Best Sponsorship Route for Long-Distance Same-Sex Relationship?

[elhwe]

Hello!

My partner and I are exploring sponsorship options as a same-sex couple in a long-distance relationship. He lives in Türkiye, where same-sex marriage is illegal, so we’re considering conjugal sponsorship. However, I’ve heard it may involve additional barriers.

We want to choose the most efficient route but are unsure which option is best. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[scylla]

Hello!

My partner and I are exploring sponsorship options as a same-sex couple in a long-distance relationship. He lives in Türkiye, where same-sex marriage is illegal, so we’re considering conjugal sponsorship. However, I’ve heard it may involve additional barriers.

We want to choose the most efficient route but are unsure which option is best. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Has he tried applying for a TRV yet to come to Canada to visit you? If not, that should be the first step.

You can also look into getting married in a third country that allows same sex marriage and which you can both travel to easily.

If you end up going to conjugal route, you want to be able to show you have a "marriage like relationship" vs. just dating.

 

[elhwe]

Has he tried applying for a TRV yet to come to Canada to visit you? If not, that should be the first step.

You can also look into getting married in a third country that allows same sex marriage and which you can both travel to easily.

If you end up going to conjugal route, you want to be able to show you have a "marriage like relationship" vs. just dating.

Thank you!

He is currently in immigration detention right now in the USA as him and his family went there but we fear his claim will be considered invalid.

So let's say he is deported from the USA due to his refugee claim not being considered valid. Would this prevent him from being sponsored?

 

[scylla]

Thank you!

He is currently in immigration detention right now in the USA as him and his family went there but we fear his claim will be considered invalid.

So let's say he is deported from the USA due to his refugee claim not being considered valid. Would this prevent him from being sponsored?

It would not prevent him from being sponsored provided there are no criminal issues involved in him being detained. However you would want to make sure you have a strong application to demonstrate a conjugal relationship (i.e. lots of trips to see each other, lots of time spent together, etc.). He'll need to be 100% honest about his immigration history in the US. Given his history, you can expect his application will be reviewed more closely to make sure the relationship is genuine on his end and he's not entering into it for the purpose of gaining status in Canada.

He should be aware that returning to the US will likely never be possible. A failed refugee claim and removal generally leads to a lifetime ban.

 

[elhwe]

It would not prevent him from being sponsored provided there are no criminal issues involved in him being detained. However you would want to make sure you have a strong application to demonstrate a conjugal relationship (i.e. lots of trips to see each other, lots of time spent together, etc.). He'll need to be 100% honest about his immigration history in the US. Given his history, you can expect his application will be reviewed more closely to make sure the relationship is genuine on his end and he's not entering into it for the purpose of gaining status in Canada.

He should be aware that returning to the US will likely never be possible. A failed refugee claim and removal generally leads to a lifetime ban.

I can't express my gratitude enough.

So, if I am understanding this correctly, we should try and find a way to connect in-person as soon as possible and spend time together to strengthen our application. Do you know if there is a specific amount of time required before we should then apply for sponsorship, or is it just case-to-case?

I should add there are no criminal issues associated with him being detained.

I have a few more questions:

- I am reading deportation from the USA might prevent him from applying for a TRV, and could also prevent him from visiting a country like Greece where same-sex marriage is legal. Is this true?

- Would things we have done long-distance help the application as well? (messages, money spent on each other, previous discussion of meeting, letters, family attesting to the relationship)

Thank you again.

 

[canuck78]

I can't express my gratitude enough.

So, if I am understanding this correctly, we should try and find a way to connect in-person as soon as possible and spend time together to strengthen our application. Do you know if there is a specific amount of time required before we should then apply for sponsorship, or is it just case-to-case?

I should add there are no criminal issues associated with him being detained.

I have a few more questions:

- I am reading deportation from the USA might prevent him from applying for a TRV, and could also prevent him from visiting a country like Greece where same-sex marriage is legal. Is this true?

