Hard to get common law sponsorship?

[DukesArcher]

Is it hard to get accepted for common law sponsorship? I'm English and my partner Canadian. I understand we need to live together for 12 months, but is the process difficult? Do many get accepted?

 

[truesmile]

No it isn't difficult, and many get accepted. You DO have to PROVE 12 months of "continuous cohabitation" however, with a joint lease agreement, joint bank accounts, etc. Simply stating that you did won't be enough.

 

[DukesArcher]

We have an apartment but no joint bank account. I lived at her house with her dad for 4 months. I may also want to go home for a few weeks though as I do have family. Long term couples don't spend every living moment together.

 

[scylla]

Common law sponsorship is easy / straight-forward when you have sufficient evidence to prove you have been common law for a full year. So how easy the process will be for you largely depends on how much evidence you have to prove a full year of cohabitation.

If you leave the country to visit your parents, you should keep your visit to two weeks to ensure the 12 month cohabitation isn't broken in the eyes of CIC.

If you find the common law process too complicated or the proof too difficult to obtain - getting married and then applying will address this issue.