Having trouble with common law spons.application

[Minaaa]

My boyfriend who is a Japanese National and I are currently living on working holiday in Australia and attempting to complete the forms for common-law spons. app. We began dating while he was on working holiday in Canada and after 7 months of living together in Canada moved here and have lived together in Australia now for a year. I'm having trouble filling out the portion where it asks if you are living in Canada currently - because im not- and it says that you need to apply for a different visa if you aren't currently living in canada? It also asks to specifcy if we're common law living in canada or spouses at the beginning of the application but we've only lived together in canada so does that mean we dont fit the requirements? We have plans to return to canada in December and are hoping to lodge the application on our own online asap so that maybe some kind of verdict can be reached by then because he would like to begin working as soon as we get there, or maybe a few months after. I'm really lost and am thinking about involving an immigration lawyer but would prefer to do it on my own. We'd even be open to applying inland if that is an easier way. If anyone has any advice i would be extremely grateful!!

 

[scylla]

My boyfriend who is a Japanese National and I are currently living on working holiday in Australia and attempting to complete the forms for common-law spons. app. We began dating while he was on working holiday in Canada and after 7 months of living together in Canada moved here and have lived together in Australia now for a year. I'm having trouble filling out the portion where it asks if you are living in Canada currently - because im not- and it says that you need to apply for a different visa if you aren't currently living in canada? It also asks to specifcy if we're common law living in canada or spouses at the beginning of the application but we've only lived together in canada so does that mean we dont fit the requirements? We have plans to return to canada in December and are hoping to lodge the application on our own online asap so that maybe some kind of verdict can be reached by then because he would like to begin working as soon as we get there, or maybe a few months after. I'm really lost and am thinking about involving an immigration lawyer but would prefer to do it on my own. We'd even be open to applying inland if that is an easier way. If anyone has any advice i would be extremely grateful!!

You cannot apply online. The application must be mailed in. Make sure you are applying for the right thing.

Since you are living outside of Canada, you must use the outside of Canada / outland sponsorship process. To make sure you get the right forms, go to the link below and select that you are living outside of Canada:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/spouse.asp

Your boyfriend will not be able to work in Canada until his PR application is finalized. Processing times are currently around 12 months.

If you decide to apply inland, you will have to wait until you are both in Canada. You won't be able to apply for anything now. If you apply inland, you can include an open work permit with the inland application which will be granted approximately four months after the full application package is received.

You don't need a lawyer.