Dates of paperwork?

[amcpons]

I was wondering if someone can help me find out what to do in my situation. i came to visit my boyfriend, we were not that serious at the time but i keep making my vacations longer and stayed for all 6 months, then he travel with me for 1 month, then we came back and i got other 6 months stamp.

I have been living with him 11 months now, so we are thinking that we are definitely moving in together, and should apply for common law.
We didnt plan this, so..i have no joint bank accounts, didnt signed a lease, nothing official.

I have proof that we have been together for that time, i can get neighbors and friends to make letters, i have photos etc.
Im wondering, what happens if i sign lease now, or we start bank accounts now, will this papers count if they are one month old before the application?

I dont know if this is a common situation or what would be the best way to explain to immigration officer that this is a recent decision but we have the year together, just wondering if anyone has done this before or what would be my best chance for a successful application. Thanks!!!

 

[Ponga]

The most important item will be a letter from his landlord stating you have in fact been living there for the entire 11 months. This would need to be notarized (or sworn before a commissioner of Oaths). Without this, it will be difficult to prove to CIC that you have in fact been cohabiting. Letters from your friends will be great to validate your `relationship'. but will have little, if any, merit concerning your proof of living together.

Get a joint bank account (or have him add you to his account) ASAP. You can then send it something from the bank that shows bit of your names on the account. CIC will not know when you were added, only that it is a joint account.

Do the same with his cell phone plan (if possible), if you can be added without having to sign a long-term contract. He may be able to add you to his account, but you would be on a month-to-month plan (it's what we did).

Good luck!

 

[taffy7]

Just make sure you have the full 365 days of living together, not 1 day less when you apply. The travel outside of Canada when you were together counts. You can get a pretty cheap life insurance from CAA get him to add you as the beneficiary. Also try and find any receipts from dates you have gone on together as proof. Plane tickets that you visited and any thing that connects the dates you were together. You can apply outland and stay here in Canada with him. Check the dates of sponsorship time to see if it is better to apply inland or outland.

 

[amcpons]

Thank you sooo much everyone for your help. This forum is amazing!

First, I am right now in canada, i have an extended stay that expires on another 4 months im planning to apply on june, exactly after the 365 days, (thanks for mentioning that) and i want to apply outland since the application time is shorter and i want to try to travel while application is in process.

I still have a question about the lease, maybe you can help me?

- Im confused about it since a few months ago we tried to add me to the lease, the strata company mentioned i couldnt since they cant proof my fincances etc and i just have a visitor status in canada, has anyone been able to sign a lease in that situation or is this is correct and cant be done?

- They did mention i could be added as a guest or i dont remember the term they used, something that will said i am allow to be visiting him, will this be a paper that could be valid for the application? has anyone done it this way?

- We are lucky that even if his lease is through a management company we actually know the owner of the condo, so, as you mentioned a letter will be proof, is there any specifics the letter has to say? my question refers to the fact that on my extended stay application i mentioned i was just visiting, no intentions of living here, so..does the landlord has to say i have been visiting for 12 months? i have been living for 12 months? or words doesnt really matter? is there anything else that has to be mentioned?

i will have it notarized, just making sure that will be all i need from her.

- Now as i said i wont send my application before the 365 days however, will the notified letter from the landlord would have to be right after the 12 months? can it be done now, when im still missing one month for the whole year? if she says i have been living here for 11 months..and i sent the application a month later, it means we have been a year on the same house, will this work??

thanks everyone for their time!!!

 

[taffy7]

I personally wouldn't take the chance.I would wait for the full 365 days then proceed with the application.You can fill in all the forms before hand then just collect the letter afterwards.Send it right the first time then you will less likely to have delays. You can have your medical done here in Canada.You will need photos Fbi prints. Lots to done before applying.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

my question refers to the fact that on my extended stay application i mentioned i was just visiting, no intentions of living here, so..does the landlord has to say i have been visiting for 12 months? i have been living for 12 months? or words doesnt really matter? is there anything else that has to be mentioned?

i will have it notarized, just making sure that will be all i need from her.

- Now as i said i wont send my application before the 365 days however, will the notified letter from the landlord would have to be right after the 12 months? can it be done now, when im still missing one month for the whole year? if she says i have been living here for 11 months..and i sent the application a month later, it means we have been a year on the same house, will this work??

As you're not on the lease, the letter from the landlord will be one of the most important common-law proofs you have, so you would be taking a serious risk if it states 11 months and not a full year of cohabitation. The letter should state that you have been living at X address with XXX XXX since XX/XX/XXXX.

 

[amhel26]

Awesome, thanks for your answer. i rather wait more days and have the paperwork exactly as it should, i will do that!
thanks!!

 

[little_apple]

And ask the landlord if you can get rent payment receipts with both of your names on them for the last 12 months. Our landlord did this for us