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Proof of cohabitation.

V

VancouverIsland

Hero Member
May 2, 2018
261
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I have a question regarding proof of cohabitation. I have been requested to submit proof of cohabitation and I'm not sure if they want from bills and other stuff from my sponsor from april 2017 onwards as well.
-------
xxxUCIxxx - Principal Applicant:
Proof of Cohabitation: Documents supporting 1 year of cohabitation, prior to the
application being submitted (nov-2017 onwards). This may include but is NOT limited to: Joint
utilities accounts (electricity, gas, telephone). Documents for both the sponsor and primary applicant
showing the same address for example, government issued mail, driver’s licenses, insurance
policies; other documents (whether accounts are held jointly or not) e.g. cell phone bills, pay stubs,
tax forms, bank or credit statements,..
-------------------------------------------------
Do they ask these documents from only Principal Applicant or both with Sponsor`s bills from april-2017 onwards even principal applicant's name wasn't there ?
My wife (sponsor) has been living on the current address we're living now for about 5 years now. So i was wondering do they ask all bills from april 2017 to current time or just start date of cohabitation? Because she added me on the utility bill right after we got married and i didn't have any bill before August 2018.
My question is do ircc ask her bills since april 2017 even we didn't start cohabitation? Because i didn't have any bill until we got married which was August 2018
 
CanUK333

CanUK333

Hero Member
Jun 18, 2019
282
146
United Kingdom
Category........
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VancouverIsland said:
I have a question regarding proof of cohabitation. I have been requested to submit proof of cohabitation and I'm not sure if they want from bills and other stuff from my sponsor from april 2017 onwards as well.
-------
xxxUCIxxx - Principal Applicant:
Proof of Cohabitation: Documents supporting 1 year of cohabitation, prior to the
application being submitted (nov-2017 onwards). This may include but is NOT limited to: Joint
utilities accounts (electricity, gas, telephone). Documents for both the sponsor and primary applicant
showing the same address for example, government issued mail, driver’s licenses, insurance
policies; other documents (whether accounts are held jointly or not) e.g. cell phone bills, pay stubs,
tax forms, bank or credit statements,..
-------------------------------------------------
Do they ask these documents from only Principal Applicant or both with Sponsor`s bills from april-2017 onwards even principal applicant's name wasn't there ?
My wife (sponsor) has been living on the current address we're living now for about 5 years now. So i was wondering do they ask all bills from april 2017 to current time or just start date of cohabitation? Because she added me on the utility bill right after we got married and i didn't have any bill before August 2018.
My question is do ircc ask her bills since april 2017 even we didn't start cohabitation? Because i didn't have any bill until we got married which was August 2018
Click to expand...
First off, I believe they are requesting this information because you have only been married 1 year. Usually married couples don't have to prove 1 year's worth of co-habitation if they've been married for 2 or more years. They want to make sure that your relationship is genuine and not have quickly gotten married only for PR.

Because they are asking for co-habitation proof, it is my understanding that they would be looking for proof of BOTH of you living at the same address during the period of 2017-onwards. So no, I don't think they care about HER bills from 2017 alone, they are more after things that show both of your names during this time or separate documents that show same address during this time.

I understand that this is difficult as not everyone has "joint" accounts/bills. I am in a similar situation where i'm struggling for proof as my husband took care of everything and I wasn't named on a lot of stuff.

If you are struggling to find joint proof of co-habitation for 2017-2018 if you were indeed living together remember that you CAN include separate documents that show the same address. For example, your cell phone statement for November 2017 and her utility statement for November 2017 both showing same address. Also, if desperate try and include ANYTHING that shows that you both were living there together during this time:
- Gym membership contracts
- health care
- drivers licences
- pay slips
- tax statements
- Letters/postcards addressed to both of you
- Online shopping invoices
- care insurance
- rental agreement
- car lease
- Letter from landlord stating that you have BOTH been tenants for x amount of years, that she's aware of you both residing there, that she remembers meeting you x amount of years ago, that you're a great couple, etc.
- Letter from friends/family declaring that you have BOTH lived together since....and specific examples from 2017 onwards as to when they've seen both of your at your residence, i.e. dinner party, birthday party, dropping you off after work, etc. Also have them throw in how great of a couple you are and how you are both in love, etc.
- Letter from neighbour stating that she's regularly seen both of you for the past x years.

