Suggestions to help with common-law sponsor

[Canada8197]

Hi! I am in Toronto, Ontario. I have some questions!

I am in common-law with my partner. Where do I go to in my area to get that declared/signed by somebody?
I looked over the application, it says 20 photos MAX. We have over 50 photos... Should I just submit 20, or 50?
We have a TON of receipts. Seriously, I have 3 bags of them.. They are all his credit card (as I can't work), and recently I got an authorized card from his MasterCard so I am using that too. Should we just include important receipts, eg: my license, going to places such as Wonderland, etc, or should we also include misc. receipts such as grocery, walmart, etc? And do I dump ALL of them in? We have a joint bank account and he closed his old bank account to further help our situation as he's only going to use our joint account, and we have insurances in each other's name as beneficiary. What else can I do to help strengthen our application? The most important part is, we also have chat logs. On the application, it says NO MORE than 10 pages long, but I swear we have over 80 pages long... What should I do? Screenshot important stuff? (He asked me to be his girlfriend online..) or hand everything in? Should we censor the inappropriate sexual exchanges? (no pictures) (sorry.. I had to ask!) or will it be okay to submit those too?

P.S: I don't want to sponsor anyone in my family if I am approved. Will not including anyone (as I don't even know where there are) jeopardize my application?
Many thanks for your help!!

 

[sylvain1]

Hi! I am in Toronto, Ontario. I have some questions!

I am in common-law with my partner. Where do I go to in my area to get that declared/signed by somebody?
I looked over the application, it says 20 photos MAX. We have over 50 photos... Should I just submit 20, or 50?
We have a TON of receipts. Seriously, I have 3 bags of them.. They are all his credit card (as I can't work), and recently I got an authorized card from his MasterCard so I am using that too. Should we just include important receipts, eg: my license, going to places such as Wonderland, etc, or should we also include misc. receipts such as grocery, walmart, etc? And do I dump ALL of them in? We have a joint bank account and he closed his old bank account to further help our situation as he's only going to use our joint account, and we have insurances in each other's name as beneficiary. What else can I do to help strengthen our application? The most important part is, we also have chat logs. On the application, it says NO MORE than 10 pages long, but I swear we have over 80 pages long... What should I do? Screenshot important stuff? (He asked me to be his girlfriend online..) or hand everything in? Should we censor the inappropriate sexual exchanges? (no pictures) (sorry.. I had to ask!) or will it be okay to submit those too?

P.S: I don't want to sponsor anyone in my family if I am approved. Will not including anyone (as I don't even know where there are) jeopardize my application?
Many thanks for your help!!

Hi, I'll try to answer to all your questions.

First, you can have your parents, his parents, siblings, write a letter saying they are aware of your relation that started X months or years ago and that you are living together since that date. To strengthen the letter, you can have then notarized.

They ask 20 photos, so send 20, but chose the most important/significant ones, that will be from different events from different time in your relation.

You don't need receipts, print some monthly statements from your common account (old and recent), do the same with the credit card if it shows both names. Regarding the insurance, join a copy that shows you are each other's beneficiaries, that's very good. Chat logs, again respect the limit indicated, keep a selection of the most important discussions and also from different time in the relation. Sexual content is up to you, but not necessary.

If both of your name is on a lease, that would be a good thing to add. If you have different utility bills (cell phone, internet,... ) showing the same address, that could be good to add. If you have a driving licence showing the same address, that's also good to add.

I wish you the best with your application. If you apply inland, you can apply for an open work permit (OWP) at the same time. This will maintain your legal status in Canada (assuming you are on a visitor status).

 

[sylvain1]

Hi! I am in Toronto, Ontario. I have some questions!

I am in common-law with my partner. Where do I go to in my area to get that declared/signed by somebody?
I looked over the application, it says 20 photos MAX. We have over 50 photos... Should I just submit 20, or 50?
We have a TON of receipts. Seriously, I have 3 bags of them.. They are all his credit card (as I can't work), and recently I got an authorized card from his MasterCard so I am using that too. Should we just include important receipts, eg: my license, going to places such as Wonderland, etc, or should we also include misc. receipts such as grocery, walmart, etc? And do I dump ALL of them in? We have a joint bank account and he closed his old bank account to further help our situation as he's only going to use our joint account, and we have insurances in each other's name as beneficiary. What else can I do to help strengthen our application? The most important part is, we also have chat logs. On the application, it says NO MORE than 10 pages long, but I swear we have over 80 pages long... What should I do? Screenshot important stuff? (He asked me to be his girlfriend online..) or hand everything in? Should we censor the inappropriate sexual exchanges? (no pictures) (sorry.. I had to ask!) or will it be okay to submit those too?

P.S: I don't want to sponsor anyone in my family if I am approved. Will not including anyone (as I don't even know where there are) jeopardize my application?
Many thanks for your help!!

