Hello
If you have lived together for a year in a genuine conjugal relationship then you qualify to apply as Common Law. The operating manual 2 - Processing Members of the Family Class - is a good place to find out what info they are looking for
Here is an extract to give you some ideas of the evidence you could provide:
"The following list is a set of elements which, when taken together or in various combinations, may
constitute evidence of interdependency. It should be kept in mind that these elements may be
present in varying degrees and not all are necessary for a relationship to be considered conjugal.
Financial aspects of the relationship
• Joint loan agreements for real estate, cars, major household appliances;
• Joint ownership of property, other durable goods;
• Operation of joint bank accounts, joint credit cards evidence that any such accounts have existed for a reasonable period of time;
• The extent of any pooling of financial resources, especially in relation to major financial commitments;
• Whether one party owes any legal obligation in respect of the other.
Social aspects of the relationship
• Evidence that the relationship has been declared to government bodies and commercial or public institutions or authorities and acceptance of such declarations by any such bodies;
• Joint membership in organisations or groups, joint participation in sporting, cultural, social or other activities;
• Joint travel;
• Shared values with respect to how a household should be managed;
• Shared responsibility for children; shared values with respect to child-rearing; willingness to care for the partner's children;
• Testimonials by parents, family members, relatives or friends and other interested parties about the nature of the relationship and whether the couple present themselves to others as partners. Statements in the form of statutory declarations are preferred.
Physical and emotional aspects of the relationship -the degree of commitment as
evidenced by:
• Knowledge of each other's personal circumstances, background and family situation;
• Shared values and interests;
• Expressed intention that the relationship will be long term;
• The extent to which the parties have combined their affairs, for example, are they beneficiaries of one another's insurance plans, pensions, etc.?
• Joint decision-making with consequences for one partner affecting the other;
• Support for each other when ill and on special occasions letters, cards, gifts, time off work to care for other;
• The terms of the parties' wills made out in each other's favour provide some evidence of an intention that the relationship is long
term and permanent;
• Time spent together;
• Time spent with one another's families;
• Regular and continuous communication when apart.
Examples of supporting documents:
• Family memberships, medical plans, documentation from institutions that provides recognition as a couple;
• Marriage certificate (not just a solemnization record), wedding invitations, commitment ceremony (certificate, invitations), domestic partnership certificate;
• joint ownership of possessions, joint utility bills, lease/rental agreement, joint mortgage/loan, property title, joint bank statements; money transfers.
• documents showing travel together, long distance phone bills; other proof of continuous communication (emails, internet chat site printouts, letters).
• insurance policies (documents naming the partner as a beneficiary), wills, powers of
attorney;
• significant photographs;
• statements of support from families, bank manager, employers, financial professionals, religious leaders, community leaders, professors, teachers or medical professionals."
Good luck
