Compiling Help

[jbewing]

I've looked at how a few other people have compiled their applications and found a few that will work. However I'm more curious on just how much information we should be providing. Both my wife and I feel like we've given adequate evidence that our relationship is genuine (150 photos from over the past year) and additional items such as copies of Christmas cards, etc. But will it be enough?

Also, does the evidence of our relationship need to be provided for both my wife's application and mine? Ergo, do we need to make two copies of everything for immigration (marriage certificate, pictures, etc.)?

I should also mention I'm American and therefore am making a rash assumption that it's slightly easier for me to immigrate. But than again you know what they say about assuming.

Basically if anyone can easy my worries you've helped immensely.

 

[truesmile]

That's more than ours, and we just got our "landing" papers this morning. We submitted about 60 photos, 3 greeting cards or less, and evidence of a short honeymoon. I will say however that different VO's quite apparently have different levels of ahem "suspiciousness". What VO will be processing your application, so that others from your same VO can comment.

No need to send duplicates of everything.

 

[jbewing]

We're applying outland through Seattle, WA.

I guess we're both apprehensive because we want to do it right the first time. I wrote nearly 5,000 words just concerning our relationship and she has a little over a thousand. I'd sort of like them to have so much stuff from us that doubting our relationship is impossible.

 

[truesmile]

Personally I feel it was the "full-on" pics of wedding ceremony and 100+ guest reception that likely iced the cake for us. We only wrote enough to fill the forms, no more.

 

[Sweden]

I think you'll be just fine! we submitted around 30 pictures total, and plane tickets etc, and got approved in 7 months (3 months stage 1, and 4 months stage 2), so I don't think you should worry. There is no "magic number" to make sure that the application will be approved.
The approach is : look at your application, and see if you have covered all basic questions : when you met, if you're living together, activities that you do, people knowing you as a couple, and proofs that you have combined your affairs together.
As an american citizen, you're not under scrutiny for wanting to emigrate to Canada to gain a better status etc. Most likely, you met your wife, and she happened to be Canadian, and now you want to move to Canada - nothing special about it. as long as your application reflects that, you should be fine.

If the VO has some doubts, or need more proofs, they will ask for it. until then - nothing to worry about!
Good luck,
Sweden

 

[Rob_TO]

As mentioned, no need to send duplicates. The proofs and evidence are mainly used by the 2nd stage processing VO in the foreign visa office. The 1st stage VO who approved the sponsor will also have access to the proofs if they want them since you send everything at once... but i don't think they look at these.

As for what to include, every app is different. Our common-law app was extremely minimal with basically 20 photos, 1 testimony letter, upcoming airplane tix for us travelling together, a shared credit card, registered mail to her showing we lived together, and my partner being added to my work benefits plan... and that was it.

But then i've read of others who've compiled up to 1,000 pages of proofs and had to send them in boxes! So it's completely up to you how confident you are in your application, what the track record is for the visa office you are going through, and if you think any red flags will be raised making the VO more suspicious.

 

[jbewing]

*Wipes sweat from forehead*

Well I must thank all of you. I've been scurrying around my house trying to find wedding cards that were packed away months ago. That's the problem when you've already established your relationship, everything you need to prove it outside of our word is packed away in boxes!

 

[herewecome]

That seems fine.

We included a letter from ourselves signed and dated about key aspects of our relationship split into bullet point type parts. Each corresponded to what was then included as evidence. From memory it was;

Relationship - ceremony certificate, both the statutory declarations from family and one other signed letter from another family member.
Financial - Private medical, joint bank accounts in UK and Canada, our sole accounts, sole bills split between our names.
Govt - voting registration and council/property tax for us both
Home - rental agreement and property in joint names
Comms - About 5 letters or cards from one to the other. Another 5 in return. Letters and cards from others to us jointly. Mobile phone bills and e-mails too.
Gifts - a lot of tiffany's receipts!
Holidays - this included about 20+ vacations and we included passport stamps, hotel res, sightseeing tickets, flight tickets.

Then just under 150 photos which corresponded with the holidays, ceremony, family get togethers, etc. each photos was dated, event detailed and each person in the photo identified.

Some of the sole financial stuff was included to show we both lived here at this address. We made sure there was a good variation over many years. For example, we may have included 4 tax bills over 6 years. That type of thing. We worked quite hard to make sure there was no gap overall in the time we have lived together. We are quite good at having kept a lot so it just took a while sifting through our files. Total application weighed 3.9kg and the proof of relationship for us probably took up about 5" thick excl photos.

Quite possibly overkill BUT we had it to hand and better too much than too little and the app gets delayed. My partner thought I was nuts but I would rather have one less thing to worry about and I am not worried about the relationship proof part one bit.

 

[blessedelaine]

VO usually just scan our pics by glance.. the more pics you'll send will get them bored. lol

but kidding aside... we only sent about 50 photos (covering our 7 years of relationship- so they will see the differences on how we look like now compared before lol.. basically places weve been.. some wedding and honeymoon pics), some greeting cards, plane tickets, and just a few words on each questions asked.

no need to a thousand and thousand words.. =)

you will be good.. just dont over exaggerate things.. =)