Some final questions before submitting our paperwork.

[barch88]

Hello,

My wife is currently in Canada and is sponsoring me to live with her. I'm an American, we've been married since October 2016 and dated since 2012 (originally met in 2011 playing a video game online and in person in January 2012. This resulted in me moving to be closer to her and her also moving closer to the border to be near me). I have some gray-area questions and I'm hoping you all can help me out with before we send this off. I really don't want to get anything kicked back and delayed so all of the help is very much appreciated.

#1- On all of the forms that are "Non-Validated" we typed/wrote "N/A" in literally every box, as per the instruction guide. Neither of us has kids or previous marriages, and I (the applicant) don't have any brothers or sisters so there are a lot of "N/A's" in the empty boxes - this is what they want, though, right? On the validated forms we just left the shaded out areas blank as it was validated already per Adobe, this is okay?

#2- For the Application to Sponsor, Form 1344. Should we put "2016-12" for the most current residence and work history or leave it blank and write in "Present" - or both?

#2- Schedule A - Background/Declaration (Form 5669). In the Education Section, I took online courses from a college. Do I put the college address where the school is located, or should I put the address on where I took the education? Currently, I listed the address where the school is actually located and further down on the form when it asks about my Personal History I made sure to list the address I was living at during that time period. I then on a separate sheet of paper explained why. Or should I just put my address I lived at in both sections to not have any confusion? I also have gaps in my Education History as it dates back to High School. I made sure to leave NO GAPS in my Personal History (Work History), or Address History sections. This is OK, right? Or should the Education History section also have no gaps?

#3- While we're on the subject of Education. Form 0008, "Generic Application Form for Canada" - It asks me my highest level of education. I have an Associates Degree. This is a 2-Year degree in the USA. My only options are High School, Trade School/Diploma, Post-Secondary (No Degree), Bachelors, Masters, Etc...My question is, which do I pick? Right now I selected "Post-Secondary, No Degree." My guess is that Canada doesn't recognize Associates Degree? Is this okay? Should I explain on a separate sheet or choose a different option?

#4- Form 5532, Sponsorship Evaluation and Relationship Questionnaire, has a section where I list dates my wife and I visited each other. It shows YYYY/MM to YYYY/MM but when I type it breaks it down to YYYY/MM/DD. I know some of the days but I'm very unclear to which days we returned from our trips back and forth from each other, we also see each other very often as I live close to the border (1-2 times per week for the last 4-5 years). Currently, I listed the three times we visited each other early on in the relationship, and then on a separate sheet, we went into more detail about our relationship and how often we see each other. My question is, should I roughly estimate the days, or should I just leave that section blank and write in the format as Year/Month and ignore the day? After all the form states YYYY/MM - but then also adds a day when you type it in Adobe.

#5- On the Document Checklist, I have some questions...

A) Do we put the Validated forms on the top of this, or under this form and keep the Document Checklist at the very top when we send our packet off?

B) We are not using a Representative. I should leave any items we aren't including left unchecked, right?

C) Question #10 on the Document Checklist mentions the form 5475, "Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual" - My wife (the sponsor) and I (applicant) are the only ones involved. We don't need to fill this out, do we?

D) In regards to the "Proof of Relationship to Sponsor" - It is requesting (1) Document from THREE of the options. Joint Ownership of leases, property, etc. Joint bills/accounts, Employment insurance benefits, etc. We don't have any of this. We do have cards that were sent to one another, wedding cards given to us by family members, social media information showing our public relationship, and we also intend to provide the maximum amount of photos allowed (20) as well as photocopy proof of stamps in passports when we visited each other. Lastly, I was able to find a boarding-pass of when I visited her way back in 2012. Since we didn't live together we kept our finances and things of the sort separate. Is this going to be an issue? The form says a maximum of 20 Photos from your wedding. Can I also provide more photos just showing our relationship?

C) It is requesting 2 photos for my PR card. I gotten 2 photos professionally taken. Can they be the same photo or does it have to be 2 different photos?

That's literally all of the questions I can think of. If someone who is knowledgable enough can answer those for me I'll REALLY appreciate it.

 

[barch88]

Actually, I do have my wife listed as a Beneficiary on my Fidelity account which is my retirement account through my employer, also used as my stock account. I can also provide that as evidence. We just don't have any insurance benefits between us because she has Canadian health insurance and I have my own private companies in the USA, and we don't have any bills shared together.

Thanks for whoever can help!

 

[Emily12]

#1. I think that should be fine.
#2. I would put the address of the college. and i think it would be common to have gaps in education.
#3. Are you able to hand write the degree type in?
#4 I think if your not sure of the days you can leave them blank however if possible you could go through old text's emails to try and find days for some?
#5 (D) Don't forget you also need a few affirmatives/ statutory declerations from family or friends signed by a notary to state your relationship is true ect. I'm not sure about the photo's however maybe do 10 from the wedding and 10 from random other times and places? The retirement account beneficiary will be great and also wedding certificate etc. I think the more proof the better, as you mentioned social media stuff, conversations via whatsapp fb messenger ect. cards. any letters or cards with both names on them.

