**NOVEMBER 2016 - OUTLAND SPOUSAL APPLICANTS**

[danawhitaker]

My partner and I got basically the exact question but it was followed by a statement about proof to reside. Is yours the same as below?

I also double and triple checked all our forms and don't see anything incorrect and we gave what I still feel like was sufficient proof to return. Anyway, we uploaded as much additional proof as we could come up with after the request. I have the feeling that some of the agents handling the cases are just more persnickety than others.

It honestly seems like they're trying to crack down a bit more on situations where perhaps the sponsor and the PA don't actually intend to relocate to Canada fairly quickly after approval, and are trying to weed out people who are just applying so their options are open if they decided they wanted to go to Canada at some vague point in the future. I'm not implying anyone here is doing that, but I've noticed a lot more people being asked to provide this proof across various threads here lately, much more than I noticed when I was earlier in my application process.

 

[TN_Hibee]

It honestly seems like they're trying to crack down a bit more on situations where perhaps the sponsor and the PA don't actually intend to relocate to Canada fairly quickly after approval, and are trying to weed out people who are just applying so their options are open if they decided they wanted to go to Canada at some vague point in the future. I'm not implying anyone here is doing that, but I've noticed a lot more people being asked to provide this proof across various threads here lately, much more than I noticed when I was earlier in my application process.

It could very well be that. I scoured the forum looking for what other people submitted as proof and I felt we went submitted as much or more than most posts I read. I even saw someone who had a job offer and other pretty solid proof get asked for more info.

We were also asked for an IM5409 which anyone who read the guide can clearly see that that form is only for co-signers (which we don't have). Truth is it's hard to guess what drives these sorts of queries and we can only speculate.

 

[CDNPR2014]

We were also asked for an IM5409 which anyone who read the guide can clearly see that that form is only for co-signers (which we don't have). Truth is it's hard to guess what drives these sorts of queries and we can only speculate.

are you sure they didn't ask for form 4506? that is a form that is commonly requested.

 

[TN_Hibee]

are you sure they didn't ask for form 4506? that is a form that is commonly requested.

copy and pasted from my letter "IMM5409: Statutory Declaration of Common-Law"

I did just double check after you sowed a seed of doubt that I've made a huge mistake.

 

[CDNPR2014]

copy and pasted from my letter "IMM5409: Statutory Declaration of Common-Law"

I did just double check after you sowed a seed of doubt that I've made a huge mistake.

are you applying as commonlaw? that form is required for all commonlaw applications i believe. it has nothing to do with co-signing, so i'm not sure where you're getting that reference from. there is nothing on the form about co-signing. it has to do with declaring you are in a commonlaw relationship with each other.

 

[TN_Hibee]

are you applying as commonlaw? that form is required for all commonlaw applications i believe. it has nothing to do with co-signing. it has to do with declaring you are in a commonlaw relationship.

The guide states "Original of completed Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409), if you have a co-signer and he or she is your common-law partner.

Seems straightforward to me.

 

[Bcboundboy]

are you applying as commonlaw? that form is required for all commonlaw applications i believe. it has nothing to do with co-signing, so i'm not sure where you're getting that reference from. there is nothing on the form about co-signing. it has to do with declaring you are in a commonlaw relationship with each other.

It's not on the required list for common law couples with no dependents, although it is required if there's a co-signer. That said, it's quite commonly asked for for common-law couples - seems to be going up over the last year, looking at spreadsheets requests used to be rare, now in around 2/3 of cases.

 

[TN_Hibee]

It's not on the required list for common law couples with no dependents, although it is required if there's a co-signer. That said, it's quite commonly asked for for common-law couples - seems to be going up over the last year, looking at spreadsheets requests used to be rare, now in around 2/3 of cases.

Yeah I read that but unfortunately didn't do it in the beginning. I can definitely recommend for common-law couples to submit it anyway since it can't hurt and you have other documents that need to be notarised so might as well get it done together.

 

[CDNPR2014]

The guide states "Original of completed Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409), if you have a co-signer and he or she is your common-law partner.