But the important question is.....were you living together in 2017 before you got married? If you weren't living together from November 2017 onwards then this is a tricky situation as you won't have any proof of co-habitation. If that's the case, if it were me, i'd include lots of evidence of your relationship during this time like screen shots of text messages, phone records, emails, photos, letters from family/friends, etc. and a nice letter explaining what you were both doing during this time instead to prove at least that your relationship is genuine even if your weren't cohabiting. For example, explain how you'd spend on average 4/7 nights a week at her house, or you flew to visit her every other month, you went on trips together, etc.

Hopefully a more experienced forum member can comment on this situation.

Last point, whatever you send even if it's one document ALWAYS attach a cover letter where you explain your situation and why you may not have the exact documents they are looking for.

I am interested in hearing what others have to say about this situation.
 
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V

VancouverIsland

Hero Member
May 2, 2018
261
64
CanUK333 said:
First off, I believe they are requesting this information because you have only been married 1 year. Usually married couples don't have to prove 1 year's worth of co-habitation if they've been married for 2 or more years. They want to make sure that your relationship is genuine and not have quickly gotten married only for PR.

Because they are asking for co-habitation proof, it is my understanding that they would be looking for proof of BOTH of you living at the same address during the period of 2017-onwards. So no, I don't think they care about HER bills from 2017 alone, they are more after things that show both of your names during this time or separate documents that show same address during this time.

I understand that this is difficult as not everyone has "joint" accounts/bills. I am in a similar situation where i'm struggling for proof as my husband took care of everything and I wasn't named on a lot of stuff.

If you are struggling to find joint proof of co-habitation for 2017-2018 if you were indeed living together remember that you CAN include separate documents that show the same address. For example, your cell phone statement for November 2017 and her utility statement for November 2017 both showing same address. Also, if desperate try and include ANYTHING that shows that you both were living there together during this time:
- Gym membership contracts
- health care
- drivers licences
- pay slips
- tax statements
- Letters/postcards addressed to both of you
- Online shopping invoices
- care insurance
- rental agreement
- car lease
- Letter from landlord stating that you have BOTH been tenants for x amount of years, that she's aware of you both residing there, that she remembers meeting you x amount of years ago, that you're a great couple, etc.
- Letter from friends/family declaring that you have BOTH lived together since....and specific examples from 2017 onwards as to when they've seen both of your at your residence, i.e. dinner party, birthday party, dropping you off after work, etc. Also have them throw in how great of a couple you are and how you are both in love, etc.
- Letter from neighbour stating that she's regularly seen both of you for the past x years.

But the important question is.....were you living together in 2017 before you got married? If you weren't living together from November 2017 onwards then this is a tricky situation as you won't have any proof of co-habitation. If that's the case, if it were me, i'd include lots of evidence of your relationship during this time like screen shots of text messages, phone records, emails, photos, letters from family/friends, etc. and a nice letter explaining what you were both doing during this time instead to prove at least that your relationship is genuine even if your weren't cohabiting. For example, explain how you'd spend on average 4/7 nights a week at her house, or you flew to visit her every other month, you went on trips together, etc.

Hopefully a more experienced forum member can comment on this situation.

Last point, whatever you send even if it's one document ALWAYS attach a cover letter where you explain your situation and why you may not have the exact documents they are looking for.

I am interested in hearing what others have to say about this situation.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the detailed explanation. The thing is we have been living in the same residence since 2016 but i didn't have anything under my name since i was out of status. By the time we got married all my ids were expired and my wife was able to add me only the utility bills. We later was able to joint account with marriage certificate but it was submitted after 5 months our application is in Mississauga. We also submitted letter from neighbour indicating that me and my is living together. We explained our situation tbh my wife didn't let me anything under my name before marriage it's because she wanted to make sure that i wasn't using her for just the stay in canada so we explained that as well. Hopefully they won't refuse our application it will be very difficult for us since she's pregnant and they will deport me...
 
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CanUK333

CanUK333

Hero Member
Jun 18, 2019
282
146
United Kingdom
Category........
FAM
VancouverIsland said:
Thanks for the detailed explanation. The thing is we have been living in the same residence since 2016 but i didn't have anything under my name since i was out of status. By the time we got married all my ids were expired and my wife was able to add me only the utility bills. We later was able to joint account with marriage certificate but it was submitted after 5 months our application is in Mississauga. We also submitted letter from neighbour indicating that me and my is living together. We explained our situation tbh my wife didn't let me anything under my name before marriage it's because she wanted to make sure that i wasn't using her for just the stay in canada so we explained that as well. Hopefully they won't refuse our application it will be very difficult for us since she's pregnant and they will deport me...
Click to expand...
Well the fact that you WERE living together since 2016 is a good start. I know that you may not have any of the official documents like utility bills that they are looking for, but do you have any of the other more "creative" documents I mentioned above?

