Proof of living with spouse

[Tricia Quinn]

I've been struggling with what to use to prove that I am living with my spouse. I am already going to use a copy of our cell phone bill, which shows that I am on the account. I can change my name on some of my bills (like my credit cards), but to show it actually on the bill, I would have to wait for the new bill to be generated. Do you think it would be good enough to have a print out of my online profile through the account showing my Canadian address? I am just trying to get this done as soon as possible because it is the LAST thing I need to be done with my application.

Thanks.

 

[k.h.p.]

Is it your name on the bills currently, like your unmarried name? Does the address match your spouse's?

 

[Tricia Quinn]

On the actual bill at this time, it shows my previous name and address. That's why I'm wondering if a screenshot of the changed address from the profile page on my credit card account would be enough.

 

[k.h.p.]

I don't think so, since screenshots could be easily changed (Yes, so could photocopies of bills...) but if you do get paper bills, you may need to wait for the next billing cycle.

I can't say 100% certain though.

 

[Tricia Quinn]

Ugh yea that's what I'm bumping up against. It seems like this one little thing is going to hold me up at least another couple of weeks.

 

[Quelaag]

Hey, my partner is responsible for all the bills, so my name wasn't on them either. However, I sent these:
My Shaw - added as a household member, Mastercard - we have 2 credit cards in our names sharing the same account and address (extremely easy to do), a letter from his grandmother that owns the house we live in + copies of property tax notices as a proof, dozens of order confirmations (mostly Amazon, Staples, Ikea) over the past years showing my name and shipping address on them.
We also included a few letters from our families and friends confirming that we have been living together. This was enough for us to get approved.

 

[armoured]

Hey, my partner is responsible for all the bills, so my name wasn't on them either. However, I sent these:
My Shaw - added as a household member, Mastercard - we have 2 credit cards in our names sharing the same account and address (extremely easy to do), a letter from his grandmother that owns the house we live in + copies of property tax notices as a proof, dozens of order confirmations (mostly Amazon, Staples, Ikea) over the past years showing my name and shipping address on them.
We also included a few letters from our families and friends confirming that we have been living together. This was enough for us to get approved.

I did roughly similar approach to above in terms of documentation, and letter of explanation from me as some details peculiar to my situation, seems to have been accepted.

Note to original poster: are you trying to demonstrate common law or just living together in Canada? (Assume this is inland app?)

My main comment is to keep in mind the totality/context of your app. E.g. If you're married and have been together a long time, have children, there may be less focus on this aspect. If it's less time together and you need to demonstrate common law and have only been living together a year, you'll want to show as much as possible - dated back especially to the time when you started living together. I.e. focus on the parts of your app that are 'weakest.' This will require a bit of judgment on your part.

 

[Tricia Quinn]

So we are married but I only moved in in September. Since we don't have any kids and stuff, I have to answer the questions about us living together- for inland yes. So at this point, my name is not on the property or bills yet. We have added it on a couple of them, but the bills showing my name haven't been generated yet. No mutual credit cards yet. I haven't gotten my driver's license yet. To get that I have to get a driver's abstract from the states, which I have to apply for by mail, so that takes time. I haven't found a bank where we can open a joint account since I don't have PR status yet, including her credit union. I can't get added to her insurance benefits yet because I don't have PR status. So what I have at this point is a copy of our cell phone bill that my phone is included on, a print out of PayPal payments that she has sent to me, and a print out of my computer screen showing this address on my credit card account (because I just changed it so it's not on the bill yet). I'm just feeling impatient because it's the LAST thing. Do you think that will be enough, or should I wait until the bills are generated?

 

[simoneleah]

If you've filled the requirements of the checklist, it might be enough. If you have the minimum amount of evidence but you know you'll have more evidence in the future, I think it's pretty much just rolling the dice. They'll probably ask for more proof that you're living together in the future, which may delay the application. But then you would have time to gather those documents. If you wait a couple of weeks for more information, you might feel more at ease, even if they ask for additional proof in the future.

It's challenging without worker status. I'm not 100% sure on why you wouldn't be able to open a joint account. Having had a SIN I can't account for that but non-Canadians are able to at least have bank accounts. Maybe someone in a similar situation can share their experience.

Good luck!

 

[k.h.p.]

