20 photos and love story

[vvvioleta]

I heard from my friend that a love story is needed while she applied the spousal sponsorship in the past. However, I looked at the checklist it seems only 20 photos to prove relationship are needed.

Just wondering is lover story still needed? Is it good to embbed the 20 photos in the love story? What is the best way to present the 20 photos?
I also notice a separate document putting description of each photo is needed. So do I put the all photos in one document and prepare a separate document for photo description?

It'll be appreciated if you can provide some suggestions.

 

[teodinho]

I heard from my friend that a love story is needed while she applied the spousal sponsorship in the past. However, I looked at the checklist it seems only 20 photos to prove relationship are needed.

Just wondering is lover story still needed? Is it good to embbed the 20 photos in the love story? What is the best way to present the 20 photos?
I also notice a separate document putting description of each photo is needed. So do I put the all photos in one document and prepare a separate document for photo description?

It'll be appreciated if you can provide some suggestions.

So in my case, I only attached 10 photos. I embedded the photos in a word document and under each photo, I wrote a short description/context. I didn't write any love story.

 

[autoscriptor]

Some cultures won’t even allow any pre-marriage communication between the couple let alone a love story.

 

[Flyingfast]

I did all 20 pictures and created it in 1 PDF file with a description for each picture. My wife and I each provided a letter about our relationship. I think if you provide the bare minimum, you open yourself to the possibility of more scrutiny. My application was processed in 6 months with no interviews, when the IRCC estimated time was 24 months. You want to submit the best application you can.

 

[Sonikell]

No need for a love story. Just attach the pictures you think are most relevant to your relationship(dating, marriage etc). Attach a description of what the images represent(where,when and who).

Ideally you want to have a mix of the two of you and some of you and your family(and/or friends)

 

[armoured]

There's no need for a 'love story' per se - although it can be useful to provide additional info. There are, as I recall anyway, a few places where you can either include an explanation in the forms OR attach a letter of explanation. Usually that means an explanation or basics of the history in a narrative form. The point of this is mainly to put into words what might not be obvious from the forms.

It's up to the applicant + sponsor to decide what to put in these cases. Note, it's NOT useful to write a romantic novel - keep it as short and factual as possible. Just explain what's needed to make sense. If it's not clear that you met at work or were introduced by friends, write that. Those with arranged marriages should be open about that.

The other key thing is to use these cases to explain anything that might otherwise be unclear or look strange. Some examples might be:
-small amount of physical time together;
-large gaps in communication or living together (if the case);
-type of marriage and ceremony (eg if parents or friends did not attend) - of course, related to what the normal expectations of family/culture might be (esp if arranged marriage).

Some of these points can be very important for those eg whose parents or friends/family didn't approve (inter-faith marriages, same sex, whatever) or who otherwise faced issues,.

 

[InfoSeeker12]

Yes...after all the grueling paperwork CIC officers have to go through, this is what they really need towards the end of their day.
A raunchy, loud, sweaty love (or lover's?) story.

Like CIC really want to have an actual proof that your IELTS writing skills scores are real or fake ....which will be proven by your love story writing skills, combined with how open minded and creative you are in sharing your most intimate details of how you both go together and did the deed...perhaps that will give you an additional couple of scores for Canadian Society assimilation score.

Jokes aside, important points raised in @armoured response. You have to basically keep it factual - no fairy tales. And it has to be concise. Be respectful of your Case Officer's time as well.

 

[armoured]

Jokes aside, important points raised in @armoured response. You have to basically keep it factual - no fairy tales. And it has to be concise. Be respectful of your Case Officer's time as well.

As I have sometimes stated here (in variations): no War and Peace, please. You should assume they, like any undergraduate student, will delay and put off reading the Russian novels as long as possible. Don't write one.

The other thing I'd put: you should probably assume that when the case officers read files, they're going to figure that the most florid 'love stories' are being written to cover up the real weaknesses to the file.

Or maybe nowadays, they're going to assume that they've been written by AI bots, for the same reason as above.

 

[falcon500]

This is a chicken egg problem.

I believe writing too much details about your relationship is the key whether you have a straight forward or complicated case. These details would be since the time you guys have met until you submit your application.

I think if you do not provide too much details about your relationship, ircc may find it suspecious. On the other hand, if you provide too much details about your, they may think you are trying to cover things up...

