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I realized while responding to another post here that it might be nice for me to share a little about the way we organized the evidence for our application. We tracked every piece of evidence in an Excel spreadsheet, even the stuff we didn't end up using. Every item had a code to identify it and help us to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks. This helped us to better visualize gaps in the data and to make sure that we weren't missing any crucial pieces that would support major life events. The following is a
very abridged sample of what it looked like (the real thing has many hundreds of items, including both the items we used and didn't use). Hopefully, this might be useful as a starting point for those who are struggling with putting together their applications. It also shows how we split the timeline of our relationship into different "chunks" or segments based on important events (i.e. the first time I visited Vietnam, our wedding preparations, the wedding itself, following visits...), making sure we had enough supporting evidence in each to give a balanced picture of our relationship.
Code | Type | Description | Date | Segment | Rationale |
DC007 | Document | MSN Chat transcript between D & Q (1st time openly discussing a relationship) | Jun 17, 2008 | Pre-1st Visit | proof of relationship |
DC009 | Document | Email Conv. re: service in Vietnam | Oct 21, 2008 | Pre-1st Visit | rationale of 1st visit; proof of relationship |
DC011 | Document | Email Conv. w/ Q (re: relationship questions) | Jan 21, 2009 | Pre-1st Visit | proof of relationship (too long; only the first few pages used) |
DT003 | Boarding Pass | Boarding Stub (D) XX123 YOW-ORD Seat XX | Mar 27, 2009 | 1st VN Visit | proof of 1st visit |
DT004 | Boarding Pass | Boarding Stub (D) XX123 ORD-NRT | Mar 27, 2009 | 1st VN Visit | proof of 1st visit |
DT009 | Boarding Pass | Boarding Pass (D) XX123 NRT-SGN Seat XX | Mar 31, 2009 | 1st VN Visit | proof of 1st visit |
DD011 | Document | Chat transcript from streaming webcam (Stickam.com) during Engagement | Aug 4, 2009 | 1st VN Visit | proof of engagement |
DD014 | Document | Catering Contract w/ restaurant for reception - English translation | Dec 5, 2009 | Pre-Wedding | proof of wedding |
DC018 | Card | Birthday card designed by D for Q, w/ cake | Jan 19, 2010 | Pre-Wedding | proof of continuing long-distance contact |
DC019 | Document | Email Conv. w/ jeweller (re: wedding rings) | Jan 21, 2010 | Pre-Wedding | proof of wedding |
DC023 | Document | Email Conv. w/ L (re: buying train tickets) | Feb 10, 2010 | Pre-Wedding | proof of honeymoon trip |
DC038 | Card | Sample Wedding invitation | | Wedding | proof of wedding |
DR115 | Rcpt Hotel | Receipt from honeymoon Hotel No. XXXX | Mar 14, 2010 | Honeymoon | proof of wedding/honeymoon |
DC034 | Document | Email Order Confirmation from florist #XXXX | Jul 6, 2010 | Post-Wedding | proof of relationship |
DC037 | Document | Email Order Confirmation from florist #XXXX | Nov 5, 2010 | Post-3rd Visit | proof of relationship |
DR228 | Rcpt WU | Rcpt WU 500 CAD to Q XXX-XXX-XXXX | Mar 11, 2011 | Post-4th Visit | proof of relationship |
Impressive work and organization here. I hope the visa officer is delighted when s/he opens your file! It is great that you thought to share this with others too.
I just want to re-iterate that, as dangerjones said, this is a partial list so that people looking for what types of evidence to provide don't get the idea that documentation of travel and wedding details is all that is needed. I often cite the OP 2 manual as a guide for how to think about evidence. The section of the manual for processing members of the family class quoted below also contains a list of examples of the types of evidence (for parts a and more importantly b) which could be used to support a claim of a conjugal relationship.
5.26. Assessment of conjugal relationships
The following are key elements that officers may use to establish whether a couple is in a conjugal
relationship. These apply to spouses, common-law partners and conjugal partners.
a) Mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all other conjugal relationships
b) Interdependent – physically, emotionally, financially, socially
Source: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op02-eng.pdf
AllisonVSC said:
Impressive work and organization here. I hope the visa officer is delighted when s/he opens your file! It is great that you thought to share this with others too.
I just want to re-iterate that, as dangerjones said, this is a partial list so that people looking for what types of evidence to provide don't get the idea that documentation of travel and wedding details is all that is needed. I often cite the OP 2 manual as a guide for how to think about evidence. The section of the manual for processing members of the family class quoted below also contains a list of examples of the types of evidence (for parts a and more importantly b) which could be used to support a claim of a conjugal relationship.
5.26. Assessment of conjugal relationships
The following are key elements that officers may use to establish whether a couple is in a conjugal
relationship. These apply to spouses, common-law partners and conjugal partners.
a) Mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all other conjugal relationships
b) Interdependent – physically, emotionally, financially, socially
Source: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op02-eng.pdf
Thanks Allison! Yeah, many different kinds of evidence are needed. What you posted is very helpful. I only found the manuals about a month before we submitted our application, and I wish I had known about them right away—all the answers are in there, basically. I suppose I could also post a longer list of the kinds of evidence we submitted to supplement this. There's so much of it that I'm a little hesitant though

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