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Proof of Cohabitation - Staying at partner's parents house in foreign country?

zergcraft

Full Member
Aug 26, 2014
22
1
Hi everyone!,

Me (Canadian Citizen) and my commonlaw partner (South Korea) are about to apply for inland application.
We met in Canada but started our one year Common law relationship/cohabitation in Australia in Mid Feb 2015 (Have proof already - rental leases/shared credit/bank account etc).

However starting Jan 2016, we took a trip to Philippines (my parent's country) for 2 weeks for vacation/visit my relatives then went to South Korea and lived with my partner's Mom and Sister (2 months total). We are then planning to go back to Canada on April and apply shortly.

How can we prove our co-habitation for the Korea part? We have plane tickets to Korea and Many pictures of our stay here including pics of all of us in the house and also many day trips we took together to see other cities/relatives.

Would one option be a letter? If so, I know it has to be notarized, so a letter from her Mom/Sister need to be translated and notarized here in Korea (will CIC accept a notarized letter from a foreign country)?


I am so happy this forum exists, it has helped us tremendously throughout this application process, thank you everyone :)
 

Ponga

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Oct 22, 2013
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As soon as you have lived together for one year to establish the Common-Law relationship (for immigration purposes), you can live apart without impacting your relationship status. Having said that, yes, you should probably get the notarized letter just to eliminate any doubts.

Good luck!
 

canadianwoman

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The plane tickets, photos, and proof of excursions won't be enough to show you were living together, but should be included to buttress other evidence you were there together, and as part of the proof your relationship is genuine.

I would get a notarized letter from both the mother and the sister. CIC will accept notarized letters from other countries.
 

zergcraft

Full Member
Aug 26, 2014
22
1
Thanks for the replies :)

Another question with the notarized letters, is a translation certification enough (from a korean translation company)? or do they have to be notarized as well (the author (mom/sister) has to go with us to a notary public)?
 

canuck_in_uk

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May 4, 2012
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zergcraft said:
Thanks for the replies :)

Another question with the notarized letters, is a translation certification enough (from a korean translation company)? or do they have to be notarized as well (the author (mom/sister) has to go with us to a notary public)?
No, it's not enough. The translation certification has nothing to do with the content of the letter. The author must declare before a notary that the content of the letter is true, then you have the certified translation done.
 

zergcraft

Full Member
Aug 26, 2014
22
1
canuck_in_uk said:
No, it's not enough. The translation certification has nothing to do with the content of the letter. The author must declare before a notary that the content of the letter is true, then you have the certified translation done.
Thanks for clearing that up.

Does anyone know if we can get the letter/affidavit (stating we lived at her moms house for 2 months) signed in korean (as the law office requires) and then get it translated in canad by a certified translator?
 

canuck_in_uk

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May 4, 2012
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zergcraft said:
Thanks for clearing that up.

Does anyone know if we can get the letter/affidavit (stating we lived at her moms house for 2 months) signed in korean (as the law office requires) and then get it translated in canad by a certified translator?
Yes, you can do that.