Common-law partner rental receipts and other evidence

[Statix]

Hi,

My boyfriend and I plan to begin living together soon here in China, and in the future I would like him to qualify to move back to Canada with me as my common-law partner. As we only have a little over a year to live with each other, I want to make sure the application can be filled out as smoothly as possible before I have to go back to Canada to continue my education.

I have two main questions. I'll start with the simpler one.

1) My plan is to apply for PR once I'm going back to Canada to finish my school, but after I go back I still have another year or more of school, and my boyfriend would not be coming here until I have graduated and have a job so we can live together. I want to apply early on so that if he does want to come to visit my family, he can. (My understanding is that a travel visa would be almost impossible for him to get if we are in a relationship) Is there any problem with getting approved but him waiting a long time before actually landing in Canada?

2) We will be living together soon and I want to make sure we have the appropriate documents for when the time comes. Our rental agreement will be in Chinese, I assume this would need to be translated? Also, he will put his Chinese name on it, I could too, but would it be best to put my English name? How do they identify it as being actually us if it's just Chinese names? Do I need my passport number and his ID card or other documents on the rental agreement?
Also, a lot of transactions here in China are done in cash, so records are a lot harder to come by. We will have a joint bank account, but if our rent is paid by cash how can we prove we are paying it together? Would a record of a withdrawal from the bank account along with a payment receipt be enough?
Any other advice in general for proving common-law partnerships? Especially in China where cash is used for most payments.

 

[canadianwoman]

1) My plan is to apply for PR once I'm going back to Canada to finish my school, but after I go back I still have another year or more of school, and my boyfriend would not be coming here until I have graduated and have a job so we can live together. I want to apply early on so that if he does want to come to visit my family, he can. (My understanding is that a travel visa would be almost impossible for him to get if we are in a relationship) Is there any problem with getting approved but him waiting a long time before actually landing in Canada?

Since you are going to be applying common-law, apply right after you return to Canada to finish your education. You could apply later, but the longer you wait, the more likely it is the visa officer might think that you are no longer common law.
If he applies through Beijing, the processing time is (or can be) very quick. So he might get his PR visa within a few months. He can then come to visit your family in Canada - when he does that, he will also be using his PR visa to 'land'. Once he lands, he gets his PR card in the mail. He can leave Canada right after landing (in which case you would have to mail his PR card to him). Then he is a Canadian PR, and can come back once you have graduated to start your life together. He has to stay in Canada 2 years out of every 5 to keep his PR, so he can land and then go back to China for a while with no problems.
When he visits with the PR visa, though, he will actually be landing then. You are right that he would have a hard time getting a visitor's visa.

2) We will be living together soon and I want to make sure we have the appropriate documents for when the time comes. Our rental agreement will be in Chinese, I assume this would need to be translated? Also, he will put his Chinese name on it, I could too, but would it be best to put my English name? How do they identify it as being actually us if it's just Chinese names? Do I need my passport number and his ID card or other documents on the rental agreement?

The rental agreement must have both your names on it: if you have ID that shows your Chinese name and your English name, then just your Chinese name on the lease will be OK. If you can have both, that would be better. Attaching copies of some sort of ID won't hurt. The lease - and all other evidence in Chinese - will have to be translated.

Also, a lot of transactions here in China are done in cash, so records are a lot harder to come by. We will have a joint bank account, but if our rent is paid by cash how can we prove we are paying it together? Would a record of a withdrawal from the bank account along with a payment receipt be enough?
Any other advice in general for proving common-law partnerships? Especially in China where cash is used for most payments.

You can get the landlord to give you a receipt with both your names on it every month, even if you pay in cash. Definitely get a joint bank account, but if not many transactions are on it, that's OK. If you buy anything as a couple, try to use a joint credit card. If that is not possible, try to get a receipt with both your names on it for things you pay cash for - household goods, in particular. You can use mail addressed to both of you or just one of you, but at the same address, as evidence you live together, so keep the envelopes as well as the contents of letters, invitations, cards, etc., from family and friends, and of any official letters.
Go on little trips with each other and get lots of photos together, and photos of both of you with each other's family and friends. This shows your relationship is known about and accepted by the community, and that people see you as a couple.