We are planning on applying for a Family Class immigration visa (Spousal visa). I (the sponsor) am a Canadian Citizen and live here in Canada. My fiancée is Pakistani and currently resides there. We met through family while I was visiting Pakistan about two years ago and have been in a long distance relationship ever since.
As the visa application asks to provide pictures of the marriage celebration, we are planning on getting a court marriage and hosting a small reception the next time I visit (a traditional wedding, i.e. Church marriage and reception requires a lot of planning and will happen later, well after the submission of the visa application and hopefully soon after the arrival of the visa).
Does this court marriage celebration need to be grand; similar to a large wedding celebration with decorations, or will something small (ex. dinner out at a restaurant) with just immediate family and close friends suffice?
We will be submitting the visa application soon after (within two weeks to a month of) the court marriage. The visa application requires evidence of either of 2 situations:
a. Couple living together
b. Couple NOT living together (our situation). We have never lived together. I, the sponsor, have visited the applicant twice, each time I have stayed with my relatives. I will be visiting for a third time to get married.
Which should we be selecting on the visa application (a) or (b)?
If we choose (a) couple living together, how can this be proven?
i. Will changing the address on our national identity cards (we both possess ID cards for Pakistan) to the same address be considered proof?
ii. Is opening a joint bank account in Pakistan considered proof? Note that this account won't be open for long before we submit the visa application (it would only be open for a couple weeks).
iii. Do we need to show that the sponsor is transferring money into this joint bank account?
iv. Is opening a joint bank account in Canada considered proof?
We are not sure if this is achievable as the applicant will not be here in Canada in person.
We don’t think we would be able to provide any other proof that is listed on the Checklist application form (i.e. ownership of rental property, rental agreement, utility accounts, vehicle insurance, etc) unless someone has any ideas on how this can be done.
OR
Should we be selecting (b) Couple NOT living together (which is technically our situation)? Proof can be provided in the form of chat history, emails, social media as well as sponsor visits (boarding passes and passport entry-exit stamps) as the visa application suggests.
For this case, we would need to provide further proof i.e. to show "Documentary evidence of financial support between you and your spouse, and/or shared expenses”.
v. If the sponsor makes global money transfers into the applicant’s bank account, and provide the receipt/confirmation showing the details of the transaction, will this be sufficient proof?
Or
vi. Does a new joint bank account (with both partners’ names in title) need to be created? Again, this account won't be open for long before the application is submitted.
vii. Is listing the applicant as a beneficiary on my insurance policy (through my employer) also proof? Should this be done and provided?
viii. Should we provide letters from family and friends stating that our relationship is genuine? Do these letters need to be notarized? Note that we would already be married.
As the visa application asks to provide pictures of the marriage celebration, we are planning on getting a court marriage and hosting a small reception the next time I visit (a traditional wedding, i.e. Church marriage and reception requires a lot of planning and will happen later, well after the submission of the visa application and hopefully soon after the arrival of the visa).
Does this court marriage celebration need to be grand; similar to a large wedding celebration with decorations, or will something small (ex. dinner out at a restaurant) with just immediate family and close friends suffice?
We will be submitting the visa application soon after (within two weeks to a month of) the court marriage. The visa application requires evidence of either of 2 situations:
a. Couple living together
b. Couple NOT living together (our situation). We have never lived together. I, the sponsor, have visited the applicant twice, each time I have stayed with my relatives. I will be visiting for a third time to get married.
Which should we be selecting on the visa application (a) or (b)?
If we choose (a) couple living together, how can this be proven?
i. Will changing the address on our national identity cards (we both possess ID cards for Pakistan) to the same address be considered proof?
ii. Is opening a joint bank account in Pakistan considered proof? Note that this account won't be open for long before we submit the visa application (it would only be open for a couple weeks).
iii. Do we need to show that the sponsor is transferring money into this joint bank account?
iv. Is opening a joint bank account in Canada considered proof?
We are not sure if this is achievable as the applicant will not be here in Canada in person.
We don’t think we would be able to provide any other proof that is listed on the Checklist application form (i.e. ownership of rental property, rental agreement, utility accounts, vehicle insurance, etc) unless someone has any ideas on how this can be done.
OR
Should we be selecting (b) Couple NOT living together (which is technically our situation)? Proof can be provided in the form of chat history, emails, social media as well as sponsor visits (boarding passes and passport entry-exit stamps) as the visa application suggests.
For this case, we would need to provide further proof i.e. to show "Documentary evidence of financial support between you and your spouse, and/or shared expenses”.
v. If the sponsor makes global money transfers into the applicant’s bank account, and provide the receipt/confirmation showing the details of the transaction, will this be sufficient proof?
Or
vi. Does a new joint bank account (with both partners’ names in title) need to be created? Again, this account won't be open for long before the application is submitted.
vii. Is listing the applicant as a beneficiary on my insurance policy (through my employer) also proof? Should this be done and provided?
viii. Should we provide letters from family and friends stating that our relationship is genuine? Do these letters need to be notarized? Note that we would already be married.
