Weak Common Law Proof?

[sfcoxinhe]

My partner is Canadian and I'm visiting her on a tourist visa. We've been together for 2,5 years, most of it on a long distance relationship. Originally, I came this time to stay six months, but we've decided to try Common Law. However, we don't have a lot of their requests, such as joint rental lease and utilities. The first is on her and her cousin's (our roommate) name and the other at the house owner name. We have a joint bank account and I have received a letter from the bank at this address.

What should I do in this situation? I'm worried that we will work towards this and we're gonna be rejected. And of course, this all considering that they will accept my visa extension request.

 

[Hurlabrick]

My partner is Canadian and I'm visiting her on a tourist visa. We've been together for 2,5 years, most of it on a long distance relationship

You say you want to apply under common law. The first and biggest issue you have to address is have you actually lived together as man and wife for 12 consecutive months without break? If not, then you do not qualify - simply adding up the time you spent together in various bits and pieces over 2.5 years and coming up to 1 year does not count - it must be consecutive. I was worried by your 'most of it on a long distance relationship' comment.....

The exact wording is:

You can sponsor the person as your common-law partner (same or opposite sex) as long as you have been living or have lived with your partner for at least 12 consecutive months in a marriage-like relationship.

 

[sfcoxinhe]

You say you want to apply under common law. The first and biggest issue you have to address is have you actually lived together as man and wife for 12 consecutive months without break? If not, then you do not qualify - simply adding up the time you spent together in various bits and pieces over 2.5 years and coming up to 1 year does not count - it must be consecutive. I was worried by your 'most of it on a long distance relationship' comment.....

Thanks for the comment. I am aware of that, yes. So far we've only lived together for three months, but I'm planning to stay in Canada, on a visitor visa, for a year to qualify for common law. The two problems are, they might reject my visa extension application, and we do not have enough proof to show that I have been living here since the day I arrived (at least according to their list of what constitutes proof).

 

[canuck_in_uk]

My partner is Canadian and I'm visiting her on a tourist visa. We've been together for 2,5 years, most of it on a long distance relationship. Originally, I came this time to stay six months, but we've decided to try Common Law. However, we don't have a lot of their requests, such as joint rental lease and utilities. The first is on her and her cousin's (our roommate) name and the other at the house owner name. We have a joint bank account and I have received a letter from the bank at this address.

What should I do in this situation? I'm worried that we will work towards this and we're gonna be rejected. And of course, this all considering that they will accept my visa extension request.

Include a letter of explanation that the lease couldn't be altered; get notarized letters from the roommate, other person living there and if possible, the landlord stating when you moved in with her.

You need mail at the address covering at least a one year period. Get paper bank statements, cell phone bills, order stuff online, have stuff mailed from your country etc.

Provided you can show proof of funds to support your extended stay, it should be approved without issue.

 

[K0nsumHure]

Yeah as I see it you're lucky that you are aware of all the items you should collect over the next year. If I had just known to keep all these bits of information...
So, I would just start by trying to get you both on as much paperwork as possible (accounts, bills etc).

Once the day is there it should be easy for you to prove it all.

 

[Hurlabrick]

A bit of reading for you here:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spousal_Sponsorship-Canada/FAQ_-_New_Application_Forms#Item_7:_We_don.27t_have_a_lease_or_utilities_with_both_our_names_on_it._What_do_we_do.3F

 

[sfcoxinhe]

You need mail at the address covering at least a one year period. Get paper bank statements, cell phone bills, order stuff online, have stuff mailed from your country etc.

Thank you for the helpful tips!
Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking clearly from the beginning (mid February). The fact that I said on my visa application that I would be staying at this address (as well as in the paper you turn in at the airport) doesn't count for anything, correct? I got a phone plan the day after I arrived but the company (chatr) doesn't provide any invoice :/

I'll work on the others from now on tho. Thank you!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thank you for the helpful tips!
Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking clearly from the beginning (mid February). The fact that I said on my visa application that I would be staying at this address (as well as in the paper you turn in at the airport) doesn't count for anything, correct? I got a phone plan the day after I arrived but the company (chatr) doesn't provide any invoice :/

I'll work on the others from now on tho. Thank you!

No, giving the address on your visa app and at entry doesn't count, as it doesn't actually prove you are there. Do you have anything from the phone company with your address from when you started the plan?