Quebec Application (1st stage). Is this what I need to send?

[ELK]

Hi,

I am getting ready to send my application to sponsor my common-law partner to move to Quebec. She is Swedish, I am Canadian, we do not have children. When I started the application I did not realize that I did not need to fill out all of the forms so I just want to make sure that I am on the right page.

I think the guide says that, for the first stage, I only need to send the Generic application form for Canada (IMM 0008) and the application to sponsor, sponsorship agreement and undertaking (IMM 1344).

I filled out or partly filled out:

Statutory declaration of common-law union (IMM 5409)
Sponsor Questionnaire (IMM5540)-this isnt even on the checklist...and Im not sure where I found it or why I filled it out
Spouse/partner questionnaire (IMM 5490)

So from what I understand, I do not actually have to send these forms? It seems strange that I do not need to send the questionnaires. And if I do not then I also do not have to provide proof of my intent to move back to Canada (I have been living away for, what will be, the past 5 years.

Also, I read that another member suggested that we include blank copies of the forms we do not need to include and right not applicable on them, can anyone confirm?

My application also includes:

Proof of my common-law partner's medical exam
my common-law partner's police clearances
4 photos of my partner
photocopies of our the first two pages of our passports
my common-law partner's birth-certificate (for Swedes, does the personbevis from Skatteverket need to be notarized?)

Proof of living together:

We have documents showing that we lived at the same address from 2011-2013 (we do not live together anymore because I had to move to a different country for school but from what i understand it isnt a problem).

Proof of relationship:

Snapshots of 7 facebook conversation throughout our relationship
A bunch of plane tickets
Photos (including me with her family and her with my family/friends)
A short essay about how we met etc.
We should be able to get some phone bills from the past couple of years but not for the entire time of our relationship
A letter from the swedish migration board stating that I was granted a residence permit based on our relation and that I eventually received citizenship
I would like to include skype to skype records but I cant seem to get them
Should I include transcripts of my studies showing that I was actually studying in Sweden, when I moved to live with her?
Some emails/hotel reservations showing trips we took together


Does this seem sufficient? Am I wrong about the forms I need to send in?

Thank you!

 

[QuebecOkie]

So you're applying outland, I assume. The forms you definitely need are:

(sponsor)
IMM 1344
IMM 5540
(principal applicant)
IMM 0008
IMM 5406
IMM 5490
IMM 5669

I'm not sure about 5409; the language in the checklist states that you need to fill it out, "if you have a co-signer and he/she is your common-law partner." There are no co-signers for PR sponsorship under family class.

You will need to provide proof of your plan to move back to Canada, or proof that you currently reside in Canada.

You didn't mention your own birth certificate or citizenship documentation; you'll need to include that.

Otherwise, it looks like you're in pretty good shape. Refer to these guides/checklists, and go through several times to make sure you've left nothing out.

Outland document checklist:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5491E.pdf

*THE* Outland application guide (this bad boy walks you through step by step):
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/3900ETOC.asp

Guide specific to Western Europe:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/3901e.pdf

 

[Catou]

Don't forget the copy of your receipt for the fees.

I think you will find this process easier if you remember that YOUR application is the sponsor's side. Your partner is the applicant. These are essentially two separate, but overlapping, applications. It's easier to keep track of which forms to include and what evidence to put for each question if you don't treat it as one big application.

 

[ELK]

So you're applying outland, I assume. The forms you definitely need are:

(sponsor)
IMM 1344
IMM 5540
(principal applicant)
IMM 0008
IMM 5406
IMM 5490
IMM 5669

I'm not sure about 5409; the language in the checklist states that you need to fill it out, "if you have a co-signer and he/she is your common-law partner." There are no co-signers for PR sponsorship under family class.

You will need to provide proof of your plan to move back to Canada, or proof that you currently reside in Canada.

You didn't mention your own birth certificate or citizenship documentation; you'll need to include that.

Otherwise, it looks like you're in pretty good shape. Refer to these guides/checklists, and go through several times to make sure you've left nothing out.

Outland document checklist:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5491E.pdf

*THE* Outland application guide (this bad boy walks you through step by step):
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/3900ETOC.asp

Guide specific to Western Europe:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/3901e.pdf

An thanks.

I think I axtually filled out some of the other ones too. I don't know why the information is so vague about residents of Quebec...it only says to fill out two forms but I will send all of those.
Thanks for the Outland guide, Ive never seen it.

I have tried to compile proof of my intention to return and all I could get together is:

Some emails with universities showing my interest to apply (perhaps I will be able to include application form)
Emails with my mother about moving back and staying with her until I get an apartment

Not much else I don't really know what proof I can offer...any ideas?