Seems straightforward to me.

weird, i'm not seeing it referenced in the new guide. are you looking at the old one or the new one?

It's not on the required list for common law couples with no dependents, although it is required if there's a co-signer. That said, it's quite commonly asked for for common-law couples - seems to be going up over the last year, looking at spreadsheets requests used to be rare, now in around 2/3 of cases.

yes, since I'm not seeing it listed in the new guide, this sounds like it's an optional form that may be required during processing, at IRCC's discretion. not sure what is used to determine the need for it.

 

[Bcboundboy]

weird, i'm not seeing it referenced in the new guide. are you looking at the old one or the new one?

yes, since I'm not seeing it listed in the new guide, this sounds like it's an optional form that may be required during processing, at IRCC's discretion. not sure what is used to determine the need for it.

Yeah, it's one of those fuzzy things - might be useful, but you don't want to include things they don't ask for.

Old checklist is at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5491E.pdf - item 5 asks for it, if you both (1) are CL, and (2) have a co-signer.

So most CL couples don't include it by default, due to not needing a co-signer outside specific circumstances, and then some but not all of them get asked for it later anyway. Yaaaay consistency

 

[TN_Hibee]

weird, i'm not seeing it referenced in the new guide. are you looking at the old one or the new one?

yes, since I'm not seeing it listed in the new guide, this sounds like it's an optional form that may be required during processing, at IRCC's discretion. not sure what is used to determine the need for it.

It's from the old guide. In fact, it's no longer available in the new applications or anywhere I could find in the spousal application section. I found the form on another application type and now there is no longer any guidance to fill it out. So it was a little annoying to request something that's not really any longer available.

 

[416siha]

Finally got a message from CIC... re-requesting the same information we have provided. I don't get it.. but now we have to send the information again.. Following is the message my wife received..

To assist us in the processing of your application, please provide the following information/
documents:

 Submit new updated schedule A form. For questions 8 and 12 you have to give answers
from your 18 yrs of age to date without leaving any gaps. Even though the form indicates
that information is needed from either 18yrs of age or the past 10 yrs , information is
needed from your 18 yrs of age to continue processing your application. This must be
received at this office by: 2017/03/23

 Please inform in writing whether you have completed your medicals. If "yes" please
provide the relevant documents to prove that you have completed medicals. This must
be received at this office by: 2017/03/23

 Submit your sponsor's Notice of Assessment for the year 2015 This must be received at
this office by: 2017/03/23

 Submit a letter from your sponsor's current employer / employers giving full details of
sponsor’s employment including salary details. This must be received at this office by:
2017/03/23

If you are not able to send us the information/documents by that date, please contact us to let
us know how much time you need to obtain the required information/documents. If we do not
receive the information/documents by that date and do not hear from you, a decision may be
made based on the information on your file.

Please include our complete file number on your correspondence and address your
correspondence to the High Commission at the address indicated below.

PLEASE RETURN THIS LETTER WITH THE REQUESTED DOCUMENTS SO WE CAN
QUICKLY MATCH YOUR INFORMATION/DOCUMENTS TO YOUR APPLICATION.

Is this something I should worry about?

 

[katdanger]

Finally got a message from CIC... re-requesting the same information we have provided. I don't get it.. but now we have to send the information again.. Following is the message my wife received..

To assist us in the processing of your application, please provide the following information/
documents:

 Submit new updated schedule A form. For questions 8 and 12 you have to give answers
from your 18 yrs of age to date without leaving any gaps. Even though the form indicates
that information is needed from either 18yrs of age or the past 10 yrs , information is
needed from your 18 yrs of age to continue processing your application. This must be
received at this office by: 2017/03/23

 Please inform in writing whether you have completed your medicals. If "yes" please
provide the relevant documents to prove that you have completed medicals. This must
be received at this office by: 2017/03/23

 Submit your sponsor's Notice of Assessment for the year 2015 This must be received at
this office by: 2017/03/23

 Submit a letter from your sponsor's current employer / employers giving full details of
sponsor’s employment including salary details. This must be received at this office by:
2017/03/23

If you are not able to send us the information/documents by that date, please contact us to let
us know how much time you need to obtain the required information/documents. If we do not
receive the information/documents by that date and do not hear from you, a decision may be
made based on the information on your file.

