CONJUGAL SPONSORSHIP... tips for success

[SBW]

I finally made up my mind and going to sponsor my fiancé under conjugal sponsorship. So we’ve been together since 2017, I have 3 kids for him and my barrier to marriage is Covid19, crime with Jamaica. Do you see my barriers bringing forth a successful application? How long is the process after submitting an application?

If you have been successful with your conjugal application, please share your story and timeline!

 

[armoured]

I finally made up my mind and going to sponsor my fiancé under conjugal sponsorship. So we’ve been together since 2017, I have 3 kids for him and my barrier to marriage is Covid19, crime with Jamaica. Do you see my barriers bringing forth a successful application? How long is the process after submitting an application?

If you have been successful with your conjugal application, please share your story and timeline!

Personally I doubt that your barriers to marriage as stated are convincing and will meet the test. Your chances of getting your sponsorship approval are much, much higher if one of you can travel to the other - or you both travel - and just get married.

 

[SBW]

Personally I doubt that your barriers to marriage as stated are convincing and will meet the test. Your chances of getting your sponsorship approval are much, much higher if one of you can travel to the other - or you both travel - and just get married.

Thank you for your response. But do
You think even if religious beliefs were involved as well?

 

[SBW]

Thank you for your response. But do
You think even if religious beliefs were involved as well?

Might I add, this decision was made after having a consultation with an immigration consultant. - I’m born Canadian citizen, my kids are all born Canadian citizens & my fiancé is In Jamaican in Jamaica.

 

[armoured]

But do
You think even if religious beliefs were involved as well?

Might I add, this decision was made after having a consultation with an immigration consultant. - I’m born Canadian citizen, my kids are all born Canadian citizens & my fiancé is In Jamaican in Jamaica.

I give approximately 1% weighting to the opinion of the immigration consultant. Meaning, they might be good, but often are not.

Now, you say religious beliefs, but, well, what religious beliefs? As far as I'm aware there are no specific issues in either Canada or Jamaica (or one of the many countries you might plausibly get married in) that would prevent inter-faith marriage or put you at serious risk.

Personally I think "we don't believe in marriage" is a singularly bad explanation. But anyway, shouldn't speculate and wait to hear what involvement your religious beliefs play in this.

Important point to underline: it sounds like your relationship should be reasonably easy to demonstrate as genuine.

But the conjugal status (compared to the other spousal sponsorship forms) is mostly not about showing that you have a real relationship, but proving that there are substantial (arguably comprehensive) barriers to marriage or living together. (They are at least a little practical about the live together/become common law part). "We don't want to get married" because [reasons] might occasionally get through but could still get refused and hard to prove.

Yes, people get refused under conjugal apps even though there is no doubt they are real couples.

All coming back to: if you can get married and immigration to Canada is important to you as a family, it will all go much easier and more quickly than trying to shoe-horn your case into conjugal.

Unless of course you've left something important out, like same-sex relationship, TRV refusals, membership of a (not known to me) forbidden religious sect, etc.

 

[scylla]

I finally made up my mind and going to sponsor my fiancé under conjugal sponsorship. So we’ve been together since 2017, I have 3 kids for him and my barrier to marriage is Covid19, crime with Jamaica. Do you see my barriers bringing forth a successful application? How long is the process after submitting an application?

If you have been successful with your conjugal application, please share your story and timeline!

COVID and crime in Jamaica aren't barriers to marriage. Do you have other reasons? Based on the above you don't have a case for conjugal.

 

[SBW]

I give approximately 1% weighting to the opinion of the immigration consultant. Meaning, they might be good, but often are not.

Now, you say religious beliefs, but, well, what religious beliefs? As far as I'm aware there are no specific issues in either Canada or Jamaica (or one of the many countries you might plausibly get married in) that would prevent inter-faith marriage or put you at serious risk.

Personally I think "we don't believe in marriage" is a singularly bad explanation. But anyway, shouldn't speculate and wait to hear what involvement your religious beliefs play in this.

Important point to underline: it sounds like your relationship should be reasonably easy to demonstrate as genuine.