Thank you

I did not realize I had to send my citizenship, I thought that passport photocopy was enough.

 

[QuebecOkie]

Check the document checklists and guide, but I'm pretty sure your birth certificate (or other citizenship paperwork if you weren't born in Canada) is needed, as well.

A letter from your mother demonstrating her knowledge of your plans and offering you a place to stay, rent-free, when you move back to Canada is a good start. Any other friends or family who can write letters about being happy that you're moving back? Do you still have any Canadian bank accounts/credit cards/etc.? Copies of those statements? Emails from the university you wish to attend are good. Perhaps do some job searches, looking for positions for which you might qualify, and document them? Also, you can write up a statement to say that you fully intend to move back, outlining your plans about school/work/living arrangements/etc. when you return, and explaining that you can't firm up your plans any more than that until your partner can return with you. I'm really not much help beyond that. We applied inland, I just happen to have absorbed a lot about outland, as well, from this forum, and from helping a couple of my fellow Americans online.

Québec definitely makes things confusing! We screwed up badly at first. We went in only the sponsor's info and forms, after reading a bunch of Québec's immigration stuff and thinking that the process was different for us. WRONG. That delayed the processing of our application by a few months. You still have to send in the whole packet, including all of the principal applicant's stuff. The only differences with Québec are you don't do the proof of income stuff that sponsors living in or returning to ROC do, and you will need to request the CSQ (certificat de selection du Québec) from MICC (Québec's provincial immigration ministry). I believe, for outland applicants, that CIC sends you a letter to request that after stage one/sponsor approval. You then send your undertaking (more forms to fill out) and the letter from CIC to MICC for the CSQ. They send that to CIC, and they send you copies. You also get the privilege of paying an extra $266 to Québec. So you'll pay $1040 for the full permanent residency application ($75 sponsor's fee, $475 principal applicant fee, and $490 right of permanent residency fee), plus an additional $266 when you send in your request for CSQ. As Catou mentioned (and as the document checklist states), make sure to send in the receipts for those first three payments with your app.

One good thing about Québec, though, if your partner wishes to learn or improve her French, is FREE language courses for PRs! In a week, I'll start a full-time one-year French program for free. Finally, our high taxes are working for us!

Also, I realize I neglected a question in my first response. No, you don't need to send in blank forms if there are forms you are not required to do.

 

[ELK]

Thank you!

 

[Catou]

About forms that are not applicable to you... take guidance from your country-specific guide and the online guide that takes you step-by-step through completing the forms. If the checklist and/or guide says you must complete a form but the form is not relevant to your situation, then I recommend printing the form, putting a line across it and writing NOT APPLICABLE on it. If the guide says, "complete this form only if..." then don't print that one. For clarity, I wrote NOT APPLICABLE against that form in the checklist so the VO's couldn't have any doubts about whether it should have been included or not, or if not including it was an oversight.

It's the same with questions - if a question is not applicable then write that in. Don't leave blanks that could have a VO guessing about whether it should be completed.

I know some people say to just leave out the forms that aren't relevant to you but whether this is a good idea or not depends very much on what the country-specific checklist requires. IMM 5476 was the only one my checklist allowed to be left out. You need to read the online guide and your checklist to know what's safe to ignore in your circumstances.

 

[QuebecOkie]

Yes, ELK, as Catou says, pay close attention to that guide. Go through it several times, quite carefully, as you go through your app.

Any help I give you is just from reading here and looking over the forms myself. I didn't even apply outland. Take my advice with a grain of salt, and be diligent as you complete your application. Remember that PLENTY of people have done this on their own successfully (so don't freak out, haha), but also a lot of people have experienced delays and stress by not paying close attention and closely checking the guides that CIC provides, so pay close attention and double-triple check everything.

 

[Andrew 31]

I am just starting the application process and this is confusing to me as well. I am Canadian, and my wife is Latvian. We have been married over 2 years and have a son who is also a Canadian citizen. We are living in Latvia and applying abroad.

If I understand correctly, I am to fill out and submit as usual to Mississauga (along with all supporting documents and proofs):

IMM0008
IMM1344
IMM5406
IMM5490
IMM5491
IMM5540
IMM5669

And then I will get a letter from CIC saying my application is approved, I fill out the forms for the Undertaking kit on the Quebec immigration website. This would bring me to Kit A, which is:

A-0527
A-0539
A-0546
A-1520
Payment form

Please tell me this is correct or if I am missing something?

Thank you so so much!