Relationship Evidence - how much is too much?

[OleanderAvenue]

Just a quick question - when compiling evidence of your relationship, how much is TOO much? I've seen people on here saying that their application is getting to be 5 inches thick, and others saying that the more you can put in, the better. However, I have 5 years of saved MSN conversations, which is well over 1500 pages on a word file. Is the visa office really going to want to look through that? Or would I be better off making a selection of different conversations throughout the relationship that cover topics like the first conversation, the conversation where we decide to be together, conversations detailing flight plans, etc?

 

[RobsLuv]

There are two things you need to focus on in a common-law sponsorship. The first is proving that you actually qualify as common-law partners. In order to do this you need to show that you've "co-habitated", in a conjugal relationship, for at least one continuous year. There is information in Section 5.25 of the OP2 Processing Manuals that defines a conjugal relationship. There is information in Sections 5.35 of the same manual that lists things that will help prove cohabitation.

The second thing you have to do is demonstrate that yours is a genuine relationship - not one entered into in order to facilitate the entry of your foreign national partner to Canada. This is where things like photos, emails, cards and letters, trips to visit one another, etc., factor in. What I did, in response to the questions in the Spouse/Common-law Partner Questionairre, was use photos to substantiate all the important dates in our relationship. I also provided phone records to illustrate our contact when we weren't together, and I provided proof of all of our trips to visit each other. I didn't include emails because, frankly, we didn't have any - we spent hours everyday on the phone or on chat, but it wasn't possible back then to save chat conversations so we didn't have those either. I think what spoke most strongly for us was the number of trips we made to see one another (14 in 16 months), the amount of time we spent on the phone together, and the length of our relationship (3.5 years prior to marriage). So, the fact that you've been living together in the UK will speak to the genuine nature of your relationship, but in addition you should be able to demonstrate the development of your relationship prior to moving in together and the continuing nature of your relationship, even if you aren't able to continue living together when you have to return to Canada. That can be through select emails/chats/phone records, photos, etc., but you don't need to inundate them in order to illustrate what you need to. Quality over quantity.

 

[canthai]

OleanderAvenue,
I have the same issue as you with many emails sent between myself and my wife. All I did was print off some of the letters, as you stated throughout the relationship, and then I printed a print screen copy of all the letters sent/received in my Inbox. This shows CIC validation of MSN and information of all the letters including my wife's name, email address and date sent/received. I printed 2 letters for every month. This will probably be different for yourself seeing that you have letters throughout 5 years.

Hope this helps! Good luck with your application.

canthai

 

[RobsLuv]

canthai - that sounds like a really good idea!

 

[OleanderAvenue]

That is an EXCELLENT idea...a much better one than scanning through 1500 pages! I can just open my messenger history and take screen shots showing all the different dates. Phew! I am feeling so much better about all of this. You guys are so great.

 

[Misanthrope]

We got our visa today. Although we're married, I'm 25 years older than him, so we tried to cover all the factors that would be looked at for conjugal or commonlaw, where possible. IE to prove relationship. What I wanted to say about your mountains of evidence is that I think interlocking evidence is helpful. Stuff that covers the same point from different angles. Not just your parents accepting your relationship, but chats from anyone who might be asking for updates on your relationship, for example. If you do certain activities together, maybe the credit card bill shows the purchases related to that. It may be only a few bucks for movies or whatever, but it's a document that confirms something you did together on a regular basis. Things like that. We submitted 150 pages at first. They said to bring more to the interview. He brought 300 more, very logically organized. Interview was a breeze. And believe me that in a Catholic country a woman 25 years older and wanting no kids doesn't invite an easy trip through the cultural biases. I agree with the others the point is to cover all the relevant bases with your best evidence, not give them more poundage than they could ever read through.

 

[thaihubbie]

If my husband and I have a marriage certificate and the birth certificate of our daughter do I need to be doing any of this stuff i.e. photos, phone bills, etc??

 

[canthai]

thaihubbie,
I think there is no harm in sending more evidence/proof of the relationship because if CIC ends up requesting more information then your application would be delayed for months. Having a child together (of 11 months) is pretty solid proof but the marriage certificate is not grounds to prove that the relationship is genuine since it is simple/quick to marry anyone. Be on the safe side and round up some pics, emails, letters, etc. just in case.

Maybe someone else, with the same situation, can tell their experience?

canthai

 

[OleanderAvenue]

What do people think is the best way to go about compiling all the information? I was thinking it might be easiest to sort of put it together in a timeline...beginning with the first email, the first few conversations, etc, then cover all the important dates of the relationship up to the present, like when we first met, took trips to see each other, took trips together, etc, all the while putting in receipts, cards, emails, conversations and photos, so in the end it would sort of be like a little book of our relationship. And by little I mean massive, because there is a lot of information to include!

What have other people done?

 

[canthai]

OleanderAvenue,
This sounds exactly what I'm going to do with my application. I think it is good to make it organized so there are less chances of things being confusing for the IO (hopefully). Yes, there is lots of information to include for everyone and this is why, I think, CIC is back logged ...

Good luck to you!

 

[Anatolia]

Chose the best conversations, best emails. I have included even fights, lover's spats, romantic or even sexy conversations. When something got a little too racy I covered with black marker! I am enclosed serious conversations about money, about plans and reproductive dreams.. etc...Dont be that shy

 

[OleanderAvenue]

Haha, thanks! I was going through some conversations and wondering just how much information they needed to know, so I'll definitely be buying myself a black marker...lol!