal validity

That will be perfect!!
We can have our ceremonial marriages...
Not get registered under Special Marriages act...
Make our landing in Canada as Singles...Since would still not be legally married!! Have a civil/legal wedding in Canada!!

I was hoping this works!!

 

[SeverusSnape]

Ok and just how any other options except 4 will make the marriage cheaper? The only difference there is 1x round ticket for you and your future spouse (if you want to land before getting married).
Technically the cheapest option would be option 4. Come to Canada, be a bit together then decide what you want to do. (for example a simple cheap civil marriage in Canada would be much cheaper).

Thanks!!
The idea is not to make the marriage cheaper...
That has its own budget....n also the PoF is accounted for separately...
Leaving these aside...Option 1 and 4 will require us to have a round trip...
This round-trip cost is the burden I'm trying to avoid...Both in terms of money+time and effort
Option 3 would delay our landing..

Hence hoping option 2 works out.

Besides now that we are already booked for the wedding, option 4 is as good as no-go.

 

[SeverusSnape]

That will be perfect!!
We can have our ceremonial marriages...
Not get registered under Special Marriages act...
Make our landing in Canada as Singles...Since would still not be legally married!! Have a civil/legal wedding in Canada!!

I was hoping this works!!

P.S. The original question by itself is futuristic...While my partner already has her CoPR...I had my AoR in Jul.
She was already in the process when we met..So ofcourse she applied as single.
And till date she is single...We are not married or common law partners!
Hoping I get my CoPR by the time we have our ceremonial marriage n get to fly soon after.

I've asked her to just make the landing complete the PR process before the ceremonial weddings..And we can figure out my application later... atleast that way 1 of us is through for sure...But she is not keen...Says we go together!

 

[Bryanna]

That will be perfect!!
We can have our ceremonial marriages...
Not get registered under Special Marriages act...
Make our landing in Canada as Singles...Since would still not be legally married!! Have a civil/legal wedding in Canada!!

I was hoping this works!!

This won't work!

Even if you marry in a church or temple ceremony, it does not mean you are never married. It just means those ceremonies do not conform to the provisions of both the Indian Christian Marriage Act or the Hindu Marriage Act.

You can marry in a hundred different ceremonies or in multiple countries..... but only your very first marriage (whether civil or ceremonial) is the legally valid one. Any civil marriages or religious ceremonies conducted later have no meaning in Law.

In fact, your first church or temple marriage ceremony would continue to subsist legally until a court of law dissolves it (A 'divorce of sorts').

Only the marriage under The Special Marriage Act would be legally valid in your case. I strongly recommend you marry FIRST under the provisions of this Act.

You would also be committing misrepresentation by landing as singles when you are in fact married..... even though those marriages are legally null and void.

You would not want to assume that you are 'Never Married' if you marry in the church or a temple. You could face legal/semi-legal issues later for many other reasons. For example, if you own property in India and you would like to transfer/gift it to your spouse.... or your spouse may not be able to inherit

 

[SeverusSnape]

This won't work!

Even if you marry in a church or temple ceremony, it does not mean you are never married. It just means those ceremonies do not conform to the provisions of both the Indian Christian Marriage Act or the Hindu Marriage Act.

You can marry in a hundred different ceremonies or in multiple countries..... but only your very first marriage (whether civil or ceremonial) is the legally valid one. Any civil marriages or religious ceremonies conducted later have no meaning in Law.

In fact, your first church or temple marriage ceremony would continue to subsist legally until a court of law dissolves it (A 'divorce of sorts').

Only the marriage under The Special Marriage Act would be legally valid in your case. I strongly recommend you marry FIRST under the provisions of this Act.

You would also be committing misrepresentation by landing as singles when you are in fact married..... even though those marriages are legally null and void.

You would not want to assume that you are 'Never Married' if you marry in the church or a temple. You could face legal/semi-legal issues later for many other reasons. For example, if you own property in India and you would like to transfer/gift it to your spouse.... or your spouse may not be able to inherit

OK..So the straight way to go about this is to get ceremonially married in both cities...Get the Marriage registered under Special Marriages Act...
Modify 1 application...To be primary...add the partner as secondary...Wait for the processing again...Then land as married.

We are definitely not interested in misrepresentation...Hence getting things clarified beforehand...
How do we reach out to the Visa Office for clarification?

 

[Bryanna]

OK..So the straight way to go about this is to get ceremonially married in both cities...Get the Marriage registered under Special Marriages Act...

No.

The correct way would be to first have a marriage under the provisions of The Special Marriage Act. This is the same marriage act which most people incorrectly term as a "court marriage".

You need to give 30-days' notice to the Registrar of Marriage in the city where you/your fiancée has been residing for more than 6 months.

You can get married in the next couple of months under The Special Marriage Act.... or even schedule it one day prior to your religious ceremonial marriage. But the date on the marriage certificate for the Special Marriage Act must be earlier than the date for the ceremonial marriages.

Modify 1 application...To be primary...add the partner as secondary...Wait for the processing again...Then land as married.

You would need to do this even if you were first getting married in a religious ceremony albeit a legally null and void marriage.

We are definitely not interested in misrepresentation...Hence getting things clarified beforehand...
How do we reach out to the Visa Office for clarification?

IRCC has nothing to do with how someone choose to marry. It is a personal decision. The visa office won't be able to help you in this matter