Messy... scenario! Help :(

[sariss]

Almost any bank will let her have an account. She may need immigration documents, though. I needed my Visitor's Record. The bank may want proof of legal status in Canada and the Passport stamp doesn't cut it.

I disagree with the doing lots of stuff and taking lots of pictures. If you can't afford it - you can't afford it. Too many pictures only bogs down the application for a visa exempt citizen. No reason to send tons and tons.

OP can try for an IEC visa with Italy when they re-open next year.

TD did not require anything when my husband (not married at that time) and I opened up a joint account - they just looked at his passport and driver's license. He was there on a 2 week trip at the time.

To the OP - what country are you from?

This is what we had done for our application in the form of proof. We must have done something right - we were done the entire process in 7 months.
-Pictures of us together during various times of our visits
-Pictures of him and family members together
-A letter from my mother, and from one of my good friends about him
-Joint bank account statements
-A letter from our credit card company stating he is an authorized card holder
-My life insurance policy showing he is a beneficiary
-A statement from my insurance company showing his coverage (he was not eligible for much, just Dental as he did not have OHIP).
-Signed lease from our apartment with his name on it
-Utility bills in both our names
-Receipts to all gifts given
-Proof of all travel (plane tickets, etc)
-Phone bills showing contact
-Facebook chat showing us speaking over several years

I think I did more, but that's what I've got off the top of my head. Being from a visa exempt country you don't have to be as thorough as other countries, but never be careless. A friend of a co-worker applied around the same time as us and was from the same country as my husband (USA), and they had a bit of a scare being called into an interview where their relationship was heavily questioned. Thankfully they made it, but they were forced to bring a lot of proof (most of which I listed) to their interview.

 

[LauraLynnR]

TD did not require anything when my husband (not married at that time) and I opened up a joint account - they just looked at his passport and driver's license. He was there on a 2 week trip at the time.

To the OP - what country are you from?

This is what we had done for our application in the form of proof. We must have done something right - we were done the entire process in 7 months.
-Pictures of us together during various times of our visits
-Pictures of him and family members together
-A letter from my mother, and from one of my good friends about him
-Joint bank account statements
-A letter from our credit card company stating he is an authorized card holder
-My life insurance policy showing he is a beneficiary
-A statement from my insurance company showing his coverage (he was not eligible for much, just Dental as he did not have OHIP).
-Signed lease from our apartment with his name on it
-Utility bills in both our names
-Receipts to all gifts given
-Proof of all travel (plane tickets, etc)
-Phone bills showing contact
-Facebook chat showing us speaking over several years

I think I did more, but that's what I've got off the top of my head. Being from a visa exempt country you don't have to be as thorough as other countries, but never be careless. A friend of a co-worker applied around the same time as us and was from the same country as my husband (USA), and they had a bit of a scare being called into an interview where their relationship was heavily questioned. Thankfully they made it, but they were forced to bring a lot of proof (most of which I listed) to their interview.

We don't have all of these things done yet, cause we need time and to be together first... we'll work on it as soon as I'm in Canada but we can do it... we're never out of proofs... we have videos recorded from ooVoo (a software similar to Skype) we'll have pics and a lot more... i'll keep everything we do together: tickets, restaurant bills, pictures with his dad and his siblings (his mom refuses to talk to him and she threatened me to leave him in the past... loooong story) or even when we're out together with friends.
We also need to find a way to join bank accounts and similar stuff cause I don't have one but wel'' work it out

 

[amikety]

Depending in his cell phone provider, he can "add" another phone to his account. If you go to the right page, you can print it off, showing both your names on the account.

If you're living together, that is the most important proof you'll need. If he's renting, make sure to sign a roommate agreement or new lease in both your names with the landlord. If he owns his home, you can both sign a "co-habitation agreement" that outlines responsibilities, but also shows you live together. It's similar to a roommate agreement.

Don't stress too much. By moving in together, you'll make plenty of proof on your own.

I would strongly encourage you to look at IEC for Italy. It will allow you to work in Canada, which makes entering even easier.

