Options for Canada visa

[chrisshennan]

Okay, I'll TRY and keep this short and sweet.

Met a Canadian girl 3 years ago here in the UK.
We had a long distance relationship for just over a year and then she moved here to the UK to be with me.
She's been staying with me at my mum and dads house for the last year and two months.
Now she wants to move back to Canada.

I'm willing to go but I'm not sure what my options are.

I'm 28
I have a degree
I have family in Canada(cousins, aunts and uncles all of whom are citizens) and some of these own there own businesses.
My mum lived in Canada for 10 years when she was a teenager as she was adopted by her sister and her husband. She's dead now but he is still alive.
I DONT have a skilled job(I work in retail at the moment)

What are m options?
Does the fact we've lived together have any benifit?

Also, at the moment , marriage isn't an option.

Please help

Thanks

 

[ashunandal]

Okay, I'll TRY and keep this short and sweet.

Met a Canadian girl 3 years ago here in the UK.
We had a long distance relationship for just over a year and then she moved here to the UK to be with me.
She's been staying with me at my mum and dads house for the last year and two months.
Now she wants to move back to Canada.

I'm willing to go but I'm not sure what my options are.

I'm 28
I have a degree
I have family in Canada(cousins, aunts and uncles all of whom are citizens) and some of these own there own businesses.
My mum lived in Canada for 10 years when she was a teenager as she was adopted by her sister and her husband. She's dead now but he is still alive.
I DONT have a skilled job(I work in retail at the moment)

What are m options?
Does the fact we've lived together have any benifit?

Also, at the moment , marriage isn't an option.

Please help

Thanks

why are you unable to get married now as it is better to apply after marriage? however, since you have lived together for more than one year (12 months) you can apply for common-law partner visa. you MUST prove your relationship is genuine and must show evidence of living together such as joint rental agreement, joint bank account, household bills, and photos of you together for the past 14 months. you also must show evidence of your long distance relationship before she came to UK starting from the beginning of your relationship (such as emails, internet chats, phone records, skype records). you also need to show evidence that she has met your family and that you have had continuous contact with her family (to show agreement on both sides). it is great that you and your wife have family in Canada (you have family on both sides there to help you financially or for anything else if needed which is necessary when you go to Canada, you should get their letters of support before applying for common-law PR visa). also your sponsor (wife) needs to show she has a way to support you...is she working in UK or just on tourist visa? she needs to have some kind of income or savings to sponsor you and needs to show she will return to Canada when you get PR. you have to list all your activities since age 18 (including all education and jobs). it is good that you have a degree as there will be more job opportunities for you in Canada.
hope this helps and good luck!

 

[chrisshennan]

Thankyou for all the advice.
I'm feeling a little bit more optimistic about it now.
A few issues though...
She is not currently my wife, only girlfriend. You spoke like she was my wife already.
She is currently workin in the UK but she doesn't have much savings yet.
How long would you think it takes to decide to actually being able to et the visa?

 

[canadianwoman]

You've been living together for more than a year, so that means she can sponsor you as her common-law partner. You will have to prove that 1. you have lived together for more than a year, and 2. your relationship is genuine.

If you are being sponsored as a common-law partner, though, you must not refer to each other as 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' (in your application at least). To Immigration, a common-law relationship is more than that of just boy/girlfriend.

 

[rjessome]

Only consider the common law sponsorship if you are in a serious relationship with the intention to remain together permanently. But if neither of you are comfortable with that, you could look at applying for an International Experience Class permit (open work permit for 1 year) available to citizens of the UK under 30 who meet the qualifications. Unfortunately it's full for this year but you would be eligible to apply in January 2013. Look at the website for the Canadian High Commission in London for more information.