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Common law partnership-Desperately need help!

andybc

Star Member
Jul 20, 2018
151
67
yes I saw in some threads because some people live with their parents so they don't have any lease, they just get a letter from parents and apply... and I will provide the lease in the future as soon as I get the copy back because I think It's a good proof. I just need to check 2 boxes to prove that we are common law living together and i think, even though I don't have bunch of bills, letters etc, I have a few so I am able to check to boxes.
In the end nothing specifically is "required".

You will need to provide enough evidence to a person who does not know you that you have been living together with your partner for one full calendar year. Either the evidence satisfies them or it does not, in which case they will ask for more evidence.
Statutory declarations from friends/family that you lived at that address can help. Anything with your name and your address and a date on it helps. Make sure that the dates of the evidence span a full year.
 

barkozavrus

Full Member
Feb 12, 2019
41
2
In the end nothing specifically is "required".

You will need to provide enough evidence to a person who does not know you that you have been living together with your partner for one full calendar year. Either the evidence satisfies them or it does not, in which case they will ask for more evidence.
Statutory declarations from friends/family that you lived at that address can help. Anything with your name and your address and a date on it helps. Make sure that the dates of the evidence span a full year.
Yes... I have 1 notarized letter from a friend, it says we have been living together since last year March. My partner's mother wrote a letter that we have been living together since last year March too. I will ask her to add our address in the letter and will have it notarized. Thank you for the advice!
 

barkozavrus

Full Member
Feb 12, 2019
41
2
In the end nothing specifically is "required".

You will need to provide enough evidence to a person who does not know you that you have been living together with your partner for one full calendar year. Either the evidence satisfies them or it does not, in which case they will ask for more evidence.
Statutory declarations from friends/family that you lived at that address can help. Anything with your name and your address and a date on it helps. Make sure that the dates of the evidence span a full year.
My landlord blocked me on her phone! I don't think she will ever give the lease back! I went to regie to ask them they said they can't force them to give us a copy. They also gave me a list of places that I can go and ask. They are called comite logement, protecting tenants rights. I will go today and ask. Regie also told me to just write a letter and explain my situation for immigration, apparently a lot of people have problems with their landlords. What's wrong with landlords here??

So since I do not know if she will give me the lease back, ever, I won't apply for extension. I will write a letter to explain this but still I do not have any proof for March and April. I didnt get any mail first 2 months! I didn't even know about common law this doesn't exist in my country. I just came to see how my relationship goes, because for 2 and a half years we had a long distance relationship, we visited each other but you know living together and visiting are not same- when we first started we were together abroad for only 6 months.

I only have 2 notarized letters confirming that I was here since March... and a joint phone bill with my partner that started in March. In the March bill it writes " you made changes to your account" and under this there is a new added phone number. I think I will just go for it and if they ask for more proof in the future I will write a letter to explain why I do not have many proofs for cohabitation. And hopefully I will have my lease back by that time...The rest is fine though, like im beneficiary on his life insurance and at work his marital status is common law, he changed his status for taxes, we have joint bank account, financial dependency proofs, social media screenshots, common law declaration... The only missing thing is proof of cohabitation for the first 2 months... Fingers crossed...
 

andybc

Star Member
Jul 20, 2018
151
67
My landlord blocked me on her phone! I don't think she will ever give the lease back! I went to regie to ask them they said they can't force them to give us a copy. They also gave me a list of places that I can go and ask. They are called comite logement, protecting tenants rights. I will go today and ask. Regie also told me to just write a letter and explain my situation for immigration, apparently a lot of people have problems with their landlords. What's wrong with landlords here??

So since I do not know if she will give me the lease back, ever, I won't apply for extension. I will write a letter to explain this but still I do not have any proof for March and April. I didnt get any mail first 2 months! I didn't even know about common law this doesn't exist in my country. I just came to see how my relationship goes, because for 2 and a half years we had a long distance relationship, we visited each other but you know living together and visiting are not same- when we first started we were together abroad for only 6 months.

I only have 2 notarized letters confirming that I was here since March... and a joint phone bill with my partner that started in March. In the March bill it writes " you made changes to your account" and under this there is a new added phone number. I think I will just go for it and if they ask for more proof in the future I will write a letter to explain why I do not have many proofs for cohabitation. And hopefully I will have my lease back by that time...The rest is fine though, like im beneficiary on his life insurance and at work his marital status is common law, he changed his status for taxes, we have joint bank account, financial dependency proofs, social media screenshots, common law declaration... The only missing thing is proof of cohabitation for the first 2 months... Fingers crossed...
My honest opinion: It's very risky to do that. It would be far less risky to apply for a visitor extension and submit your sponsorship application in May.

If you submit now you run the significant risk of your application being rejected after a year of waiting.
 

barkozavrus

Full Member
Feb 12, 2019
41
2
My honest opinion: It's very risky to do that. It would be far less risky to apply for a visitor extension and submit your sponsorship application in May.