Please include our complete file number on your correspondence and address your
correspondence to the High Commission at the address indicated below.

PLEASE RETURN THIS LETTER WITH THE REQUESTED DOCUMENTS SO WE CAN
QUICKLY MATCH YOUR INFORMATION/DOCUMENTS TO YOUR APPLICATION.

Is this something I should worry about?

Did you get a response acknowledging receipt when you submitted these things the first time? If yes I'd resubmit all this information plus something showing you already submitted it once before. Make sure you keep evidence that you've submitted this! Screenshots, receipts, email, whatever you get! If they judge your case without this information and you get denied you would need the proof that you submitted it for the appeal process - not that I think this will happen, it's just good to be prepared!

Anyone else get a similar letter/in a similar situation?

 

[416siha]

Submit new updated schedule A form. For questions 8 and 12 you have to give answers
from your 18 yrs of age to date without leaving any gaps. Even though the form indicates
that information is needed from either 18yrs of age or the past 10 yrs , information is
needed from your 18 yrs of age to continue processing your application. This must be
received at this office by: 2017/03/23

Ok so as for this, it was a mistake in our end. We submitted the information for above thinking it was just her career. We re-entered an activity log since she turned 18.

 Please inform in writing whether you have completed your medicals. If "yes" please
provide the relevant documents to prove that you have completed medicals. This must
be received at this office by: 2017/03/23

As for this, we didn't even receive a medical request yet. So we are just going to mention that we are still waiting for their request.

 Submit your sponsor's Notice of Assessment for the year 2015 This must be received at
this office by: 2017/03/23

 Submit a letter from your sponsor's current employer / employers giving full details of
sponsor’s employment including salary details. This must be received at this office by:
2017/03/23

I already submitted a letter from my current employer and I also have a photo copy. And same with my Notice of Assessment, already submitted it. And I just re-requested a new one for 2015. Now I have to wait 10 business days to receive my letter from CRA.. and THEN I have to mail it to Sri Lanka which will take 2 more weeks even through express mail. By then it will be past March 23rd!!!! This is ridiculous.. can I scan these 2 and email this to her so she can just print them off from there there and mail it to them? Or do they need the originals?

 

[katdanger]

Ok so as for this, it was a mistake in our end. We submitted the information for above thinking it was just her career. We re-entered an activity log since she turned 18.

As for this, we didn't even receive a medical request yet. So we are just going to mention that we are still waiting for their request.

I already submitted a letter from my current employer and I also have a photo copy. And same with my Notice of Assessment, already submitted it. And I just re-requested a new one for 2015. Now I have to wait 10 business days to receive my letter from CRA.. and THEN I have to mail it to Sri Lanka which will take 2 more weeks even through express mail. By then it will be past March 23rd!!!! This is ridiculous.. can I scan these 2 and email this to her so she can just print them off from there there and mail it to them? Or do they need the originals?

Why don't you just do your medicals and send them instead of waiting for a request? Isn't it faster? Also, if they're asking about your medicals I'd take that to mean they're going to be looking at them soon, so I'd do them now instead of waiting any longer!

I was able to get my notice of assessment online and print it. Can't you do this?
The letter from your boss should probably be original, but I'm not sure.

What I would do if I were you is scan everything and email it/send it by case specific enquiry/upload to MyCic directly if possible along with a letter saying that you're mailing the originals but are worried they won't arrive by the deadline, hence the email/enquiry/upload. Do everything in your power to provide them with the information and keep proof of this. Beyond that there isn't much you can do so there's no sense in worrying!

Take a breath, get it done, then crack open a beer or have a cup of tea or whatever calms you!
Good luck!