Common-law proof

[CrazyLucy]

I've already sent off my application in August 2010. But I'm still having doubts about the proof. Everyone gets the willies when it comes to this process. "Did I provide enough proof? What if I'm refused?" I guess I'm asking for approval from you guys..or disapproval.
For a breif intro, I am 21 and he is 24. I did inland sponsorship in Quebec. We live with his parents and have been doing so since 2008. I have been extending my visitor's visa since then. I am from the US.

What we submitted was:
-roughly 80 photos, we met online playing World of Warcraft, so it's hard to really document chats. So I took a few pictures of the game we play and some love letters he sent me in the game.
-cover letters by him and myself giving a detailed story about how we met and the relationship
-Joint bank account statement
-5-6 letters from my mother, his mother, his grandmother and my sister stateing that we are a happy couple and have been living with his family under the same roof
-Quite a few Hallmark cards from his family to my family and vise versa(addressed to the same residence) and many from me to him
-Tons and tons of movie ticket stubs
-Many letter from places with our address spanning out from 2008 to 2010(when I submitted the application)
-And miscellaneous reciepts from various places.

I'm not too sure that this was enough. I know I should have took the time to gather more info, but what's done is done. They often ask for more info, do they not?

 

[missmini]

for me it looks good enough...don't worry too much it will not help with anything anymore...did any of those letters from family/friends were notarized? (at least 2 should have been notarized)

what i would send extra (maybe they will ask) is the statutory common-law declaration and maybe gift receipts/details

 

[CrazyLucy]

Saddly they were not. They were signed dated and had their phone numbers and info. If they ask for more info, I can more than certainly provide it.

 

[sidkrose]

That looks pretty good to me. I will also be 21 when my partner and I file (he is 23) however we will be applying outland.

The only things I will include that you don't have are :
- tenancy agreements from when we lived in my families house and when we lived in his families house
- Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union (IMM 5409) - not necessary according to the guides, but apparently they often ask for it
- Notarized declaration letters from my parents, his brother, friend from Vancouver, friend from Germany and about 8 non-notarized letters from friends (although I really don't think you need this many! )
- proof that he is the beneficiary on my RRSP account (never too early to start saving for retirement! Haha)
- chat logs, emails, skype logs and phone records from over the years
- I (the canadian one) declared our relationship on my income tax.

but we don't have a joint account like you do.

Anyway, the point is, yes, they will ask for more documents if they have a doubt you are not common-law or not genuine, they will not just refuse you outright. I'm sure you'll be fine. Good luck! Let us know how it goes

 

[CrazyLucy]

Yeah, I think if they were to ask I would provide them with the Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union and 'tenancy agreements from when we lived in my families house and when we lived in his families house'. Although they did mention I was doing chores in place of rent in the letter the parents provided. I would also probably also include more bills and address evidence and photos that were not included...more or less just updated stuff.

I try my best to not worry and panic. Just the thought of having to leave almost drives me to tears. I just wish this would all be over with so they can A. Approve me or B. Ask for more evidence. =/

 

[Elizabeth Joe]

Hi Sidkrose!

hope you can help me. We will be applying for common-law sponsorship, too.(Through Berlin) How did you get the Statutory Declarations in Germany, I was asking a lawyer, but he couldn't really say anything and asking a notary , I got the answer, that it would cost 3000 euros, I don't think he understood what I wanted. We don't really have much proof, besides joint bank accounts, so I want it to be right. Would going to the Meldebehoerde (Stadtverwaltung) do it, because they can sign stuff too.

any ideas?

 

[sidkrose]

Hi Sidkrose!

hope you can help me. We will be applying for common-law sponsorship, too.(Through Berlin) How did you get the Statutory Declarations in Germany, I was asking a lawyer, but he couldn't really say anything and asking a notary , I got the answer, that it would cost 3000 euros, I don't think he understood what I wanted. We don't really have much proof, besides joint bank accounts, so I want it to be right. Would going to the Meldebehoerde (Stadtverwaltung) do it, because they can sign stuff too.

any ideas?

Hi!

Actually we haven't got them signed yet,(we will be filing in July) and we are having the hardest time finding someone to do it as well! We have asked a family friend who is a paralegal here to look into it for us and she should be getting back to us any day (I will let you know what she says). I also emailed the Berlin VO directly and asked them who is qualified to sign and they replied and just said Notare. am not sure they are the only ones who can do it though, and I think it depends on the state you're in if notaries are private or public but I really don't know. When we figure out what we are going to do, I'll let you know! And if you figure it out let me know! Haha. What state do you live in btw? We're in Baden-Wuerttemberg.

