You are allowed to be in Canada while applying outland. However, you cannot submit your application even ONE DAY before you legally become common-law. To be very sure you understand this, YOU CAN'T SUBMIT YOUR APP BEFORE MAY 30TH.KvIII said:It will be a solid year (365 days) On may 30th
You can continue to extend your visitor status. With proof of a PR app and sufficient funds, there is little chance of an extension being refused. Many people in the process of applying for and then waiting for PR stay in Canada for years as a visitor.
From what I know, your best bet is to pay the PR fees now, the full $1040. Then apply online for a visitor extension; include the PR fee receipt, explaining that you will be submitting your PR app once you are common-law, and request a one year extension. Include proof of funds as well; you can use savings or your partner's wage slips or both. You will have Implied Status after May 30th until you receive a decision on the extension app.
Then put together an outland PR app to submit AFTER May 30th. It's a bit different than an inland, some different forms and requirements, but you should be able to do it within a few weeks.
To clarify, this is only true when establishing the one year of cohabitation. Once a common-law relationship is established, as long as the couple remains in a relationship, living separately does not negate the previous time together; they are still common-law. One couple lived apart for around three years after they established their common-law status and were approved.Ponga said:Since you state, in one of your other posts, that your common-law partner is sponsoring you, leaving for any length of time (even more than a couple of weeks) will negate the time that you've been cohabiting with your partner. You would need to start all over again and live together (again) for 1 full year before you could claim common-law.