If you've filled the requirements of the checklist, it might be enough. If you have the minimum amount of evidence but you know you'll have more evidence in the future, I think it's pretty much just rolling the dice. They'll probably ask for more proof that you're living together in the future, which may delay the application. But then you would have time to gather those documents. If you wait a couple of weeks for more information, you might feel more at ease, even if they ask for additional proof in the future.

It's challenging without worker status. I'm not 100% sure on why you wouldn't be able to open a joint account. Having had a SIN I can't account for that but non-Canadians are able to at least have bank accounts. Maybe someone in a similar situation can share their experience.

Good luck!

A lot of banks - and all credit unions - require SINs for any account that could possibly earn interest. Some large banks allow for no-SIN accounts, but it can be tough to convince them they're allowed to do it, even when you show them their own website.

 

[simoneleah]

A lot of banks - and all credit unions - require SINs for any account that could possibly earn interest. Some large banks allow for no-SIN accounts, but it can be tough to convince them they're allowed to do it, even when you show them their own website.

Yeah, I knew about the earning interest requirement. I think I've read a couple of times that RBC may allow it for people without SINs? Very annoying, of course...

 

[armoured]

So we are married but I only moved in in September. Since we don't have any kids and stuff, I have to answer the questions about us living together- for inland yes. So at this point, my name is not on the property or bills yet. We have added it on a couple of them, but the bills showing my name haven't been generated yet. No mutual credit cards yet. I haven't gotten my driver's license yet. To get that I have to get a driver's abstract from the states, which I have to apply for by mail, so that takes time. I haven't found a bank where we can open a joint account since I don't have PR status yet, including her credit union. I can't get added to her insurance benefits yet because I don't have PR status. So what I have at this point is a copy of our cell phone bill that my phone is included on, a print out of PayPal payments that she has sent to me, and a print out of my computer screen showing this address on my credit card account (because I just changed it so it's not on the bill yet). I'm just feeling impatient because it's the LAST thing. Do you think that will be enough, or should I wait until the bills are generated?

I would say in this case, provide what you can: letters from friends, family, photos of events together, etc. Provide a letter of explanation that you don't have much documentation since you only recently moved in and that some things like banks are difficult.

This may sound a bit absurd but if you live in an area with a lot of immigrants, you could even ask the bank branch manager to give a letter saying when they will give you an account. You may have to be a bit nice that you're not trying to get him/her in trouble but supporting your lack of documentation for living together. YOu might think of other examples of ways to support.

Again, if other parts of your application hang together in context, and you make some effort for this part, it will probably work out.

 

[Quelaag]

So we are married but I only moved in in September. Since we don't have any kids and stuff, I have to answer the questions about us living together- for inland yes. So at this point, my name is not on the property or bills yet. We have added it on a couple of them, but the bills showing my name haven't been generated yet. No mutual credit cards yet. I haven't gotten my driver's license yet. To get that I have to get a driver's abstract from the states, which I have to apply for by mail, so that takes time. I haven't found a bank where we can open a joint account since I don't have PR status yet, including her credit union. I can't get added to her insurance benefits yet because I don't have PR status. So what I have at this point is a copy of our cell phone bill that my phone is included on, a print out of PayPal payments that she has sent to me, and a print out of my computer screen showing this address on my credit card account (because I just changed it so it's not on the bill yet). I'm just feeling impatient because it's the LAST thing. Do you think that will be enough, or should I wait until the bills are generated?

I was out of status and my partner was still able to add me as an authorized person to his RBC bank account. They never asked me to prove my status in Canada. My name does not show on the bill, however we asked them to print out his banking information which included both our names and address.
Honestly, I would give it some time to gather as much documentation as possible if I were you. You want to build a strong case so that the officer has no doubt about the genuinity of your relationship and living arrangements.

 

[k.h.p.]

I was out of status and my partner was still able to add me as an authorized person to his RBC bank account. They never asked me to prove my status in Canada. My name does not show on the bill, however we asked them to print out his banking information which included both our names and address.
Honestly, I would give it some time to gather as much documentation as possible if I were you. You want to build a strong case so that the officer has no doubt about the genuinity of your relationship and living arrangements.

An authorized person is not the same as a "joint bank account," it's just someone who is authorized to view statements and potentially pay bills. If you can get official documentation with your name and address on it, it could help in some cases.

 

[Quelaag]

An authorized person is not the same as a "joint bank account," it's just someone who is authorized to view statements and potentially pay bills. If you can get official documentation with your name and address on it, it could help in some cases.

Indeed it's not the same, I was just sharing out workaround.