Jenya B said:
Hello everyone,
So our story is like this :
My girlfriend and I decided to move to Canada about a year ago, she has a dad who lives in Calgary and after a short procedure she got her PR.
I came here seven days ago and now we are getting married in two weeks and hoping to start my PR procedure as well.
Any tips for us on how to do it? Should we get a lawyer or is it possible to do it by ourselves? What's the best way to show that our relationship is genuine? And all kind of tips are welcome
.
I thank everyone for any kind of help or advice.
I honestly have no idea what the rules are for being a PR and sponsoring a spouse, so I will let someone else help you with that.
But for genuine relationship:
Gather all your emails, text messages, phone logs (a coupe of each per month, but if you have a 10 year relationship maybe less to avoid hundreds of millions of pages) and arrange them chronologically, form when you met till when you apply, and keep going after the application is sent
If you have lived together, show proof of leasing together, joint credit card statements, and address for both for that period of time
Photos of events and trips and other stuff WHERE EVERYBODY IS SMILING SO THEY CAN SEE HOW MUCH FUN YOU HAVE TOGETHER and with friends and family, I used TimeToPhoto to tag the photos with with time and date
After your are wed, have her create a Canada Revenue Agency account, where she adds you as a spouse, and print that out!
At the wedding, not sure what nationality you have, but if in your culture there are 300-400 people at a wedding, CIC expect that. If you are American, Western European, etc, they don't seem to care if only a few attend. Take tons of photos of you all smiling and having a good time, no frowning or stone faces! Have people sign some board at the wedding where they can mention what an amazing couple you two are, and take a photo of that. Wedding invitation can be saved, photo of your gifts.
Also, you need friends and family to write you at least two letters where they say:
1. Who they are, and how they know you two
2. Times they have spent together with you
3. How genuine your relationship is and how supportive you are of each other yada yada
Name, phone number, address for contact if they want to
Signed by them
(A tip, send that list to people you think would write you a letter, by hand or on the computer)
Two (2) letters HAVE to be notarized, just google for someone who can notarize letters in your area. It cost me 96 dollars. I had three extra letters from friends and family too, just not notarized. It would be good if the people writing the letters are seen in photos with you.
If you think there are any red flags in your case, like a big age difference, or one has 10 kids and don't want anymore but the partner might want some of their own, address that in the essay you will write on the development of your relationship, plus of course the development of the relationship.
Don't get a lawyer unless you cannot read and don't know english. In case you have a very tricky situation nd your case is not stra8 forward, maybe consult a lawyer, but this forum is very helpful.
I used this thread for all my organization tips, but don't be scared of how much she submitted, she is loco! Lol I only had about 100 pages of proof, and many have had much less.
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-i-organized-our-applcation-and-a-summary-of-all-helpful-tips-i-have-learned-t92449.0.html'
Cheers