I forgot your last part. Only your dependents need to be listed and get the medical exam. If you don't have any dependents, you don't need to list anyone.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi! I am in Toronto, Ontario. I have some questions!

I am in common-law with my partner. Where do I go to in my area to get that declared/signed by somebody?

I looked over the application, it says 20 photos MAX. We have over 50 photos... Should I just submit 20, or 50?

We have a TON of receipts. Seriously, I have 3 bags of them

The most important part is, we also have chat logs. On the application, it says NO MORE than 10 pages long

P.S: I don't want to sponsor anyone in my family if I am approved. Will not including anyone (as I don't even know where there are) jeopardize my application?

Hi

You don't "declare common-law". Once you have lived together continuously for a year, you are de facto common-law.

20 photos. Don't annoy the VO by disregarding the instructions.

Receipts prove nothing, so don't bother including any.

Actually, the guide states that chat logs etc. are required from couples that are not currently living together.

If you are referring to the Additional Family form, you must list all family members on the form, regardless of whether you are in contact or not. Put Unknown for addresses if you don't know where they are. Failure to list your family members will result in your app being returned as incomplete.

 

[canadiantica15]

Hi! I am in Toronto, Ontario. I have some questions!

I am in common-law with my partner. Where do I go to in my area to get that declared/signed by somebody?
I looked over the application, it says 20 photos MAX. We have over 50 photos... Should I just submit 20, or 50?
We have a TON of receipts. Seriously, I have 3 bags of them.. They are all his credit card (as I can't work), and recently I got an authorized card from his MasterCard so I am using that too. Should we just include important receipts, eg: my license, going to places such as Wonderland, etc, or should we also include misc. receipts such as grocery, walmart, etc? And do I dump ALL of them in? We have a joint bank account and he closed his old bank account to further help our situation as he's only going to use our joint account, and we have insurances in each other's name as beneficiary. What else can I do to help strengthen our application? The most important part is, we also have chat logs. On the application, it says NO MORE than 10 pages long, but I swear we have over 80 pages long... What should I do? Screenshot important stuff? (He asked me to be his girlfriend online..) or hand everything in? Should we censor the inappropriate sexual exchanges? (no pictures) (sorry.. I had to ask!) or will it be okay to submit those too?

P.S: I don't want to sponsor anyone in my family if I am approved. Will not including anyone (as I don't even know where there are) jeopardize my application?
Many thanks for your help!!

Notice of Assessment from CRA indicating your status as common-law. Also, although not required on the checklist the statutory declaration of common-law union (IMM 5409) is something to include. I've seen people get asked for this down the road. We got ours signed at a Canadian Embassy but it can by done by a notary public as well.

 

[Canada8197]

Thank you for all your help! So I should NOT include chat logs? They are not interested as to how we got together? Only genuine proofs of us together as of now? I always thought they would want to know the roots and what not.

I have 0 contact with any families. I still list them but state as unknown and note to let them know I am estranged with them, right? Are there any extra's I should add to help with my application?

I am worried about how much of a chance I will get rejected. With a lot of stuff such as conjoint bank, same credit cards, phone bills with same addresses, letters, insurance beneficiaries, do I have a good chance? As I know Inland rejections can NOT be appealed, however Outland can. Anyone have any recommendations for that? For some reason, this seems to be too simple to me, as I heard people get rejected all the time. Is this really all I need for Common-law sponsorship?

Thank you all so much

Edit: I was not stated as a common-law partner in the recent tax filing. This is because we were not yet common-law status. (Full one year was in late June) Is that okay? Should I explain that or am I in trouble?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thank you for all your help! So I should NOT include chat logs? They are not interested as to how we got together? Only genuine proofs of us together as of now? I always thought they would want to know the roots and what not.

I have 0 contact with any families. I still list them but state as unknown and note to let them know I am estranged with them, right? Are there any extra's I should add to help with my application?

I am worried about how much of a chance I will get rejected. With a lot of stuff such as conjoint bank, same credit cards, phone bills with same addresses, letters, insurance beneficiaries, do I have a good chance? As I know Inland rejections can NOT be appealed, however Outland can. Anyone have any recommendations for that? For some reason, this seems to be too simple to me, as I heard people get rejected all the time. Is this really all I need for Common-law sponsorship?

Thank you all so much

Edit: I was not stated as a common-law partner in the recent tax filing. This is because we were not yet common-law status. (Full one year was in late June) Is that okay? Should I explain that or am I in trouble?

Follow the guide and checklist. They are very specific about what proofs they want to see.

Yes, you still need to list your family.

As long as your proofs cover at least one year to show you are common-law, you should be fine.

That's fine. You can both show that you have updated your marital status with CRA.