About the Common-Law and applying Sponsorship program after getting PR.

[aaronfufung]

Here is my questions, it really struggles me a lot. Wondering if someone can help....

1. I and my gf have started our relationship since Feb 2020, and we never live together and getting married. At May 2020, I applied Entry Express in Hong Kong as a single and got drew for PR in early of June. 2020. And due to COVID-19, it takes 2 years to make final decision on my application and at the time we are planning to marry. In this case, before we are married, do we considered to be a common law couple (never live together)?

2. By the case of question 1, do we married after landing or before landing would be the better option? If we married immediately after landing, do we make a impression of faked marriage for CIC officer? Will it be more difficult to apply sponsorship program for my gf and have negative influence to my PR status?

Thanks

 

[scylla]

Here is my questions, it really struggles me a lot. Wondering if someone can help....

1. I and my gf have started our relationship since Feb 2020, and we never live together and getting married. At May 2020, I applied Entry Express in Hong Kong as a single and got drew for PR in early of June. 2020. And due to COVID-19, it takes 2 years to make final decision on my application and at the time we are planning to marry. In this case, before we are married, do we considered to be a common law couple (never live together)?

2. By the case of question 1, do we married after landing or before landing would be the better option? If we married immediately after landing, do we make a impression of faked marriage for CIC officer? Will it be more difficult to apply sponsorship program for my gf and have negative influence to my PR status?

Thanks

1. No.
2. It's up to you if you get married before or after landing. If you get married before landing, then you must add your spouse to your application before you land and become a PR. This process takes several months. If you wait and get married after, then you must sponsor your spouse for PR which generally takes at least a year. Be aware that you must be living in Canada in order to sponsor your spouse if you go with the second path.

 

[aaronfufung]

1. No.
2. It's up to you if you get married before or after landing. If you get married before landing, then you must add your spouse to your application before you land and become a PR. This process takes several months. If you wait and get married after, then you must sponsor your spouse for PR which generally takes at least a year. Be aware that you must be living in Canada in order to sponsor your spouse if you go with the second path.

Thank you for your suggestion, it really helpful. Sorry for bother you more. I am planning to get married after landing and apply for sponsorship program, then apply work permit for her, so we don't need to be separated for a year. Am I right? And I am wondering is it need to have a big wedding to show the wedding is real (the rumor said so) to show this is a real marriage, is it true?

 

[scylla]

Thank you for your suggestion, it really helpful. Sorry for bother you more. I am planning to get married after landing and apply for sponsorship program, then apply work permit for her, so we don't need to be separated for a year. Am I right? And I am wondering is it need to have a big wedding to show the wedding is real (the rumor said so) to show this is a real marriage, is it true?

Does she already have a visa to travel to Canada? In order for her to qualify for the open work permit, you must both be in Canada and you must submit an inland sponsorship application to sponsor her for PR.

You don't necessarily need to have a big wedding however you should have enough of a celebration and guests to show it is genuine.

 

[aaronfufung]

Does she already have a visa to travel to Canada? In order for her to qualify for the open work permit, you must both be in Canada and you must submit an inland sponsorship application to sponsor her for PR.

You don't necessarily need to have a big wedding however you should have enough of a celebration and guests to show it is genuine.

Is a wedding ceremony is necessary to show to CIC? Due to COVID -19, there are restriction for ceremony like the limitation to the number of guests and the vaccine request...etc. It seems like a "unhappy wedding".....

 

[oinkario]

Is a wedding ceremony is necessary to show to CIC? Due to COVID -19, there are restriction for ceremony like the limitation to the number of guests and the vaccine request...etc. It seems like a "unhappy wedding".....

You've been together for over 2 years. Any public social media photo of the two of you together will help prove that, the earlier the better.

 

[aaronfufung]

You've been together for over 2 years. Any public social media photo of the two of you together will help prove that, the earlier the better.

Yes, we have many photos in these two years, so the wedding ceremony is not a "must"? Really worried about the refusal even I have a real marriage... do you know...What other materials proof may help too? Thanks a lot

 

[oinkario]

Yes, we have many photos in these two years, so the wedding ceremony is not a "must"? Really worried about the refusal even I have a real marriage... do you know...What other materials proof may help too? Thanks a lot

Not an absolute must. It also helps if you have met each other's parents or other family members and have photos together.

For a plausible reference, I've done spousal sponsorship for US. Back then we haven't had the ceremony and applied only 2 months after registering the marriage. What we did have was a joint bank account, joint housing lease, bunch of photos together, and photos with family & friends.
The sponsorship was approved, no questions asked about my marriage. We ended up not moving to the US but that's unrelated to this discussion.