- Would things we have done long-distance help the application as well? (messages, money spent on each other, previous discussion of meeting, letters, family attesting to the relationship)

Thank you again.

Have you met in person before?

 

[scylla]

I can't express my gratitude enough.

So, if I am understanding this correctly, we should try and find a way to connect in-person as soon as possible and spend time together to strengthen our application. Do you know if there is a specific amount of time required before we should then apply for sponsorship, or is it just case-to-case?

I should add there are no criminal issues associated with him being detained.

I have a few more questions:

- I am reading deportation from the USA might prevent him from applying for a TRV, and could also prevent him from visiting a country like Greece where same-sex marriage is legal. Is this true?

- Would things we have done long-distance help the application as well? (messages, money spent on each other, previous discussion of meeting, letters, family attesting to the relationship)

Thank you again.

Have you never met before in person?

 

[elhwe]

Have you never met before in person?

Not yet unfortunately. We made plans to meet in July of last year but he had to flee his country with his family.

 

[scylla]

Not yet unfortunately. We made plans to meet in July of last year but he had to flee his country with his family.

In that case there's no chance a conjugal application would be successful now. Don't apply now. You need to meet a few times before you'll be able to apply. Realistically you want to wait until at least a year after your first in person meeting before submitting the sponsorship and want to make sure you have more than one trip in that year to see each other (and spend a fair amount of time together).

 

[elhwe]

In that case there's no chance a conjugal application would be successful now. Don't apply now. You need to meet a few times before you'll be able to apply. Realistically you want to wait until at least a year after your first in person meeting before submitting the sponsorship and want to make sure you have more than one trip in that year to see each other (and spend a fair amount of time together).

I see. Thank you so, so much. Things feel very rough right now but your advice makes me feel hopeful.

 

[Greninja]

Good luck to you guys ! I hope you guys can get married and live happily in Canada!

 

[elhwe]

In that case there's no chance a conjugal application would be successful now. Don't apply now. You need to meet a few times before you'll be able to apply. Realistically you want to wait until at least a year after your first in person meeting before submitting the sponsorship and want to make sure you have more than one trip in that year to see each other (and spend a fair amount of time together).

I don't mean to bother— my partner and I discussed this and he is feeling anxious, as he wants to be able to provide support as soon as possible.

Are there any faster alternatives or a way to make the process faster? He is 19, fluent in English, high school diploma. Less than a year of formal job experience, but has made money through art commissions for nearly a decade.

Thank you.

 

[scylla]

I don't mean to bother— my partner and I discussed this and he is feeling anxious, as he wants to be able to provide support as soon as possible.

Are there any faster alternatives or a way to make the process faster? He is 19, fluent in English, high school diploma. Less than a year of formal job experience, but has made money through art commissions for nearly a decade.

Thank you.

No, not with that profile. Canada has economic immigration streams however he won't be selected with his lack of work experience and no higher education.

 

[canuck78]

I don't mean to bother— my partner and I discussed this and he is feeling anxious, as he wants to be able to provide support as soon as possible.

Are there any faster alternatives or a way to make the process faster? He is 19, fluent in English, high school diploma. Less than a year of formal job experience, but has made money through art commissions for nearly a decade.

Thank you.

Think the biggest obstacle at this time is whether he is able to remain in the US and claim asylum, getting out of immigration detention as soon as possible and possibly having to return to Turkey. Until that issue is addressed very tough yo plan. No matter where he ends up you need yo plan to spend time in person together and likely over many visits. Not sure if your age but at 19 it will likely be important to show more time in person establishing a relationship versus for example 2 40 year olds who have had previous longterm relationships and have more established lives. Sponsoring someone or being sponsored at such a young age is a huge responsibility. You should also be working at being able to financially support the both of you if/when you sponsor him in the future. Unclear if you are a student, employed, living at home, etc.