 

[sariss]

We don't have all of these things done yet, cause we need time and to be together first... we'll work on it as soon as I'm in Canada but we can do it... we're never out of proofs... we have videos recorded from ooVoo (a software similar to Skype) we'll have pics and a lot more... i'll keep everything we do together: tickets, restaurant bills, pictures with his dad and his siblings (his mom refuses to talk to him and she threatened me to leave him in the past... loooong story) or even when we're out together with friends.
We also need to find a way to join bank accounts and similar stuff cause I don't have one but wel'' work it out

Exactly. Once you get here, you'll have time to gather everything.

 

[LauraLynnR]

Depending in his cell phone provider, he can "add" another phone to his account. If you go to the right page, you can print it off, showing both your names on the account.

If you're living together, that is the most important proof you'll need. If he's renting, make sure to sign a roommate agreement or new lease in both your names with the landlord. If he owns his home, you can both sign a "co-habitation agreement" that outlines responsibilities, but also shows you live together. It's similar to a roommate agreement.

Don't stress too much. By moving in together, you'll make plenty of proof on your own.

I would strongly encourage you to look at IEC for Italy. It will allow you to work in Canada, which makes entering even easier.

Thanks he does have an apartment... he signed a lease with the landlord about a month ago and now he's living there since yesterday morning.
I'll ask him further information when he comes back from work about the roommate agreement.
Anyways now it's clearer what to do... I read about the 12 months requirement to apply for the permanent residence, but some people told me it wasn't necessary so i was extremely confused about it. This is the first step after all...

 

[amikety]

You can find the roommate agreement online, for free. (Don't pay for it!!!) It's simple, straightforward. Basically says you're allowed to live there and if you destroy the place, you have to pay for it

12 months isn't necessary if you're married.

 

[LauraLynnR]

Exactly. Once you get here, you'll have time to gather everything.

He just told me "50 $ and you can stay here for a year"... we were wondering how much it'd cost to extend my visa but he said $50 is nothing.
Finally I feel like we're on the right path!

 

[LauraLynnR]

You can find the roommate agreement online, for free. (Don't pay for it!!!) It's simple, straightforward. Basically says you're allowed to live there and if you destroy the place, you have to pay for it

12 months isn't necessary if you're married.

lol I won't destroy it ;D does it can be used as a proof you effectively lived together with your partner for the entire amount of time of 12 months?

 

[amikety]

Visitor extensions last time I applied were $75. I doubt the fee will decrease

It's not proof on it's own. It helps build a case though. Proof of genuine relationship is kinda of like building a snowman. One flake isn't going to do it, but you put together a whole lot of flakes and you can make a snowman.

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

My opinion but the best thing to do is have a civil wedding prior to the end of your 6 month visa then apply under family sponsor ship. You will know if you are compatible or not after living together for 6 months.

 

[LauraLynnR]

Visitor extensions last time I applied were $75. I doubt the fee will decrease

It's not proof on it's own. It helps build a case though. Proof of genuine relationship is kinda of like building a snowman. One flake isn't going to do it, but you put together a whole lot of flakes and you can make a snowman.

Cause I received a private message (I couldn't reply unfortunately cause it says I can't send PM... : ) which said "you can extend your visitor extension for 50$... well is not that much of difference...
Let's say, piece by piece we're gonna build that snowman we'll do everything possible

 

[amikety]

Cause I received a private message (I couldn't reply unfortunately cause it says I can't send PM... : ) which said "you can extend your visitor extension for 50$... well is not that much of difference...
Let's say, piece by piece we're gonna build that snowman we'll do everything possible

That's either someone trying to sell you services or giving you bad information.

If they are trying to sell you services, report them.

It's 75.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/extend/visa.asp

 

[LauraLynnR]

My opinion but the best thing to do is have a civil wedding prior to the end of your 6 month visa then apply under family sponsor ship. You will know if you are compatible or not after living together for 6 months.

