Spousal Sponsorship

[jd0986]

Hi,

I have a query on spousal sponsorship. I understand to apply for a common-law visa in Canada you must live with your partner for a year or longer.

My temporary work visa expires on 7th September, my partner and I would of been living together a year come September 1st.

I'm unsure as to when I should submit my application, CIC obviously wont be able to process my application in 6 days so will I have to leave the country until they do? Can I submit my application early knowing we would be living together a year before my current visa expires?

Also does anyone know of where I could discuss this in Vancouver without having to pay a lawyer $100 to ask the question?

Hope this makes sense.

Thanks

 

[Rob_TO]

Can I submit my application early knowing we would be living together a year before my current visa expires?

No. You must be officially common-law (having lived together 12 consecutive months with no breaks) on the date you mail the application.

You can simply apply to convert your expiring work visa, into a visitor visa. This can be done separate from the PR application.

 

[jd0986]

Thanks for your help.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi

As Rob_TO said, you cannot apply for PR before Sept 1st. Submitting the app before you are actually common-law is like submitting an application as a married couple before you even get married. Common-law is a legally defined status; you can't play around with it.

App to change conditions and extend status as a visitor http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/visitor.asp

I suggest not wasting your money on a lawyer. You can get any answers you need on here and most of the time, they are more accurate than the answer you would get from a lawyer.