But the conjugal status (compared to the other spousal sponsorship forms) is mostly not about showing that you have a real relationship, but proving that there are substantial (arguably comprehensive) barriers to marriage or living together. (They are at least a little practical about the live together/become common law part). "We don't want to get married" because [reasons] might occasionally get through but could still get refused and hard to prove.

Yes, people get refused under conjugal apps even though there is no doubt they are real couples.

All coming back to: if you can get married and immigration to Canada is important to you as a family, it will all go much easier and more quickly than trying to shoe-horn your case into conjugal.

Unless of course you've left something important out, like same-sex relationship, TRV refusals, membership of a (not known to me) forbidden religious sect, etc.

No, I’m not against marriage & we do plan to get married but in Canada with my family in attendance. I have no family in Jamaica.

Religion beliefs based off of my definition of marriage.. as to why I wouldn’t want the ceremony in Jamaica rather than Canada.

Me getting married without any family or friend in attendance, isn’t that a red flag to immigration? Although, yes the relationship is very much so easily proven as genuine.

I really appreciate your response, Some very good points you are making!

 

[SBW]

COVID and crime in Jamaica aren't barriers to marriage. Do you have other reasons? Based on the above you don't have a case for conjugal.

Than you for your response as well, no other reasons, as I stated I had a consultation with an immigration consultant and she did say those were good barriers. Clearly I see that they are not now.

 

[armoured]

No, I’m not against marriage & we do plan to get married but in Canada with my family in attendance. I have no family in Jamaica.

Religion beliefs based off of my definition of marriage.. as to why I wouldn’t want the ceremony in Jamaica rather than Canada.

Me getting married without any family or friend in attendance, isn’t that a red flag to immigration? Although, yes the relationship is very much so easily proven as genuine.

In very simple terms: have a civil marriage wherever you can (Jamaica or Canada or wherever) and do your larger marriage (religious or not) when you can with whomever you want in attendance. I believe a civil marriage in Jamaica is similar to Canada and easily done, easily documented, easily recognized by Canadian authorities - but that's only a guess (informed that jamaica is a big place for destination weddings so surely not difficult).

While it is better to marry with family and friends in attendance, in your case you can explain fairly easily - covid and travel costs and vaccinations etc make it impractical to do large ceremony. If this were an arragned marriage or you met yesterday online it might be important to marry with big wedding; with three kids (and presuambly ability to show relationship) - not so much.

[Side note that lots of people don't realise about marriage in Canada: most people do civil and religious marriages at the same time, the officiant is 'deputised' by the government. They are distinct legally however - religious, do whatever you want, civil is the only one that counts for government. I am guessing that it's similar in Jamaica but don't know. In some parts of the world the religious ceremony is itself considered legal; in much of Europe it's like Canada except that procedurally they separate the two types of marriages (i.e. they don't deputise the religious officiants and the civil marriage has to be done at city hall or equivalent and if you do a religious marriage, it's your own business but physically separate).]

I think your consultant is a fool and will waste you a lot of time and potentially cost you money if you follow that advice and go conjugal.

 

[armoured]

[Side note that lots of people don't realise about marriage in Canada: most people do civil and religious marriages at the same time, the officiant is 'deputised' by the government. They are distinct legally however - religious, do whatever you want, civil is the only one that counts for government. I am guessing that it's similar in Jamaica but don't know.

Quick check is that basically any minister of religion can be appointed a Marriage Officer (i.e. act as a civil officer for purposes of marriage), and there's some provision for civil officers. So superficially very similar to Canada, you can do some kind of civil marriage without too much trouble. (Or a 'religious' one I'm guessing by some unitarian or whatever)

 

[SBW]

Quick check is that basically any minister of religion can be appointed a Marriage Officer (i.e. act as a civil officer for purposes of marriage), and there's some provision for civil officers. So superficially very similar to Canada, you can do some kind of civil marriage without too much trouble. (Or a 'religious' one I'm guessing by some unitarian or whatever)

Thank you for your knowledge and advice.