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Photos to prove the relationship - are kissing photos acceptable?

djnutz26

Full Member
Feb 9, 2019
28
6
Hello

When choosing photos to prove the relationship is it acceptable to include a few photos of the couple kissing - either on cheeks or lips?

Or is this something that should be avoided altogether?

Many thanks for your suggestions.
 

ERCAN

Hero Member
Jan 25, 2023
659
349
Photos that proves your relationship is about your social life demonstrating that your live as a real couple and it's recognized by your friends and relatives. There is nothing wrong with photos of couple kissing, but it's better to be in the context mentioned above.
 

djnutz26

Full Member
Feb 9, 2019
28
6
Photos that proves your relationship is about your social life demonstrating that your live as a real couple and it's recognized by your friends and relatives. There is nothing wrong with photos of couple kissing, but it's better to be in the context mentioned above.
Thank you so much for your reply. I do understand your point.

To provide some more context, I am asking this question in the context of a conjugal partner sponsorship category. So the relationship may not be acceptable by relatives due to social / religious barriers. But we do have friends who have recognized the relationship.

So if we include 20 photos of the couple and friends in various situations, and out of those if we had about 2-3 photos of kissing, you would still consider it acceptable, wouldn't you?
 

ERCAN

Hero Member
Jan 25, 2023
659
349
Thank you so much for your reply. I do understand your point.

To provide some more context, I am asking this question in the context of a conjugal partner sponsorship category. So the relationship may not be acceptable by relatives due to social / religious barriers. But we do have friends who have recognized the relationship.

So if we include 20 photos of the couple and friends in various situations, and out of those if we had about 2-3 photos of kissing, you would still consider it acceptable, wouldn't you?
If you believe that those photos serve the purpose of proving your relationship, do that. There is no problem what so ever. My point that kissing alone doesn't prove anything, so be sure that those photos do bear more context.
 
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Ponga

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Oct 22, 2013
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To provide some more context, I am asking this question in the context of a conjugal partner sponsorship category. So the relationship may not be acceptable by relatives due to social / religious barriers. But we do have friends who have recognized the relationship.
What are the immigration barriers that you are facing that has led to your conjugal sponsorship application preparation?
 

djnutz26

Full Member
Feb 9, 2019
28
6
If you believe that those photos serve the purpose of proving your relationship, do that. There is no problem what so ever. My point that kissing alone doesn't prove anything, so be sure that those photos do bear more context.
Thank you so much. Highly appreciated.
 

djnutz26

Full Member
Feb 9, 2019
28
6
What are the immigration barriers that you are facing that has led to your conjugal sponsorship application preparation?
We applied for a visitor visa for my partner to enter Canada on two occasions, and it got refused both times due to "the purpose not consistent for a temporary stay" and "financial situation". I wrote a letter of invitation inviting him to visit me in Canada agreeing to host him at my residence, and the visitor visa was still refused.
 

Ponga

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Oct 22, 2013
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We applied for a visitor visa for my partner to enter Canada on two occasions, and it got refused both times due to "the purpose not consistent for a temporary stay" and "financial situation". I wrote a letter of invitation inviting him to visit me in Canada agreeing to host him at my residence, and the visitor visa was still refused.
That doesn't sound like it's strong enough for a Conjugal sponsorship.

If you can visit him, that would mean that your Conjugal application would not work, because you would NOT have an immigration barrier.

I suggest you research the many examples of Conjugal application here that have failed, before getting your hopes up.
 

djnutz26

Full Member
Feb 9, 2019
28
6
That doesn't sound like it's strong enough for a Conjugal sponsorship.

If you can visit him, that would mean that your Conjugal application would not work, because you would NOT have an immigration barrier.

I suggest you research the many examples of Conjugal application here that have failed, before getting your hopes up.
I am sorry, I didn't understand why you say it is not strong.

I am a permanent resident of Canada, and both me and my partner are from a south asian country where homosexuality is illegal.

We had a genuine relationship for 2.5 years before I moved to Canada last year as a PR, and the relationship is ongoing (total of 3.5 years). After I moved, we applied for a visitor visa two times to get him here on a visitor visa but they were refused.

I am the sponsor who is a Canadian PR. Applicant is residing in the home country. Applicant was refused a visitor visa to enter Canada twice. I can go back to my home country to visit him, but we cannot live together there because it is unsafe for a same sex couple - due to the social / family pressure, and homosexuality can be punished by law as per the penal code. So the only solution is Canada where we both can live together freely.

Is it still not good enough ?
 

Ponga

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Oct 22, 2013
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I am sorry, I didn't understand why you say it is not strong.

I am a permanent resident of Canada, and both me and my partner are from a south asian country where homosexuality is illegal.

