Feeling overwhelmed with all the small Qs before starting spouse PR app

[David2736]

• 1. Does the medical result 1-year count down start as soon as I get the results or as soon as I submit them? (I am also assuming the count down doesn't freeze when I submit the application like the police check..?)
• 2. Does every document that I submit need to be notarized? E.G. copy of passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate.
• 3. What documents do need to be documented? I think something like birth, divorce and marriage certificates are OK as they are but things like a personal statement affidavit from my father-in-law does need to be notarized.
• 4. What government needs to notarize them - Canada or England gov?
• 5. Can I actually apply for the IEC 2015 while I wait for the spousal PR app? Like, would it make me exempt?
• 6. Instead of plane ticket stubs to show we went to visit each other, will email e-tickets or flight check-in confirmations suffice?
• 7. What do I do with forms that I won't need? For example the form 'Use of a representative'? I think I still need to include them but just have them blank - right?

 

[tink23]

1. Medical expires one year from the date you do it.
2. No. We only legalized our marriage certificate, and the translations we did.
3. Get them legalized in the country where they are from (or the embassy of said country)
4. I didn't keep plane stubs and so just used passport stamps.
5. If you want to be safe that they don't think you are missing the form, just print it and put a big N/A across the form. Or you don't have to include it.

 

[fandv]

• 6. Instead of plane ticket stubs to show we went to visit each other, will email e-tickets or flight check-in confirmations suffice?
• 7. What do I do with forms that I won't need? For example the form 'Use of a representative'? I think I still need to include them but just have them blank - right?

6. Not sure if they will suffice, but the rule of thumb is that the more you provide, the better it is. Submitting those is definitely better than not submitting any travel proofs at all. What about boarding passes from those trips? If you have them, definitely submit them too (copies are fine -- that's what my wife did).

7. Some people who don't need it, include them but leave them blank. I personally wouldn't do it as the visa officer might think you forgot to fill it out. The better options are as follows (choose either one):

- Not including them at all, but write on a sheet of paper, explaining why you're not including them (i.e.: in the case of the "Use of a representative" form, you can write that you're not including the form caz you're not using a representative)

OR

- Include the forms, and write "Not Applicable" all over the forms

The key is to be as crystal clear as possible, and do your best to make the officers have no doubts...

 

[canuck_in_uk]

1. The one year count begins the day you do it.

2. No. For married UK applicants, pretty much nothing needs to be notarized. As stated in the country specific guide:

Send originals of the immigration forms (items 1 to 5 below) and police certificates. Send photocopies of all other documents, unless instructed otherwise. Do not send your documents in transparency pockets, binders or folders. If your documents are not in English or French, send a notarized (certified) translation with a copy of the originals.

3. As above, none. Only common-law couples are required to notarize at least 2 of their family/friend letters. It's not necessary for married couples.

4. The government doesn't notarize them. A lawyer, Justice of the Peace, NOtary Public, MP, etc. can notarize documents.

5. You can apply for IEC 2015. The two apps have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

6. E-tickets and check-in confirmations are fine.

7. Mark N/A on the checklists for all forms that don't apply. If you want, you can include them but don't leave them blank; mark a big N/A across the entire page.

 

[BCKev]

• 6. Instead of plane ticket stubs to show we went to visit each other, will email e-tickets or flight check-in confirmations suffice?
  
• 7. What do I do with forms that I won't need? For example the form 'Use of a representative'? I think I still need to include them but just have them blank - right?

6. An emailed ticket/itinerary is fine. In my case, to show that my spouse and I visited each other I send the following:
- scans of my passport showing entry & exit stamps to her country
- a couple of photographs from each trip. It is great to have the time/date stamp right on the picture!! I put the photos into a Word file, two photos per page, and wrote a descriptive caption for each photo. For example: BCKev & wife having dinner with BCKev's friend in XX city on XXX date.
- anytime something was mentioned in the application such as have you met each other's family members and friends, I provided photographic evidence.

7. There is no need to include the "Use of Representative" form unless you actually are appointing a representative.

 

[Christoph100]

- a couple of photographs from each trip. It is great to have the time/date stamp right on the picture!! I put the photos into a Word file, two photos per page, and wrote a descriptive caption for each photo. For example: BCKev & wife having dinner with BCKev's friend in XX city on XXX date.

Care full with time stamps make sure they are correct or you have alot of explaining to do in letter like I did..My first trip I forgot to adjust the time stamp settings it was showing stamps before I arrived some how..luckily the boarding passes confirmed when i was really there.