Hehehe I guess so! But I don't wanna "force" him into it... I know it wouldn't be a problem for both of us (our intentions already were to get married) but we would do something special that wouldn't force us to separate after our weddings... I know a lot of couples that do that but honestly..... is a pain already to be apart from him now... i couldn't think of let him go after all that time

 

[amikety]

You wouldn't have to leave Canada after the wedding.

Just to make things perfectly clear - you said you live in Italy. Are you Italian? Have an Italian passport?

If the answer is yes, then you don't have much to worry about. Italians are visa exempt. Visa exempt citizens are generally allowed to remain in Canada while the PR application is processing - even if you apply to Rome.

For example - I am American, also visa exempt. I have been in Canada legally since 2011. I have applied online to maintain my status and updated CIC with our married/PR plans. I included proof of financial support and explained to CIC what I was doing to keep myself occupied since I can't work. My extensions have always been approved. CIC has never asked me for anything additional.

Heck, I even TOLD CIC we were savings up money for a wedding - that's why we hadn't gotten married yet. I got a year extension after that!

Basically, unless you've done something to make yourself inadmissible to Canada (i. e., committed certain crimes), you don't have much to worry about. You can show CIC your Canadian boyfriend is supporting you and it's fine. Just one tip - use "we" in the application for extension. ("We would like to qualify for common-law.) Or you can go to the USA border together and get a new passport stamp. If your boyfriend is with you and asks for you to accompany him back to Canada, you will get back in the vast, vast majority of the time without much issue.

Really, the only times visa exempt run into any issues entering Canada is when - 1) They are inadmissible for reasons like criminal record, previous overstay; or 2) They do or say something unwise (Such as - "I want to move to Canada." WRONG - denied!)

 

[LauraLynnR]

You wouldn't have to leave Canada after the wedding.

Just to make things perfectly clear - you said you live in Italy. Are you Italian? Have an Italian passport?

If the answer is yes, then you don't have much to worry about. Italians are visa exempt. Visa exempt citizens are generally allowed to remain in Canada while the PR application is processing - even if you apply to Rome.

For example - I am American, also visa exempt. I have been in Canada legally since 2011. I have applied online to maintain my status and updated CIC with our married/PR plans. I included proof of financial support and explained to CIC what I was doing to keep myself occupied since I can't work. My extensions have always been approved. CIC has never asked me for anything additional.

Heck, I even TOLD CIC we were savings up money for a wedding - that's why we hadn't gotten married yet. I got a year extension after that!

Basically, unless you've done something to make yourself inadmissible to Canada (i. e., committed certain crimes), you don't have much to worry about. You can show CIC your Canadian boyfriend is supporting you and it's fine. Just one tip - use "we" in the application for extension. ("We would like to qualify for common-law.) Or you can go to the USA border together and get a new passport stamp. If your boyfriend is with you and asks for you to accompany him back to Canada, you will get back in the vast, vast majority of the time without much issue.

Really, the only times visa exempt run into any issues entering Canada is when - 1) They are inadmissible for reasons like criminal record, previous overstay; or 2) They do or say something unwise (Such as - "I want to move to Canada." WRONG - denied!)

I am italian... I was born here, I've ever lived here and i'm an italian citizen. I'm getting my passport in about a week... I graduated last Friday so I've been so busy lately! But now i'm free to do all the stuff I need before I leave... to get the passport they just take a few days... this is what they told me.
What scared me and my boyfriend most, was how much time I'm able to stay there. He was worried cause he told me once "I don't want to let you go... cause I know we'd suffer again... I want you to stay here with no further separations" so basically before the permanent residence, we were trying to find a way to make me stay in Canada as long as possible or even with no time limit.
So he started with "alright... 6 months and you have to come back... but I'll visit you after a few months" then we found out about the 12 months thing, and it's ok... $75 really aren't a problem. So now we're wondering "After 12 months here you have to come back to Italy cause you can't stay here anymore or if we apply at the end of 12 months you can stay here again without extend your visitor extension again?"
Such a mess, I feel a bit stupid I am not seized on these things