As for the PR card photos I would assume they need to be the same?


I hope some of this is helpful and sorry I couldn't answer more questions.

 

[barch88]

#1. I think that should be fine.
#2. I would put the address of the college. and i think it would be common to have gaps in education.
#3. Are you able to hand write the degree type in?
#4 I think if your not sure of the days you can leave them blank however if possible you could go through old text's emails to try and find days for some?
#5 (D) Don't forget you also need a few affirmatives/ statutory declerations from family or friends signed by a notary to state your relationship is true ect. I'm not sure about the photo's however maybe do 10 from the wedding and 10 from random other times and places? The retirement account beneficiary will be great and also wedding certificate etc. I think the more proof the better, as you mentioned social media stuff, conversations via whatsapp fb messenger ect. cards. any letters or cards with both names on them.

As for the PR card photos I would assume they need to be the same?


I hope some of this is helpful and sorry I couldn't answer more questions.

Thank you for the help.

I have the dates we visited but I can't seem to find anything in regards to when we came home. Like I said, this was 5 years ago when we first met- shortly after that I moved close and we see each other multiple times per week now (and have, for the last 4 years). I did not know I needed a sign declaration from family members. I will have to get on that. Where does it request this? This is the first time I heard of this. It won't be an issue but it may just delay me from being able to send it out this week, sadly.

Thank you.

 

[barch88]

Alright so I already got the ball rolling, my parents, my wives parents + sister, and my close friend are all going to draft up a letter stating our relationship is true and valid and have it notarized this week. Do these have to be original copies or do faxed copies work? They live far away from us (besides my friend, his will be original).

Still confused on what to do with the Education. I can write-in the type of degree it is, but the form is a validated form and it has a drop-down menu. So should I select Post-Secondary (No Degree) and write in next to it?

If anyone else can help clear up the other questions it'll be much appreciated.

 

[Sous02]

Alright so I already got the ball rolling, my parents, my wives parents + sister, and my close friend are all going to draft up a letter stating our relationship is true and valid and have it notarized this week. Do these have to be original copies or do faxed copies work? They live far away from us (besides my friend, his will be original).

Still confused on what to do with the Education. I can write-in the type of degree it is, but the form is a validated form and it has a drop-down menu. So should I select Post-Secondary (No Degree) and write in next to it?

If anyone else can help clear up the other questions it'll be much appreciated.

Your education is not a deal breaker so either selection will work. Just note that it is an associate degree.

 

[barch88]

Your education is not a deal breaker so either selection will work. Just note that it is an associate degree.

Okay, I'll select Post Secondary and just put what it is in the line next to it.

 

[skyzee]

Good luck, I'm in a similar boat as you sponsoring my American wife, and I just submitted my Outland application today.

FYI, as far as I know, you don't need to notarize letters of support if you're married. It only applies to common-law couples.

This information was in other threads in this forum (can't post links, but search "do support letters need to be notarized")

Note that it seems to me that you're using the new application and I used the old application to submit, so I'm not sure if this requirement has changed with the new app. I somehow doubt it though.

 

[criveros]

#5 (D) Don't forget you also need a few affirmatives/ statutory declerations from family or friends signed by a notary to state your relationship is true ect. I'm not sure about the photo's however maybe do 10 from the wedding and 10 from random other times and places? The retirement account beneficiary will be great and also wedding certificate etc. I think the more proof the better, as you mentioned social media stuff, conversations via whatsapp fb messenger ect. cards. any letters or cards with both names on them.

I hope some of this is helpful and sorry I couldn't answer more questions.

Woah, must the letters/declarations be signed by a notary. I guess if family is included in pictures that would be enough.

 

[barch88]

Oh, okay. Well we will include them just in case. Thanks for the updates. Any idea on my other questions which weren't yet addressed or clearly answered?

Also how many things can I provide as proof. If I read correctly, 20 pictures and up to 3 pieces of evidence in regards to shared property, bills, etc (this we don't have, besides my wife being my beneficiary on my retirement fund). I will provide the letters which will be signed and notarized. Lastly, I was going to include our marriage certificate (certified copy with seal), and a boarding pass/passport stamp photocopy.

I don't want to include too much and have them kick it back.

Thanks for any help.

 

[barch88]

One last question that popped up before we send this off-

What order do we put it all in?

Receipt of Fees
Checklist
Bar code sheets for the 2 validated forms, or do these go on top of the forms themselves?
Then the forms/documents listed in the same order as the checklist? Do I check off anything I've included and unchecked anything I haven't?

What about my police and medical, what about extra sheets where I go into detail on more questions. Do I list these under the form it's referencing, or do I put these at the very end?