Advice Required: Common-Law Sponsorship

[the_bong_chi]

Hi All,

I want explore the option to sponsor my girlfriend for Permanent Residence.

Here's our timeline,

1. I applied for my PR application (Post ITA Phase) on August 2023 with marital status - Single.
2. Me & my girlfriend moved together on September 2023.
3. I got my PR Status (eCOPR) on March 2024.

Here are my questions,

1. I never changed my marital status to Common-Law. When I sponsor my partner would that this be seen as withholding information ?
2. I am planning to apply on March 2025 (1 year after my PR). If possible we want to move it to September 2024.
3. Would the following documents prove we are living together,
   1. We have rented 2 bedrooms in a 4 bedroom house, so received two leases, 1 under her name & 1 under mine. But the address is same.
   2. Driver's License. Both have same address.
   3. T4s & NOAs both are in the same address.
   4. I own a car and I have added her as a Occasional Driver.
   5. We recently opened a Joint Bank account.

TIA.

 

[Amiah_world]

Both of u living at the same address with separate lease ain’t a proof of common law relationship, both of your NOA’s being the same address but not filed as common law is not proof of common law either. Just looking at this it sounds like two roommates exploring the option of sponsoring another roommate lol.

come on it’s 2025 you gotta be smarter than that these people are trained to seek out in-genuine sponsorships okay, I’m just a user of this sub and that’s what I got from reading your message with a bare eye meanwhile these people look through everything with a comb.

You have to change you marital status to common law, you and the person have to report to CRA as common law, the basics have to match up and nothing you just stated matches the qualifications of common law sponsorship with the exception of the joint account part IMO …

 

[the_bong_chi]

Both of u living at the same address with separate lease ain’t a proof of common law relationship, both of your NOA’s being the same address but not filed as common law is not proof of common law either. Just looking at this it sounds like two roommates exploring the option of sponsoring another roommate lol.

come on it’s 2025 you gotta be smarter than that these people are trained to seek out in-genuine sponsorships okay, I’m just a user of this sub and that’s what I got from reading your message with a bare eye meanwhile these people look through everything with a comb.

You have to change you marital status to common law, you and the person have to report to CRA as common law, the basics have to match up and nothing you just stated matches the qualifications of common law sponsorship with the exception of the joint account part IMO …

When you say update status's in CRA, don't I have to wait for 12 months to establish common-law ? Or do you recommend we can start updating all our documents.

 

[Amiah_world]

When you say update status's in CRA, don't I have to wait for 12 months to establish common-law ? Or do you recommend we can start updating all our documents.

Yes you have to wait for 12 months then update it with them. Please don’t submit a sponsorship the way you said you have them right now get everything in place and according to how the guidelines are set out for them to be. Less scrutiny for your file the faster it’ll go through. Don’t give them any reasons to question any document you submitted just make sure it’s up to par on how they want them.

 

[YVR123]

When you say update status's in CRA, don't I have to wait for 12 months to establish common-law ? Or do you recommend we can start updating all our documents.

I believe you can update your CRA status any time. You don't have to wait till your next tax filing.

 

[armoured]

Hi All,

I want explore the option to sponsor my girlfriend for Permanent Residence.

Here's our timeline,

1. I applied for my PR application (Post ITA Phase) on August 2023 with marital status - Single.
2. Me & my girlfriend moved together on September 2023.
3. I got my PR Status (eCOPR) on March 2024.

Here are my questions,

1. I never changed my marital status to Common-Law. When I sponsor my partner would that this be seen as withholding information ?
2. I am planning to apply on March 2025 (1 year after my PR). If possible we want to move it to September 2024.
3. Would the following documents prove we are living together,
   1. We have rented 2 bedrooms in a 4 bedroom house, so received two leases, 1 under her name & 1 under mine. But the address is same.
   2. Driver's License. Both have same address.
   3. T4s & NOAs both are in the same address.
   4. I own a car and I have added her as a Occasional Driver.
   5. We recently opened a Joint Bank account.

TIA.

I'm confused what others are suggesting here about common law.

1. You are not common law until one year after you moved in together, i.e. September 2024.
2. That's not a question. If you mean can you apply after september 2024 and before march 2025 - yes. It might be better to give it at least a month more. Even better would be to just get married and then apply, as then there can be no question of whether your relationship is 'legally valid'.
3. The weakest part of your application is having two leases for two distinct living spaces, even if at the same address. I would for that reason include at least a couple extra months and ensure the rest of the documentation is strong. Or better still, marry and avoid that issue.

Related: I think the CRA discussion is a bit of a side issue. Yes, it would help if you declare common law with CRA; not doing so probably would not be fatal to the app, but a good idea anyway. Check the CRA website as to when you must declare this.