If it were me, i'd include that landlord letter again, and definitely write another cover letter stating why you do not have the cohabitation proof. Then I'd get a friend to write a letter claiming that they've been aware of you two living together since X showing specific examples during this time frame such as went to your house because you threw a birthday party for your girlfriend, etc. a letter from a family member, again stating examples and how they're aware you've been living together for X amount of time, and then i'd try and compile ANY documents that show you or both of you at that address. Think outside the box, Uber receipts, postcards sent to both of you, magazine subscriptions (rip off and submit cover that shows address label), Amazon or other online shopping order invoices, drivers licence, health insurance, delivery invoices if you bought a fridge or dishwasher, etc.

There's always the option of withdrawing your application and submitting next year when you have the cohabitation proof. Depending on where your application is at, you'd be refunded some of the application fee. If you go ahead, worst case scenario is that they don't accept your proof, your application is denied, and you resubmit next year when you will DEFINITELY have cohabitation proof as your name has been added to bills for two years by then.

Regardless, I'd also advise you start gathering and compiling cohabitation proof from now on. Add your name to as many things, get a joint account, health insurance, drivers licence, and save envelopes from letters/christmas cards sent to both of you with the address on. Start collecting and signing up for things that have both your names and address on it. Just in case your application is denied and you have to do it next year, in case you withdraw, OR EVEN because sometimes later on in the application they request MORE saying "Provide proof that you have been living together SINCE the application was submitted"!
 
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lion.com

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VancouverIsland said:
I have a question regarding proof of cohabitation. I have been requested to submit proof of cohabitation and I'm not sure if they want from bills and other stuff from my sponsor from april 2017 onwards as well.
-------
xxxUCIxxx - Principal Applicant:
Proof of Cohabitation: Documents supporting 1 year of cohabitation, prior to the
application being submitted (nov-2017 onwards). This may include but is NOT limited to: Joint
utilities accounts (electricity, gas, telephone). Documents for both the sponsor and primary applicant
showing the same address for example, government issued mail, driver’s licenses, insurance
policies; other documents (whether accounts are held jointly or not) e.g. cell phone bills, pay stubs,
tax forms, bank or credit statements,..
-------------------------------------------------
Do they ask these documents from only Principal Applicant or both with Sponsor`s bills from april-2017 onwards even principal applicant's name wasn't there ?
My wife (sponsor) has been living on the current address we're living now for about 5 years now. So i was wondering do they ask all bills from april 2017 to current time or just start date of cohabitation? Because she added me on the utility bill right after we got married and i didn't have any bill before August 2018.
My question is do ircc ask her bills since april 2017 even we didn't start cohabitation? Because i didn't have any bill until we got married which was August 2018
Click to expand...
They again request cohabitation proof from you???((( I truly support post written above!
 
Joeydocs

Joeydocs

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Sep 5, 2017
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VancouverIsland said:
I have a question regarding proof of cohabitation. I have been requested to submit proof of cohabitation and I'm not sure if they want from bills and other stuff from my sponsor from april 2017 onwards as well.
-------
xxxUCIxxx - Principal Applicant:
Proof of Cohabitation: Documents supporting 1 year of cohabitation, prior to the
application being submitted (nov-2017 onwards). This may include but is NOT limited to: Joint
utilities accounts (electricity, gas, telephone). Documents for both the sponsor and primary applicant
showing the same address for example, government issued mail, driver’s licenses, insurance
policies; other documents (whether accounts are held jointly or not) e.g. cell phone bills, pay stubs,
tax forms, bank or credit statements,..
-------------------------------------------------
Do they ask these documents from only Principal Applicant or both with Sponsor`s bills from april-2017 onwards even principal applicant's name wasn't there ?
My wife (sponsor) has been living on the current address we're living now for about 5 years now. So i was wondering do they ask all bills from april 2017 to current time or just start date of cohabitation? Because she added me on the utility bill right after we got married and i didn't have any bill before August 2018.
My question is do ircc ask her bills since april 2017 even we didn't start cohabitation? Because i didn't have any bill until we got married which was August 2018
Click to expand...
Did they approve the app?
 
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