I am gonna listen to my gut feeling and provide as much as details I can.

I am still working on the cover letter where I am explaning the details about our relationship. Then, I will add an executive summary page. I might have close to 15 pages plus the photos that backup the details mentioned in the letter.

I would leave it up to ircc think whatever they want.

 

[armoured]

I am still working on the cover letter where I am explaning the details about our relationship. Then, I will add an executive summary page. I might have close to 15 pages plus the photos that backup the details mentioned in the letter.

I do not know basics of your relationship or what you are including in these 15 pages.

But unless there is something very unusual or special or problematic about your relationship and application, that is WAY TOO MUCH. I'm not kidding. There are forms. You do not need a 15 page cover letter. Only a report of several hundred pages should have an exec summary as long as a page (or alternatively think of cover letter as your exec summary if you like).

Let facts and docs speak for themselves. And I repeat for anyone else reading: if your app is simple and straightforward, DON'T complicate it by deciding you need to do all the things below. If you don't think you need relationship support letters, you probably don't - things I've put are just some examples.

I don't think you need a long explanation of where you met and every detail of your relationship since meeting. "We met at work, started dating, dated seriously for [time], moved in together [date], got married [time period] after meeting." That's a basic narrative - adjust as necessary. The rest: specific dates and evidence/docs (if and only as needed/requested).

Here's how I'd approach a cover letter - which should be a total of ONE page, and if needed, a second page that lists the documents attached to the cover letter. If there are docs that themselves need explanation, SHORT (one-two para) notes attached to each of them.

1) Intro/Exec summary: one paragraph. A short paragraph.

2) Basic story: two paras. This should be short. Include here a short explanation for any gaps in documentation (eg we cannot provide a lease showing we resided together because [reason]; we do not have joint bank accounts because [not allowed in our country or whatever]).

3) Description overview of docs/appendices attached (eg "As evidence of the time together, I have attached the following documents and evidence for your information: travel tickets and receipts; letters of support from friends and family; correspondence and other between us; wedding ceremony documents (apart from photos which are attached separately). [This could be bullet-pointed and leave out the list in my 4]

4) List of documents and attachments (grouped, numbered.)

I would leave it up to ircc think whatever they want.

They will think there is something very wrong if you send them a 15 page document filled words. To an immigration officer examining your file, that 15 pages is Dostoyevsky. Don't Dostoyevsky them.

 

[Flyingfast]

I am still working on the cover letter where I am explaning the details about our relationship. Then, I will add an executive summary page. I might have close to 15 pages plus the photos that backup the details mentioned in the letter

I don't think the immigration officer wants to read 15 pages! If I was an officer reviewing your file, I would likely put it aside with my current work load. You only need a page or two at the most.

 

[YVR123]

"love story" is just a nickname of the section of the form or in the format of explination letter to layout the timeline of your relationship development.
It's not supposed to be a short story nor a romance novel.
Keep it short, include facts like when you met, through who and how, meeting of friends and family, moving-in (if applicable), formality (engagement, wedding, honeymoon), travel to visit, travel together (real vacations, not like day trip to a park) ...etc.

We kept photos seperated and just put note related to the photos under/behind.

 

[falcon500]

Thank you for your replies. I am writing a letter to substantiate my marriage, not a cover letter.

Perhaps, 15 pages might be too long. I will probably leave it at 10 pages plus the pictures and tickets. Thank you

 

[Buletruck]

Thank you for your replies. I am writing a letter to substantiate my marriage to my wife, not a cover letter.

Perhaps, 15 pages might be too long. I will probably leave it at 11 pages plus the pictures and tickets. Thank you

I provided 20 pictures with details in a bullet point and 8 years of relationship in about a dozens bullet points....about 1/2 a page. 6 months to process start to finish. Keep it simple. Unless you met your wife yesterday and got married today, relationship details aren't that complicated.

 

[armoured]

Thank you for your replies. I am writing a letter to substantiate my marriage, not a cover letter.

Perhaps, 15 pages might be too long. I will probably leave it at 10 pages plus the pictures and tickets. Thank you

Could you explain why you think it needs substantiated?

Again, I think there are very few cases that would need ten pages of text to 'substantiate.' One page, maybe two. No more. See @Buletruck 's comment, too. Believe me, they would far prefer simple bullet points.