IMM 5490E: Question 14 and 15 "formal ceremonies"

[rrdiggy76]

Hello everybody.

I have searched the forums, but have not found the clarification we require.

My wife and I (she is Canadian, i am British) have just downloaded the application forms for a spousal visa.

Looking through the forms, we have begun to draft answers and have a query regarding two in particular (for now, i'm sure we'll be confused plenty more times to come.....).

Questions 14 and 15 of form IMM 5490E ask for details of formal ceremonies regarding our engagement and subsequent marriage.

What exactly determines whether the celebrations are 'Formal' ? ? ?

We had an 'informal' celebration for the engagement that was a meal at a restaurant with a few friends and family. Mine were unable to attend as i was in Canada at the time....

We had 2 wedding ceremonies. The first was our civil wedding ceremony, legally married and held in Banff, AB. performed by a wedding commissioner. We had a small number of family and friends. No dress or suits, casual clothes (it was outdoors in January...). There was an informal dinner celebration that night.

The second was a blessing ceremony on the beach 2 months later in the Dominican Republic. This time both sets of parents attended, as well as plenty of friends, performed by a wedding planner. This ceremony included all bells and whistles (dress/flowers/photographer/bridesmaid/best man/formal dinner etc etc etc).

We did it this way due to our emotional ties to Banff (we met there), our dreams of a beach wedding, the cost of a legal wedding in the Dominican and the availability of our parents and direct family to make either ceremony.

We have photographic evidence of both ceremonies, perhaps even 1 or 2 from the engagement meal.

Are we right to assume that these are not formal ceremonies and we must answer 'no > explain why' ? ? ?

Thank you for your anticipated help and good luck to all applicants in processing!

 

[dlee31]

I believe "formal" means something that had invitiations, RSVPs, reservations, dressing up, family & friends, etc.

I would check "no" for the question about a formal engagement ceremony and explain exactly what you wrote here - that you had an informal gathering of friends and family at a restaurant and that your side of the family was unable to attend because they were not in Canada at the time. You could also add congratulatory emails, cards, or messages that you may have gotten from your family as proof that they were aware of your engagement and the party, just physically unable to attend. Also add any photos you might have from this event.

It sounds like you did have a formal wedding ceremony (both in Banff and the Dominican) so just check "yes" for that question and add all the details you want.

And congratulations
If you have any questions about the spousal route, feel free to ask. My husband and I went through the same thing last year and, all in all, got approved fairly quickly and painlessly.

 

[iarblue]

diggy76 put exactly what you just said here in the space allowed and answer yes.All they are asking is did you go to a quick court judge wedding or did you put some thought in it.

 

[canadianwoman]

'Formal' does not mean 'with tuxedo and tails' here. CIC wants to know if you celebrated the engagement and the wedding somehow. An informal marriage on the beach with all involved wearing bathing suits, and a white wedding with all men in tuxedos, are both 'formal elebrations' of marriage for the purposes of this form. You had a formal celebration of the engagement - which was an informal dinner with family and friends - and two formal celebrations of the marriage - your two wedding ceremonies. Say 'yes' to both questions, and explain.

 

[rrdiggy76]

Ok, thanks everybody!

 

[ColorMePanda]

I don't mean to intrude your thread but may I ask what my fiance and I should say in terms to our engagement.

My bf at the time propose to me while celebrating my birthday on a weekend getaway. The day we left the hotel was the morning of my birthday because my fiance needed to work that night. I mean technically we celebrated it along with my birthday but we did not have dinner or have a party with friends and family. We just announced it to them casually of the proposal whenever they were around and we also did over the internet. Neither one of us have ever heard of an engagement party or felt the need to have a party for it as we felt just mentioning to family and friends was good enough. We are also going to put an engagement and wedding announcement in my local paper from home. Is it a requirement to have celebrated this and will it look awkward for a US citizen and Canadian citizen to never have heard of such in our families?

So with the way we "celebrated" our engagement, would ours be formal or not?

 

[sbwv09]

Hi Panda! I'm not sure what you would do, but I just put 'no' but explained that we had a casual get together as well as two bachelorette parties (kinda big deal things with invites and stuff.. my friends were excited!) and included pictures and stuff. I don't know if I'd put a 'yes' or 'no', but I would definently tell them what you put on here as an explaination.

 

[ColorMePanda]

Thank you very much sbwv09.
I might just choose no because I plan on explaining it anyway. And as far as bachelorette parties go, I am still not sure whether anyone has one planned for me yet so still time for that I guess. Lol. I would like to celebrate that even if it just with one girlfriend.