Application almost ready to print! HELP!

[CaroM8]

Hey guys!!

I would like your opinions on our application. I think we are pretty much done with the bulk of it, now just have to organize it and print it. This is what we have; please let me know if you think we should add more or anything specific I am missing

-3 letters of declaration to the legitimacy of our relationship (2 notarized)
-letter from sponsor and one from applicant describing relationship
-All the forms from CIC (including the declaration of common law, just in case)
-Medical receipt
-Police records stuff, with translation
-Photocopies of passports/visas
-Bank account print out for applicant and sponsor
-About 50 pictures (including Facebook screenshots with comments from friends, check-ins etc..)
-Relationship timeline
-A list of an additional 10 references
-Receipts from airline, train, restaurants, hotels etc..
-Death certificate (that explains a gap in our cohabitation)

I am still missing my latest Notice of Assessment from CRA which I will get shortly. All in all I think we will have about 150 pages.

I think our only "red flag" in our case is a month gap in our cohabitation due to a sudden death in my partner's family. It happened when he was in Canada with me on his TRV and had to fly home pretty suddenly. We've explained this thoroughly in our letters, hoping they won't void our common law status because of it.

Any thoughts or opinions are welcome!!

 

[Aquakitty]

Re: Application almost ready to print!

Did you add anything specific that shows your period of cohabitation (such as bills sent to both your address or a lease)?

 

[CaroM8]

Re: Application almost ready to print!

Did you add anything specific that shows your period of cohabitation (such as bills sent to both your address or a lease)?

No
We don't have anything. When we are in Guatemala we live with his parents. When in Canada, we subleased an apartment, which only I signed not thinking I would need this later. There's really nothing else I can think about.. Our notarized letters do in fact confirm that we have always lived together, pretty much since the beginning of our relationship.. Will that be enough?

 

[CaroM8]

Any other input or opinions would be great! Thanks guys!

 

[Ponga]

Be prepared to provide more proof that you have lived together for at least a year, if and when CIC asks for it.

I know of one person here recently that was approved with only a couple of letters indicating that they had lived together, but to be honest...many of us were surprised that their application was approved.

I suggest getting a notarized letter from the person that you subleased the apartment from, asking them to corroborate your story. Think of anything you can get (retroactively) that could help prove this BEFORE CIC asks you for it down the road, because this is the most important piece of the puzzle. If they ask for more proof, you will only have a limited amount of time to respond!


Good luck!

 

[CaroM8]

Thank you!

I do have some emails back and forth with the person we subleased from, I'll submit that for sure. I'm gonna check today if my name can be added to my partner's bank account... Also, I did change my status to common law with CRA when I did my taxes a few week ago, I can give that as proof...

 

[Ponga]

Thank you!

I do have some emails back and forth with the person we subleased from, I'll submit that for sure. I'm gonna check today if my name can be added to my partner's bank account... Also, I did change my status to common law with CRA when I did my taxes a few week ago, I can give that as proof...

None of that, except perhaps the CRA info, will prove that you were truly Common-Law before your application was submitted. Even changing your filing status with CRA doesn't really prove anything.

Emails from someone that `claims' to have been your landlord will be pretty much worthless. You need to get them to write a letter and have it notarized. THAT, would help, IMO.

 

[CaroM8]

Ok I will try to get a hold of him..

Also we have tons of chat logs that show that we are actually living together, things like "I forgot my keys, can you bring them to me?" "I'll be home in an hour, can you take the meat out?" Haha.. Hopefully it helps..

 

[krishnalynn]

Did you get a single piece of mail or bill at that address with your name on it? Online banking statements or online bills that have that address on it?

 

[CaroM8]

Did you get a single piece of mail or bill at that address with your name on it? Online banking statements or online bills that have that address on it?

No
I never changed my address. Since I started traveling about 2 years ago I've always just kept my official address at my fathers in Canada. Everything I have, which is not much, has that address on it. I am not a resident in Guatemala therefore can't have my name on anything here, they're weird about that.

Ugh.. I'll try to think of something..

 

[scylla]

Ok I will try to get a hold of him..

Also we have tons of chat logs that show that we are actually living together, things like "I forgot my keys, can you bring them to me?" "I'll be home in an hour, can you take the meat out?" Haha.. Hopefully it helps..

That's fine for proving your relationship is genuine. But as others have said, you still need hard proof of cohabitation. This evidence is critical since you're submitting a common law application. I would definitely hold off submitting your application until you have that proof to include.

 

[CaroM8]

So.. All this being said.. I really thought we had a pretty easy application, but not I am doubting it. Our case is shaky at best. Obviously it is clear to us and our family and friends that we have been living together since January 2015, but proving it with legal stuff will be harder than I thought. This worries me, also the fact that we have a small gap in our cohabitation due to a death in the family..

We are planning a quick visit to Canada next month to see my family. What if we got married during this visit? The burden of proof is a lot less if you are married correct? Of course we will still submit all the evidence of us being together and the legitimacy of our relationship.. But then we wouldn't have to prove the living together part, am I correct?

Don't get me wrong. It's not like we would be getting married JUST for this purpose. We do intend on getting married, it would just be sooner rather than later..

Thoughts on this plan??

 

[Ponga]

Be prepared to provide more proof that you have lived together for at least a year, if and when CIC asks for it.

I know of one person here recently that was approved with only a couple of letters indicating that they had lived together, but to be honest...many of us were surprised that their application was approved.

I suggest getting a notarized letter from the person that you subleased the apartment from, asking them to corroborate your story. Think of anything you can get (retroactively) that could help prove this BEFORE CIC asks you for it down the road, because this is the most important piece of the puzzle. If they ask for more proof, you will only have a limited amount of time to respond!


Good luck!

Here's that person:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t332642.0.html

Even though she got married near the end of the process, CIC apparently approved the Common-Law application, because they didn't know she had gotten married after submitting the application.

I still think you're wise to wait until you're married.