Conjugal Partner (M-F, opposite sex)

[Graihn]

Listen to the advice the people have given you. They are Champion and VIP members and know exactly what they are talking about. Withdraw your app, get a divorce, get married, and apply as a married couple. You have zero chance of being approved as conjugal.

Do not rely on immigration lawyers' words. I had an initial consultation with one who told me that me having to leave for Sweden after 11 months of cohabitation to finish last semester of school qualified as an impediment for us to qualify as conjugal. If I had listened to him and applied I would have been denied. If I had found this forum before I consulted him I would have tried to work out studying long distance for another month to establish common-law and I would have received my PR mid-year 2013.

The fact that I listened to faulty advice given by an immigration lawyer meant that I didn't think twice about leaving for Sweden before we had our 12 months..

Listen to the senior members here, you will only be in for pain if you proceed.

 

[truesmile]

I can't help but notice you have already seen ebuencons post. Hmmmm. I'd love to stay and watch the game but this one will be worse than watching out for Haley's comet.

 

[Rob_TO]

You have zero chance of being approved as conjugal.

Not zero, just incredibly small. I seem to remember someone's post here from a year or so ago, about a successful conjugal app for someone from a visa-exempt country. Though I don't know the specifics. As I said, it takes a VERY sympathetic and easy-going visa officer to approve a conjugal app with no legal reasons for not getting married/common-law.

Also when 2 people can't live together, it's very difficult to prove a conjugal relationship exists in the first place. It can't be someone you are just dating, you have to prove a marriage-like relationship exists. Things like joint finances, life insurance on each other, sending money, etc are essential.

Do not rely on immigration lawyers' words.

Very true. Quite often a lawyer/consultant will tell you that you can certainly apply as conjugal, and will gladly take your thousands of dollars to help with the app. Then when it's rejected, they'll tell you that you should appeal, and will again gladly take your thousands of dollars to go through the appeals process with you. They get paid whether you are successful or not.

In this case here, a good lawyer would tell you upfront the app has little chance of success, and ask if you wanted to proceed anyways.

 

[Graihn]

Not zero, just incredibly small. I seem to remember someone's post here from a year or so ago, about a successful conjugal app for someone from a visa-exempt country. Though I don't know the specifics. As I said, it takes a VERY sympathetic and easy-going visa officer to approve a conjugal app with no legal reasons for not getting married/common-law.

Uh-oh. Now you told the OP there is a small chance..

 

[jerryca]

Thanks again for all your input. Regardless of the chances and the time, we have no better alternatives at the moment. In the meantime we will also keep applying for TRVs. I travel to see my partner every few months but can usually only go for two weeks at most due to child care obligations at home. We have built a house together in the past year, have joint finances, wills, etc. We have no difficulty demonstrating that our relationship is genuine and nobody could prove otherwise.

I had a 30 minute phone call with a consultant. I asked the questions; he answered them. He told me much the same as I have read here and what you say. He also told me all of the things that would be required to make an accurate assessment. I wouldn't say he was negative or positive, but very factual.

Quite frankly, as a Canadian, a businessperson and taxpayer, I can't for the life of me understand why our TRVs are repetitively refused. It would be much better to let my partner come as a visitor and (through extension or reentry) have us become common law partners in due course. We don't need her to work; we can pay for our own health care. We are quite happy to apply outland and wait as long as it takes. In the meantime, we just want to be together.

If I was able to leave Canada without breaking commitments to my family and under my separation agreement, I would in a minute. That would also mean putting 20 Canadians on EI and paying my taxes somewhere else too, a story I would be happy to share publicly.

 

[Rob_TO]

If I was able to leave Canada without breaking commitments to my family and under my separation agreement, I would in a minute. That would also mean putting 20 Canadians on EI and paying my taxes somewhere else too, a story I would be happy to share publicly.

Logic and common sense are not exactly strong points of CIC.

Also I've heard of a case where partway through a conjugal app a couple managed to get married, and changed their status with the visa office. The second your divorce becomes official, you should strongly consider doing this.

 

[Graihn]

Logic and common sense are not exactly strong points of CIC.

Also I've heard of a case where partway through a conjugal app a couple managed to get married, and changed their status with the visa office. The second your divorce becomes official, you should strongly consider doing this.

Best advice given now that he has decided to proceed with the conjugal app!

 

[keesio]

Also I've heard of a case where partway through a conjugal app a couple managed to get married, and changed their status with the visa office. The second your divorce becomes official, you should strongly consider doing this.

Yes I think I remember this (or similar) also. By the time the interview rolled (after a long wait) around the couple had ended up living together and established common-law status by then. When the interviewer realized this, he recommended the application to be approved.

 

[jerryca]

Thanks guys. Clearly we hoped to be able to file under more favourable circumstances.

There are some notes here about withdrawing our application. I see no point in this until we have a change in circumstances - are either able to live together for 12 months or get married.

If we are able to get a TRV, which we intend to apply for again now that I have the sponsor approval and our intentions are clearly documented, then we will be more than happy to wait it out.

 

[EBUENCONS]

Hi i made a group here on fb for sponsorhip under conjugal/commonlaw category please join if your application is under these category here is the liink lets keep in touch
https://www.facebook.com/groups/350520505117348/ thank u

 

[mikeymyke]

Wow I can't believe how many people are from the Edmonton area on this forum lol

 

[MizAngel]

Wow I can't believe how many people are from the Edmonton area on this forum lol

Lots of money to be made in Alberta!

 

[gsize]

good because the traffic in GTA is out of control

 

[jerryca]

New twist my friends. My partner applied for a TRV yesterday. She, I will say we, have 4 rejections since January, which of course we hoped would only help with our PR application. Two hours ago we received a request for passport, we hope for TRV. We hope 5th try is lucky; I will post when I know for sure we have her TRV. She is leaving now to send by courier.

 

[mikeymyke]

New twist my friends. My partner applied for a TRV yesterday. She, I will say we, have 4 rejections since January, which of course we hoped would only help with our PR application. Two hours ago we received a request for passport, we hope for TRV. We hope 5th try is lucky; I will post when I know for sure we have her TRV. She is leaving now to send by courier.

I wish you best with your 5th TRV, but do note that multiple refusals for TRV only makes it harder to be approved for future TRVs. Also, multiple refusals don't really help your PR application, because it just simply shows a strong desire to come to Canada, if anything I think it just hinders your application. If you had only been refused once or twice, then it's perfectly acceptable to say that your partner was simply trying to visit you.

Also, why have you been refused so many times? Has your situation signficantly changed from the previous refusals? Simply sending in the same documents over and over when you've been refused before for the same reasons won't help improve your chances of getting a TRV.