 

[AllisonVSC]

The statutory declaration of common law union is a form you have to fill and then sign in front of a notary (they witness the signature matches the identity of the signer). It should in no way cost 3000 euros to get this done.

Here is the link to the form.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5409E.pdf

The statutory declarations from friends and family are just notarized letters saying that they are aware of your relationship, living arrangements, that you are seen as and present yourselves as a couple, etc.

 

[valy79]

Hi Sidkrose!

hope you can help me. We will be applying for common-law sponsorship, too.(Through Berlin) How did you get the Statutory Declarations in Germany, I was asking a lawyer, but he couldn't really say anything and asking a notary , I got the answer, that it would cost 3000 euros, I don't think he understood what I wanted. We don't really have much proof, besides joint bank accounts, so I want it to be right. Would going to the Meldebehoerde (Stadtverwaltung) do it, because they can sign stuff too.

any ideas?

Go to a different notary public (maybe that one really didn't understand what you were talking about). It definitely does not cost 3000 Euros. I've had my family in Austria get notarized letters of support at a notary public, and there was no problem with it.

 

[Elizabeth Joe]

For the notarized letters, is it just any form of letter and the Notary has to put his stamp and signature under it, what is he confirming, the indentity? Do you know the German word for notarised, is it 'notariell beglaubigen'. For the statutory declaration it needs to have the sentence : I make this solemn declaration, conscientiously believing it to be true and knowing it is of the same force and effect as if made under oath., or not?

thanks for the help

at Sidkrose:
we are in Rheinland-Pfalz right now, staying with my parents, but I grew up in Baden-Baden. I'll let you know if I find something out. We are in a bit of a rush, because we are planning to file as soon as possible. We are going back to Canada in October (me as a visitor), because my boyfriend can't work here with his little knowledge of german. So I hope to get my PR within the next year, so he is not the only one working.

 

[patiently_waiting]

sidkrose is right about the declaration - get it. I got ours in Canada and it cost $40 even tho we lived together in the UK My partner got his in the UK and it cost 70 pounds. 3000E is not the right cost... trust me.

We only sent in 11 pictures, 2 declarations from our friends (not notarized) and bills in our name at the same address. We did not have a tenancy agreement however I did send a copy of the new tenancy for when he arrived in Canada. I also sent in a copy of my pension beneficiary (being my partner). It isn't how much you send- it is what you send.

 

[CrazyLucy]

So I didnt sumit a police certificate yet. I didnt turn 18 in the US. I am a dual citizen in the US and the UK. I did turn 18 in the UK. However, if I apply for inland, I says to not send in a police certificate just yet. Im assuming they're going to ask for additional documents like my police certificate and (maybe) a re-do of my medical..I'm pretty sure it's expired.
So, I did a little research for my police certificate and all looks easy enough to apply for one. However, it does ask for 2 proofs of address. Would just 2 bank statements be okay or do you have to have 2 different proofs?

 

[valy79]

For the notarized letters, is it just any form of letter and the Notary has to put his stamp and signature under it, what is he confirming, the indentity? Do you know the German word for notarised, is it 'notariell beglaubigen'.

Yep, it is "notariell beglaubigen" For the Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union that is what they do - just sign the form and put a stamp there.
For the support letters it depends on the notary public.
We had made up a little letter ourselves and sent it to our family. Some of the notaries they used just used that letter and some of them re-wrote it/wrote a new one. Also, from some of them we got a nice golden seal (I think that was the Canadian one), one of them just signed, and the 3rd one did some sort of elaborate thing (he attached an additional declaration to the initial letter). All of it is valid, it just depends on how the notary public works....
I can send you the little declaration we made up for our families if you want - just send me a personal message with your e-mail address if you want.

For the statutory declaration it needs to have the sentence : I make this solemn declaration, conscientiously believing it to be true and knowing it is of the same force and effect as if made under oath., or not?

It doesn't have to be worded exactly like that. I had used a template I found on the web and then modified it/translated it into German (one of the notaries we had in Austria wouldn't sign an English document).

 

[Avalon]

My son and his partner got theirs witnessed at the local Municipal council office which has their own commissioner of oaths, it cost $12. Ask at your own local council or municipality office or anywhere that they do marriage registrations etc. It's worth a try.

 

[mi]

we had out Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union done at AMA for about $20, just called ahead to make sure the commissioner is there on duty.
we didn't send in any letters from family and friends.
all we sent:
- lots of pictures taken around the world (in 8 years we at least travel twice a year), also with his and my family members
- both of ours life insurance
- joint bank account statements
- RRSP
- joint car loan
- home insurance
- few references including their names and occupations and contacts (all professionals)

application submitted inland in May 2010, landed in March 2011 and he got his PR card yesterday