Common Law Status

[Lulu_434]

Hi guys, quick question. When I first became common law was in October of 2009, a year after living together with my boyfriend. However I returned to Australia for 7 months. What date should I put as entering into the relationship? The first time or a year after I returned from my 7 months back home? I'm assuming being gone so long its a break in common law, however we did not break up and I want to be as honest as possible...Any help is appreciated!

 

[Ponga]

Once the one year of cohabiting together has been met, couples can live apart without it negating their Common-Law status.

As long as your relationship has continued, you should declare the date in October of 2009 (if that really means that you began living together in October, 2008) as the date that you entered into your C-L relationship.

 

[canadianwoman]

You can use the earlier period, as long as it was a full year. Once you have lived together for one continuous year, there can be a break.

However, make it very clear in the forms that you have lived together for more than one continuous year since you returned from the break as well, just in case the visa officer won't accept the first year.

 

[JamesBox]

The earlier date... Unless you get the officer who's dealing with our application and she phoned to say it needed to be the date we moved in together... Not 12months from that date!!

 

[Abydos]

The earlier date... Unless you get the officer who's dealing with our application and she phoned to say it needed to be the date we moved in together... Not 12months from that date!!

I hate it when some officials do this and say something completely the opposite to what everyone else has been told to do!

 

[canadianwoman]

The earlier date... Unless you get the officer who's dealing with our application and she phoned to say it needed to be the date we moved in together... Not 12months from that date!!

I love it when the immigration officers processing our files don't even bother to read the instructions. CIC clearly states, for IMM 1344 question 8: 'This is the date your status officially changed from being single to common-law, not the date you started living together.'