We had a genuine relationship for 2.5 years before I moved to Canada last year as a PR, and the relationship is ongoing (total of 3.5 years). After I moved, we applied for a visitor visa two times to get him here on a visitor visa but they were refused.

I am the sponsor who is a Canadian PR. Applicant is residing in the home country. Applicant was refused a visitor visa to enter Canada twice. I can go back to my home country to visit him, but we cannot live together there because it is unsafe for a same sex couple - due to the social / family pressure, and homosexuality can be punished by law as per the penal code. So the only solution is Canada where we both can live together freely.

Is it still not good enough ?
I never said that. I said that it "doesn't sound like it's strong enough". Thank you for providing additional information regarding your situation.

Q. Are you able to visit your partner? If your answer is yes, that tells you that a Conjugal sponsorship is not your best option.

If you could marry your partner [anywhere in the world], you could then submit an Outland Spousal Sponsorship application.

Not trying to rain on your parade, but just hope you really understand how Conjugal sponsorships work and more importantly, who they are geared towards.

BUT...If you are saying that:
We had a genuine relationship for 2.5 years before I moved to Canada last year as a PR, and the relationship is ongoing (total of 3.5 years). After I moved, we applied for a visitor visa two times to get him here on a visitor visa but they were refused.
This could be a problem, because it sounds like you landed as a PR without disclosing your relationship with your partner, that was, in your own words `genuine'. You were in a conjugal relationship when you landed, correct?

I am probably already `in over my head' with this, so please wait for others to offer comment.
I wish you and your partner good luck!
 

djnutz26

Full Member
Feb 9, 2019
28
6
I never said that. I said that it "doesn't sound like it's strong enough". Thank you for providing additional information regarding your situation.

Q. Are you able to visit your partner? If your answer is yes, that tells you that a Conjugal sponsorship is not your best option.

If you could marry your partner [anywhere in the world], you could then submit an Outland Spousal Sponsorship application.

Not trying to rain on your parade, but just hope you really understand how Conjugal sponsorships work and more importantly, who they are geared towards.

BUT...If you are saying that:


This could be a problem, because it sounds like you landed as a PR without disclosing your relationship with your partner, that was, in your own words `genuine'. You were in a conjugal relationship when you landed, correct?

I am probably already `in over my head' with this, so please wait for others to offer comment.
I wish you and your partner good luck!
I never said that. I said that it "doesn't sound like it's strong enough". Thank you for providing additional information regarding your situation.

Q. Are you able to visit your partner? If your answer is yes, that tells you that a Conjugal sponsorship is not your best option.

If you could marry your partner [anywhere in the world], you could then submit an Outland Spousal Sponsorship application.

Not trying to rain on your parade, but just hope you really understand how Conjugal sponsorships work and more importantly, who they are geared towards.

BUT...If you are saying that:


This could be a problem, because it sounds like you landed as a PR without disclosing your relationship with your partner, that was, in your own words `genuine'. You were in a conjugal relationship when you landed, correct?

I am probably already `in over my head' with this, so please wait for others to offer comment.
I wish you and your partner good luck!
Thank you so much for your response. It has given me some thoughts to ponder on, and it sure adds value, so don't worry at all. I appreciate your thoughts.

Because I am a citizen of the south asian country that we both originate from, of course I could go and visit him there in my home country of citizenship, as I carry that passport. But we could never marry, or live together in that country, so visiting doesn't serve any purpose.

You are correct - I didn't disclose the conjugal relationship when I landed as I didn't know I had to do that. I mean I thought I have to disclose only if I legally marry. Moreover, my partner was not part of my PR application as I got my PR through FSW category, and he didn't accompany me to Canada. This was a romantic relationship, and we never have lived together because it is unsafe to live together in our home country. So I never knew if had to be disclosed. So you think that would flag as misrepresentation? Thank you for your thoughts
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
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I never said that. I said that it "doesn't sound like it's strong enough". Thank you for providing additional information regarding your situation.

Q. Are you able to visit your partner? If your answer is yes, that tells you that a Conjugal sponsorship is not your best option.

If you could marry your partner [anywhere in the world], you could then submit an Outland Spousal Sponsorship application.

Not trying to rain on your parade, but just hope you really understand how Conjugal sponsorships work and more importantly, who they are geared towards.

BUT...If you are saying that:


This could be a problem, because it sounds like you landed as a PR without disclosing your relationship with your partner, that was, in your own words `genuine'. You were in a conjugal relationship when you landed, correct?

