CEC with common-law partner

[sashimaro]

Hello. I would like to get some advice about common-law.

I am planning to apply CEC on January 2014 since I will finish correcting all docs and work experience around that time.

Me and my girlfriend started living together on September 2012 at her home with her parents, and we moved out there to apartment on March 2013 so now I am living with her only.

We opened joint account and shared credit card on Sep 2012.
But I don't have any documents to prove that I live with her parents since I didn't have any contract with her parents and no bills for shared utilities accounts because it was under her father's name.

I can get explanation letter from her parents of course but I am bit worry if VO will accept that or not.
I just have some government letter about tax return which address is her parent's home.

I have house contract since March 2013, so it is easier to prove we are living together since that time.

Do you think I can include the time I lived with her parents?
Or is it better for me to apply on Jan 2014 first, and changed marriage status after March 2014?

My OWP will expire on July 2014, so I need to apply asap to get AOR for applying BOWP.
I don't want to get any problems because of this common-law issue to slow down my application...

Any advice ??

 

[iam_toby]

We opened joint account and shared credit card on Sep 2012.
But I don't have any documents to prove that I live with her parents since I didn't have any contract with her parents and no bills for shared utilities accounts because it was under her father's name.

Do you have ANY documents to prove that you have been living at the same address for the time?
Like phone bills from your phone? Other bills?
When did you change your address with the CRA to that place? Can you get proof of that address change with a date, maybe?

 

[MrB]

Hello. I would like to get some advice about common-law.

I am planning to apply CEC on January 2014 since I will finish correcting all docs and work experience around that time.

Me and my girlfriend started living together on September 2012 at her home with her parents, and we moved out there to apartment on March 2013 so now I am living with her only.

We opened joint account and shared credit card on Sep 2012.
But I don't have any documents to prove that I live with her parents since I didn't have any contract with her parents and no bills for shared utilities accounts because it was under her father's name.

I can get explanation letter from her parents of course but I am bit worry if VO will accept that or not.
I just have some government letter about tax return which address is her parent's home.

I have house contract since March 2013, so it is easier to prove we are living together since that time.

Do you think I can include the time I lived with her parents?
Or is it better for me to apply on Jan 2014 first, and changed marriage status after March 2014?

My OWP will expire on July 2014, so I need to apply asap to get AOR for applying BOWP.
I don't want to get any problems because of this common-law issue to slow down my application...

Any advice ??

You can certainly claim the September 2012 period, you don't necessarily need a lease agreement with your name on it. However, like iam_toby mentioned if you had any other evidence such as mails coming to the address for you that would suffice. Another strong piece of evidence you can include, is an affidavit from your common laws partner, confirming the relationship and that you also lived there.

 

[sashimaro]

iam_toby

Thank you for your reply and advice.
Unfortunatelly I don't have any bills.. I pay phone fee by online and I didn't change address I guess.. I will check it.
for CRA, I have changed when I apply tax return for 2012. I will ask my accountant if I can get any letter that stats address change.


MrB
affidavit is great idea. maybe I can get from my partner's parents one too. so the "Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409)" and addidavit can be strong enogh to prove..?

Also I have the "Sworn Statement for a Family Gift of a Used Motor Vehicle in the Province of Ontario" which entioned that her father gave his car to me as a gift.

I will try to find as much as evicences..

 

[lithium002]

iam_toby

Thank you for your reply and advice.
Unfortunatelly I don't have any bills.. I pay phone fee by online and I didn't change address I guess.. I will check it.
for CRA, I have changed when I apply tax return for 2012. I will ask my accountant if I can get any letter that stats address change.


MrB
affidavit is great idea. maybe I can get from my partner's parents one too. so the "Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409)" and addidavit can be strong enogh to prove..?

Also I have the "Sworn Statement for a Family Gift of a Used Motor Vehicle in the Province of Ontario" which entioned that her father gave his car to me as a gift.

I will try to find as much as evicences..

Just curious: are you asking about information to prove common-law status because you are sponsoring your girlfriend or because you just happen to be in a common-law relationship?

 

[sashimaro]

I will apply her PR as well with my CEC application. so I am correcting the evidence.

 

[Jenya]

Hello. I would like to get some advice about common-law.

I am planning to apply CEC on January 2014 since I will finish correcting all docs and work experience around that time.

Me and my girlfriend started living together on September 2012 at her home with her parents, and we moved out there to apartment on March 2013 so now I am living with her only.

We opened joint account and shared credit card on Sep 2012.
But I don't have any documents to prove that I live with her parents since I didn't have any contract with her parents and no bills for shared utilities accounts because it was under her father's name.

I can get explanation letter from her parents of course but I am bit worry if VO will accept that or not.
I just have some government letter about tax return which address is her parent's home.

I have house contract since March 2013, so it is easier to prove we are living together since that time.

Do you think I can include the time I lived with her parents?
Or is it better for me to apply on Jan 2014 first, and changed marriage status after March 2014?

My OWP will expire on July 2014, so I need to apply asap to get AOR for applying BOWP.
I don't want to get any problems because of this common-law issue to slow down my application...

Any advice ??

I'm also in common-low. We have been travelling together for 5 years and have all the same stamps in passports. It also works like proof of common-low. Actually when we applied for first visa to Canada it was our only proof (because we don't have join bills, join bank account and even common-low in Russia) and it worked.

If you still have some papers from bank that you have join account – sent it too when apply for PR. Add letter of explanation why you don't have shared bills. Don't be scared. Good luck, guys!