Proof of common-law/conjugal relationship

[hannahmay]

My husband is sponsoring me via in-land application. I have lived in Canada with him for over a year. He owns the house, and we signed a lease when I arrived in Canada (needed for proof for various documents/licenses/registrations over the year), but no bills are in my name. The only thing we have to prove our length of time living together is this lease we signed, and that I was added as a secondary onto his bank account. Is this enough proof for this section? Many thanks.

 

[Tolexmi]

My husband is sponsoring me via in-land application. I have lived in Canada with him for over a year. He owns the house, and we signed a lease when I arrived in Canada (needed for proof for various documents/licenses/registrations over the year), but no bills are in my name. The only thing we have to prove our length of time living together is this lease we signed, and that I was added as a secondary onto his bank account. Is this enough proof for this section? Many thanks.

Thats enough proof. Additionally u could put in a few pictures u have taken in and around ur house together and if u or ur sponsor have any document, or purchase receipt that has ur address on it , u can include that as well

 

[Aquakitty]

My husband is sponsoring me via in-land application. I have lived in Canada with him for over a year. He owns the house, and we signed a lease when I arrived in Canada (needed for proof for various documents/licenses/registrations over the year), but no bills are in my name. The only thing we have to prove our length of time living together is this lease we signed, and that I was added as a secondary onto his bank account. Is this enough proof for this section? Many thanks.

With common-law the onus is on you to prove you've lived together for that length of time. Anything helps. Text messages showing you were planning to leave the UK, emails, the airplane ticket you used to get to Canada, etc. Get creative. The lease is good but the more the better.

Also, you say you've lived in Canada for a year, I assume you've been renewing your status?

And, mind if I ask, why are you choosing to apply inland?

 

[jr4210]

Sorry to jump in but I'm just confused about something. If they're married, how come they're common-law? Is that something different, or does it not apply to married couples? Genuinely confused, can someone explain the difference, as it might apply to me. We're married, applying outland, but she's my spouse, not common law partner.

 

[hannahmay]

With common-law the onus is on you to prove you've lived together for that length of time. Anything helps. Text messages showing you were planning to leave the UK, emails, the airplane ticket you used to get to Canada, etc. Get creative. The lease is good but the more the better.

Also, you say you've lived in Canada for a year, I assume you've been renewing your status?

And, mind if I ask, why are you choosing to apply inland?

I have included messages/logs within the proof of the legitimacy of our relationship. Photographs of trips/airplane tickets/show tickets are included as proof of our relationship/trips also.

I'm currently on a 4-year study permit, taking classes at University. I have completed a degree in the UK but require one more higher-education qualification for my aspired career (in teaching). This is one of the reasons why we are applying in-land. Teaching qualifications are difficult to exchange cross-province let alone across different nationalities, so it makes sense for me to take my teaching qualification in the province I plan to remain living in. We also are married, got married here, live here together, have pets, and I also work part-time between classes (permitted within the study visa). I am applying for the open work permit also, and given all goes smoothly I will be able to work more hours during the application process - so our current lifestyle shouldn't be affected by the fact I have no permanent visa yet (besides schooling fee's, so I am taking them slowly for now).

 

[hannahmay]

Sorry to jump in but I'm just confused about something. If they're married, how come they're common-law? Is that something different, or does it not apply to married couples? Genuinely confused, can someone explain the difference, as it might apply to me. We're married, applying outland, but she's my spouse, not common law partner.

I found this section a tad confusing too. We were asked if we were common-law (living together for 1+ years), and then asked "If you are married, answer a) b) etc...". We technically are both, so have been asked to provide proof for both. So for yourself, you would say you are not common-law, but still remain married.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I found this section a tad confusing too. We were asked if we were common-law (living together for 1+ years), and then asked "If you are married, answer a) b) etc...". We technically are both, so have been asked to provide proof for both. So for yourself, you would say you are not common-law, but still remain married.

You cannot be both married and common-law; you are either one or the other. The very definition of common-law is that the couple is not married.

 

[Aquakitty]

I found this section a tad confusing too. We were asked if we were common-law (living together for 1+ years), and then asked "If you are married, answer a) b) etc...". We technically are both, so have been asked to provide proof for both. So for yourself, you would say you are not common-law, but still remain married.

I'm currently on a 4-year study permit, taking classes at University. I have completed a degree in the UK but require one more higher-education qualification for my aspired career (in teaching). This is one of the reasons why we are applying in-land. Teaching qualifications are difficult to exchange cross-province let alone across different nationalities, so it makes sense for me to take my teaching qualification in the province I plan to remain living in. We also are married, got married here, live here together, have pets, and I also work part-time between classes (permitted within the study visa). I am applying for the open work permit also, and given all goes smoothly I will be able to work more hours during the application process - so our current lifestyle shouldn't be affected by the fact I have no permanent visa yet (besides schooling fee's, so I am taking them slowly for now).

If you are on a study permit and get an OWP, your study permit is cancelled. You can't have both at the same time.

You can live in Canada and still apply outland. I really see no reason why you should apply inland if you have a year or more of school left.

Common-law is for people who are not officially married, but are living together long enough to have the benefits of marriage. You need to apply as married, not common-law.

 

[elokuu]

I agree with Aquakitty - it makes very little sense for you to apply inland. If you get your permanent residence before you graduate, you'll gain the additional financial benefit of being able to pay lower tuition fees for the rest of your degree (assuming your university has higher tuition fees for international students, like most universities in Canada). That is much more likely to happen if you apply outland. I'm also on a study permit in Canada currently and applied outland through London earlier this year, since it's so much faster than inland.

 

[Rob_TO]

1. You are married, not common-law. So you don't need to prove any cohabitation, just concentrate on typical proofs that show the relationship/marriage is genuine.

2. Apply outland, as others have said. Could be less than 1 year processing vs 2+ years for outland. You can stay in Canada on your current study permit while an outland app if processing at London VO. Don't be scared by London times on CIC site as that is for Pakistan citizens processed in London. UK citizen should see processing complete in 1 year more or less. CIC may also choose to process your outland app in CPC-Ottawa since you have a valid permit here for at least 1 year. This would be your preferred option since in the very rare case an interview is required it would be in Canada.

 

[canadianwoman]

You do not need proof you have lived together for one year. You are married to your sponsor, and since you are married you do not have to live together for one year before applying. You could apply the day after getting married, supposing you had all the necessary docs.

People applying common-law have to prove 1. that they have lived together for one year, and 2. that the relationship is genuine. People who are married only have to prove 2.

You can certainly use whatever proof you gathered showing you are living together as part of the evidence needed to show the relationship is genuine.

 

[hannahmay]

I had no idea I could apply outland whilst being inland (purely from a language point of view, outland/inland taken literally is what directed me to the inland application), I go only from information read on the CIC site as I am not using/paying a rep/lawyer. So thank you for the information! You have likely saved me some grief