Relationship Timlines

[katie3234]

Hi there! I have read posts where people wrote out a relationship timeline, just to make things more clear and easy to read. Would someone please post an example? I tried to find old posts where people had shown relationship timelines, but was unable to find actual “relationship timelines” so please if anyone could post some sort a relationship timeline that would be fantastic!

 

[jordana]

I'm afraid that that kind of information is way too personal for most people. Besides, you won't find even two equal time lines; we are talking about human relationships, about the love that sprouts between two persons.


Usually, before two people make the important decision of going to live together they date a lot, talk a lot and make sure they get to know each other very well. Marriage is even a bigger decision, and people should preferably live together to make sure they get along in the daily life before taking that bow.

Of course, getting married and starting an immigration process as difficult as the Canadian one is something that must be thought through and through, not only you will be taking an important life decision, you will start your spouse life on hard conditions, putting your love and patience to the test.


I'm sorry, but judging a whirlpool of emotions, decisions and responsibilities and scheming it through a time line seems impossible to me.

 

[katie3234]

I don’t think it’s impossible. I just wanted to make a simple timeline showing trips I have taken to see my spouse, times when he and I have lived together, met each other’s friends and families. I was just hoping to have something to reference so I could decide what information was important or applied to the application and process. For instance: should I bother writing that on August 11th – 13th 2009 I stayed at his brother’s house since my plane was delayed on my way to visit him? Things like that. I think this whole process is personal. But on this forum people have been helpful, and kind enough to write personal aspects of their relationships – visas being denied, spouses being deported, going through appeals, the emotions, stress, and frustration they are feeling. I was only hoping that someone would post a timeline, so I could see what information others deem important, and what information can be left unsaid. And I don’t see how I would be scheming by writing out the events of my relationship with my husband – if anything I would be clearly stating the facts. And yes I’m sure some would feel it too personal, and not want to post it – and that is fine.

 

[nyssa]

I am answering the questions on seperate sheets on paper from the Sponsored Spouse Questionnaire and attaching them in numerical order after the Questionnaire. On the bottom of each page, I will say:

See Proof of Relationship:

Tab 1 - Letter B: Photos from Living Together in xxxx
Tab 7 - Letter C: Support Letters from xxxx and xxxx

So in fact I am not doing a timeline, as I can't quite figure out myself how it works, much like yourself. I am merely answering the questions and showing them where the evidence is.

Good luck!

 

[Love_Young]

I didn't write a timeline per-say but I called it "development of relationship". It ended up being 12 pages long and I wrote it from my point of view.
And I agree with jordana, you will not find a one thing fits all with your relationship. I tried finding the same before I wrote my own but I decided to let my heart flow and if that meant it was 100 pages then so be it but I will say that this part was the hardest part for me just because I am a procrastinator and knew I would never have as much time as I wanted to write our story the exact way I wanted.

I did give a month by month description of our relationship and I tried to describe things in full detail whenever possible. I wanted them to have a picture of it, as if they were reading a book. I wanted them to feel what I was feeling as those certain points in time.

I have omitted some things for privacy but here is a bit of part of our story. I hope it helps a bit. Just remember to type how things were and how you felt and don't TRY to make it to sound like something else. Make them feel your love.

"Sponsor and I first began communicating using the site that we originally met on in late May 2008. Over the next week we felt that we needed to move our conversations elsewhere since the layout of the site wasn’t all that intended for sending private messages back and forth. Sponsor later asked for my Yahoo screenname so that we could continue our conversations on Yahoo messenger and have a more immediate response instead of waiting hours for one message reply. After Sponsor asked, I gladly gave it to him. We both signed on to Yahoo messenger very soon after he received my message with my Yahoo screen name in it. As soon as Sponsor signed in, we began to instant message one another. In our discussions, we discussed our present life situations, what our favorite colors were, what our favorite foods were, etc. Some messages were more personal than others but most of it just depending on the moment. If we had a bad day or a good day, we discussed it together. Since Sponsor was finishing night school for English, we discussed how he was doing in that. It was also during these discussions that we discovered that we both were having a hard time finding our place in the world. We were both going through a rough time in life. Most of his was brought on by past relationships with people who didn’t appreciate him for who he was, what he did, and was often left feeling unwanted. I was having a rough time as I had just lost the most important person in my life at the time, my grandpa. It was nice and comforting in knowing that we both had someone to talk to and with someone that truly listened. Over time our conversations began to get deeper and have more meaning than just a chat with a casual friend."

