common law partner questionnaire form IMM5490 Questions

[Aussiepoutine]

Hello Everyone!

First of all I wanted to say Thankyou to everyone in this community, you have been so helpfull for many questions I have had, but now it is time to join and ask because I need some clarification. First of all I am Australian and my partner is from quebec. We are applying for permanent residency via common law, we have been together for almost three years and lived together for pretty much all that time as well. I am currently filling out the form IMM 5490 and I'm stuck on a few questions.For form IM5490 Question 9 ( describe how your relationship developed and did you go on any dates ect...) - How much information do you give? do you write a timeline of your journey together from when you met to the present date? It also asks to attach photos, do you attach photos with this question on the separate sheet of paper or can you wait and compile it with all the other supporting documents together?
And for the same form IMM5490 question 20 ( Are you in a common law relationship? provide written and documentary evidence of your relationship) - What do you write here? is this where you give more details about living together and the things you have done as a couple and adventures you have been on? Also do you attach your evidence here or can you put them in a separate folder when putting it all together? Any information would be greatly appreciated Merci.

 

[Sweden]

Hello Everyone!

First of all I wanted to say Thankyou to everyone in this community, you have been so helpfull for many questions I have had, but now it is time to join and ask because I need some clarification. First of all I am Australian and my partner is from quebec. We are applying for permanent residency via common law, we have been together for almost three years and lived together for pretty much all that time as well. I am currently filling out the form IMM 5490 and I'm stuck on a few questions.For form IM5490 Question 9 ( describe how your relationship developed and did you go on any dates ect...) - How much information do you give? do you write a timeline of your journey together from when you met to the present date? It also asks to attach photos, do you attach photos with this question on the separate sheet of paper or can you wait and compile it with all the other supporting documents together?
And for the same form IMM5490 question 20 ( Are you in a common law relationship? provide written and documentary evidence of your relationship) - What do you write here? is this where you give more details about living together and the things you have done as a couple and adventures you have been on? Also do you attach your evidence here or can you put them in a separate folder when putting it all together? Any information would be greatly appreciated Merci.

Hello,

I think you pretty much got the right idea. How you present it is a matter of personal preference, depending on your story, and how much proofs you have etc. Essentially - it should give an idea to an external eye on how your relationship developed, the essential steps, etc...

We did a timeline, because it worked well for us, to show when I moved to be with him, when we moved in together, when we took trips to Canada, to visit his family, then to visit my family, the holidays we took together etc. We had a column for each (date, applicant's whereabouts, sponsor's whereabouts, and reference number), and we gave a reference number to all the proofs. Example> applicant travels to Canada to meet sponsor's family, please see plane ticket copy, reference number XXX).

we then had a set of documents (mostly pictures and plane tickets, visa etc) that we aggregated on a word document with reference numbers for each document... to try and keep it organised.

We extended the timeline including when we intended to move back to Canada, and which steps we will do when moving there, to show our intention to relocate to Canada.

It's important to not overdo it, as you don't need to drown the VO in details, so they don't need to know every single dates you went on... but the significant one - first date, anniversary, meeting important friends, travelling together, etc....

the second question is more where you need to prove that you have lived at least 12 months together. so state when you moved in together, where, and include a reference to a rent contract ( and the copy of the rent contract to prove it). also, if you have it, that's where you add joint bank account, life insurance with his name/your name as beneficiary, letters from friends and family that they know you as a couple, etc.

Essentially: the first question is the story from how it developed from your point of view, the second one is more external proofs that you are a couple and you have combined your affairs as much as possible ( as much as a married couple).

How you organise the whole is how it makes sense to you - and to somebody external to your relationship....

But you're lucky - I suppose you're going through Sydney, which seems to be a very responsive, and fast VO, most people reported very good experience when dealing with them.

Good luck with your application,
Sweden

 

[Aussiepoutine]

Thankyou so much sweden for your advice I never thought about using reference numbers, thats a great idea. Thankyou so much!

 

[Sweden]

Thankyou so much sweden for your advice I never thought about using reference numbers, thats a great idea. Thankyou so much!

it makes it easier to keep it all together and organised. Also make sure that at the top of every document, you put the name of the applicant, family sponsorship, so if by mistake they get something mixed up, it makes it easy for them to find what belongs to who... and put be back in the right order. Every document should be linked to one question in particular (form IMMXXXX, question 12/a, etc). just to help them go through your application as fast as possible and approve you as soon as possible!