If you submit now you run the significant risk of your application being rejected after a year of waiting.
Thank you, I really appreciate your advice and Im really considering to do what you said. But I have a few questions now,
Is it possible that they won't extend my visitor status? What happens if they don't?
I already had letters notarized confirming that we have been living together since March, if I apply in May then do I need to ask friends/family to change the dates and notarize them again?
I obviously can't get anything from our landlord, what if i get a letter from our neighbour to confirm that I have lived here since March? Would it be a good proof to let me apply now? ( I really want to apply now :( )
My partner already did his taxes as common law, should he go back and change it back to single if we decide to apply in May?
I am really sorry for asking too many questions :(
 

canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,553
7,205
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
Thank you, I really appreciate your advice and Im really considering to do what you said. But I have a few questions now,
Is it possible that they won't extend my visitor status? What happens if they don't?
I already had letters notarized confirming that we have been living together since March, if I apply in May then do I need to ask friends/family to change the dates and notarize them again?
I obviously can't get anything from our landlord, what if i get a letter from our neighbour to confirm that I have lived here since March? Would it be a good proof to let me apply now? ( I really want to apply now :( )
My partner already did his taxes as common law, should he go back and change it back to single if we decide to apply in May?
I am really sorry for asking too many questions :(
Yes, the extension could be refused.

No, you don't need new letters.

Not a replacement for a lease of other actual address proofs.

No, he can't go lie about his marital status to CRA.


You really should wait until you have one year of actual address proofs. Otherwise you have a good chance of being refused.
 
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barkozavrus

Full Member
Feb 12, 2019
41
2
Yes, the extension could be refused.

No, you don't need new letters.

Not a replacement for a lease of other actual address proofs.

No, he can't go lie about his marital status to CRA.


You really should wait until you have one year of actual address proofs. Otherwise you have a good chance of being refused.
Thank you soo much for your answers! The previous tenants sublet the apartment to my boyfriend before I moved in here, and I found a paper that they signed. My lease starts on the first of july so even if the landlord gives it back, I still have no proof of March and April. Because until July 1st my partner and previous tenants had a sublet contract (Contrat de cession de bail)

We will try to reach previous tenants, and get a letter from them or add my name in this letter and write "She moved in on 4th of March" and let them sign it. They were coming back to pick up their letters all the time and they know that I have been living here. If we can do this I will apply now. If I can't I will extend my visa and apply in May.

Thank you very very much again for your help!!
 

canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,553
7,205
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
Thank you soo much for your answers! The previous tenants sublet the apartment to my boyfriend before I moved in here, and I found a paper that they signed. My lease starts on the first of july so even if the landlord gives it back, I still have no proof of March and April. Because until July 1st my partner and previous tenants had a sublet contract (Contrat de cession de bail)

We will try to reach previous tenants, and get a letter from them or add my name in this letter and write "She moved in on 4th of March" and let them sign it. They were coming back to pick up their letters all the time and they know that I have been living here. If we can do this I will apply now. If I can't I will extend my visa and apply in May.

Thank you very very much again for your help!!
A letter from the previous tenants still doesn't mean anything. You need actual address proofs.
 

barkozavrus

Full Member
Feb 12, 2019
41
2
A letter from the previous tenants still doesn't mean anything. You need actual address proofs.
But I read in other threads, a lot of people just live with their parents and ask their parents to sign a letter to confirm that they live together. If we can add my name into the sublease contract, you think it still won't work? In Montreal leases start on 1st of July for some reason so we did not prepare a lease with the landlord until July 1st. We only had the sublease contract with the previous tenants
 

canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,553
7,205
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
But I read in other threads, a lot of people just live with their parents and ask their parents to sign a letter to confirm that they live together. If we can add my name into the sublease contract, you think it still won't work? In Montreal leases start on 1st of July for some reason so we did not prepare a lease with the landlord until July 1st. We only had the sublease contract with the previous tenants
A letter from former tenants who did not live with the couple is VERY different than a letter from parents who actually lived with the couple.
 

barkozavrus

Full Member
Feb 12, 2019
41
2
You can try applying for Restoration or leave Canada and apply outland.
Applying outland is not an option at the moment...

If i send my application package now, they will start processing it as long as i send all the required documents and pay the fees right? And If they are not satisfied with the proofs they will reject my application and this will take around 1 year i think. I will also send my OWP application. So lets say they rejected my application 1 year later, but i already have my work permit which means I can work during this time and apply for common law again, or do they cancel OWP too automatically when they reject the application?

I am asking this because I am really bored at home and I dont want to postpone this... As long as I can work, I dont care if they reject my application at this point... Because even if i extend my visa I do not know when my landlord will give my lease back... and without the lease I don't have any strong proof.