I am probably already `in over my head' with this, so please wait for others to offer comment.
I wish you and your partner good luck!
There's at least two points of information in here that I don't think are correct and one point (the second) I'm reiterating for clarity:

1) The 'barrier to visit' is not so specifically a barrier to visit but for the foreign-conjugal-partner to visit Canada - because then they cannot apply inland, as in the potential applicant cannot come and reside with or marry the sponsor in Canada. (There seems to be some belief here that the conjugal partner rules strictly applied - 'strictly' as advocated by the Hairshirt Contingent, in my view - would mean that if the putative sponsor, PR or citizen, would then be required to leave Canada and establish common law abroad. Bluntly, I don't think that's the case at all.)
2) It is perfectly well understood that the legal barrier generally means they cannot/could not get married abroad, and in many cases could not have become common law either (due to laws against living with a partner-not-spouse or partner-same-sex).
3) A conjugal partner doesn't have to be declared on landing of the (now) sponsor. If the putative partner is/was not common law and not married to the sponsor when the sponsor immigrated to Canada, there was no way to declare that person. (Note it is VERY important that a common law partner be declared, EVEN IF that relationship was forbidden or illegal in the country of origin i.e. where the two lived together- but that's a common law case, not a conjugal case).

Together 1&2 are the 'legal and immigration barriers' meant in the conjugal partnership category. I don't see or hear anything in this case that implies they don't meet that. Worth noting there seem to be some differences of opinion about the details of the immigration bit, including the (bizarre and absurd IMO) claim heard once in a while here that a Canadian PR or citizen is effectively being forced by IRCC to go and live in another country for more than a year to create a common law relationship.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,252
8,869
You are correct - I didn't disclose the conjugal relationship when I landed as I didn't know I had to do that. I mean I thought I have to disclose only if I legally marry. Moreover, my partner was not part of my PR application as I got my PR through FSW category, and he didn't accompany me to Canada. This was a romantic relationship, and we never have lived together because it is unsafe to live together in our home country. So I never knew if had to be disclosed. So you think that would flag as misrepresentation? Thank you for your thoughts
If you were not common law and not married, then no, you were not required to disclose that relationship.
 

Ponga

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Oct 22, 2013
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Thank you so much for your response. It has given me some thoughts to ponder on, and it sure adds value, so don't worry at all. I appreciate your thoughts.

Because I am a citizen of the south asian country that we both originate from, of course I could go and visit him there in my home country of citizenship, as I carry that passport. But we could never marry, or live together in that country, so visiting doesn't serve any purpose.

You are correct - I didn't disclose the conjugal relationship when I landed as I didn't know I had to do that. I mean I thought I have to disclose only if I legally marry. Moreover, my partner was not part of my PR application as I got my PR through FSW category, and he didn't accompany me to Canada. This was a romantic relationship, and we never have lived together because it is unsafe to live together in our home country. So I never knew if had to be disclosed. So you think that would flag as misrepresentation? Thank you for your thoughts
Thank you for recognizing that I was only trying to offer insight.

I'm not saying that not disclosing your relationship before you landed as a PR was misrepresentation, only that it could be a problem.
 

Ponga

VIP Member
Oct 22, 2013
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There's at least two points of information in here that I don't think are correct and one point (the second) I'm reiterating for clarity:

1) The 'barrier to visit' is not so specifically a barrier to visit but for the foreign-conjugal-partner to visit Canada - because then they cannot apply inland, as in the potential applicant cannot come and reside with or marry the sponsor in Canada. (There seems to be some belief here that the conjugal partner rules strictly applied - 'strictly' as advocated by the Hairshirt Contingent, in my view - would mean that if the putative sponsor, PR or citizen, would then be required to leave Canada and establish common law abroad. Bluntly, I don't think that's the case at all.)
2) It is perfectly well understood that the legal barrier generally means they cannot/could not get married abroad, and in many cases could not have become common law either (due to laws against living with a partner-not-spouse or partner-same-sex).
3) A conjugal partner doesn't have to be declared on landing of the (now) sponsor. If the putative partner is/was not common law and not married to the sponsor when the sponsor immigrated to Canada, there was no way to declare that person. (Note it is VERY important that a common law partner be declared, EVEN IF that relationship was forbidden or illegal in the country of origin i.e. where the two lived together- but that's a common law case, not a conjugal case).

Together 1&2 are the 'legal and immigration barriers' meant in the conjugal partnership category. I don't see or hear anything in this case that implies they don't meet that. Worth noting there seem to be some differences of opinion about the details of the immigration bit, including the (bizarre and absurd IMO) claim heard once in a while here that a Canadian PR or citizen is effectively being forced by IRCC to go and live in another country for more than a year to create a common law relationship.
To point 1, couldn't the couple have traveled to another country to get married...then submit an Outland application once the sponsor is back in Canada? If marriage is illegal in their home country, are they not able to marry in a part of the world where it is not illegal?

3. Wasn't sure, which is why I knew that someone would offer their opinion.