Proving common law relationship

[thomas23]

Hi there, my girlfriend (a Canadian citizen) and I (international student) want to start living together to become common law partners and she is going to sponsor me in the future. As of right now, it’s not possible for us to hold a joint lease. What other documents can we use as proof? Without the lease, how would we prove it’s been one year?

 

[scylla]

Hi there, my girlfriend (a Canadian citizen) and I (international student) want to start living together to become common law partners and she is going to sponsor me in the future. As of right now, it’s not possible for us to hold a joint lease. What other documents can we use as proof? Without the lease, how would we prove it’s been one year?

- Joint bank account
- Joint credit cards
- Joint call phone bills
- Joint utilities
- Filing CRA taxes as common law once you have lived together for a full year
- Listing yourselves as the primary beneficiary on insurance policies, etc.
- Changing your addresses at work or school to your shared address

Keep in mind that you need evidence that dates back at least one full year at the time you submit the sponsorship application.