 

[katie3234]

Great thanks!

 

[jordana]

Well, if you want advice to find out which kind of information is important, then I can give you a little list:

When did you met for the first time, how?
How the relationship kept growing to the point of you deciding to immigrate to canada?
When did you visited your spouse/common law partner? for how long?
When did you started to plan of living a life together?
Mention if she/he knows your family and if you know her/his
Give the details about your marriage, and your marriage ceremony if there was one

If you are not married, make sure you include lots of relationship's proofs, like photos, plane/train tickets, mail, letters, phone bills... anything you can get, the more, the better.

 

[katie3234]

Great thank you! And yes, was looking for a bit of friendly advice. So glad to have found this forum.

 

[iarblue]

You said you wrote a little story lol.What you wrote is perfectly fine.Im not sure how much letters help,as it could easily come from a couple trying to get in just for the PR right,but it cant hurt either.

 

[Love_Young]

You said you wrote a little story lol.What you wrote is perfectly fine.Im not sure how much letters help,as it could easily come from a couple trying to get in just for the PR right,but it cant hurt either.

How does a letter only come from people just in it for the PR?
So you are saying that someone like me that wrote a factual story of our relationship, that I am only in it for PR?
I hope I am misunderstanding you and if I am I hope you can correct me and I am sorry. But if I did understand it correctly, then I and anyone else that has done what I did might find that offensive, just saying.

Many couples write letters to better explain their story so that nothing is left to question and wonder. When reading my story, it should be somewhat obvious that I am a genuine relationship. I feel like those questions are too standardized and they get tired of hearing the same ole same ole so writing a story makes your relationship look unique and you may impress the IO if an interview is needed and you can still validate the same facts you had listed in your story. Just my opinion but I think a story/letter from sponsor and applicant are very beneficial to an application. We have to remember the IO's weren't there throughout our relationship so the best way to paint that picture for them is to express in our own words with our experiences and feelings and hope they see it.

Again I am sorry if I misinterpreted you but I just found the statement a bit offensive... :

 

[minna]

Don't stress so much about writing your story -- after all, it should be YOUR story, not anyone else's. That's what I figure, anyways. IT's not like there's a wrong answer when it comes to talking about your feelings for your spouse/partner - as long as you are truthful.

I wrote a long detailed summary of all the major milestones in our relationship, and how I felt about them etc. It was 8 pages by the time I was done.

My partner (who just isn't a writer in the same way) wound up writing about 2 pages. But they are pages from the heart, and he wrote them and really meant every word. I think that is just as important as making sure you cover all the bases, or whatever.

 

[iarblue]

No i said i dont know how much a letter can help.As it is not much proof of anything as anyone can factuate a story right.And i also said it cant hurt to do it.But it does ask for a letter stating how your relationship developed so i guess include one.
But i did not say they only come from people trying to get a PR.I was just simply asking a question as to how a letter of your relationship could help.It was more of a question than a statement.
So i guess you missunderstood
I was just wondering how this could prove a relationship is real.I could get a writer to write a lovely story about me and my wife that would bring tears and laughter to a reader.I was just asking why they would ask a question when it proves nothing thats all.

 

[Love_Young]

Oh okay I see what you are saying. I definitely agree with you.
What I did so they would trust our story and facts was include evidence of everything I mentioned whether it was just a bill, receipt, picture, email, ticket, etc. I included it. I feel if you do this. They are more likely to trust that you are being truthful.

I am very sorry iarblue for the misunderstanding. Hope you can forgive me.

 

[iarblue]

Of course.And i was just reading the area where it asks you to do this letter it states to include evidence of the story, so i guess that is where they are getting the proof of the story.Just the story itself is not good enough without eveidence to back it up.

 

[nyssa]

I'm afraid I still don't understand. In the Sponsored Spouse Questionnaire, you just write all the answers as simple facts and the timeline comes after that? In the "any additional info to prove your relationship is genuine" part? I suppose that does make some sense... less pages. I think the way mine works is the Questionnaire does flow in the way we've been together. First meeting, development of relationship, marriage and maintaining contact. In the Development of Relationship is where I write most of it, more or less. I don't know. Why did you opt for the timelines?