Support letters from friends &Family for common-law sponsorship

[Lina]

Hello,

I am permanent resident living in Vancouver, BC, and my common-law partner is currently living with me and he is from Sweden.

We are working on putting our papers together to apply for sponsorship under family-common law.

About the support letter from family and friends..

1) Structure of the letter? is it flexible as long as it states important parts?

2) Both our families live outside Canada ( in S.Korea and in Sweden). Can our families send us support letters in email? or does it need to be hand written with signature?

3) Can friends in Vancouver write support letters in email? ( and I would submit the printout)

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Ponga]

Hi,

Welcome!

1. Just ask them to write whatever they feel like writing, to validate your relationship. There is no structure that needs to be followed, just ask then to write what they know and feel about you and your partner's relationship.

2. Letters should be either hand written, or typed and signed. An email letter will have little, if any, credibility as it's impossible to know who actually wrote it.
(You need to have at least two letters that have been notarized).

3. Again, have them provide you with written letters.

Good luck!

 

[Betina]

There is no structure. However, make sure they all provide their contact information (address, phone number, email etc.). And have them address the letter to CIC (or have them write "to whom it may concern"). And have them finish the letter expressing their willingness to be contacted for further details.

If they don't know how to write the letter, just ask them to write an essay stating: what's their relationship with you, how and when did they meet you and/or your partner, what do they think about your relationship and what occasions did they have the opportunity to see you two together. Ask them not to be over the top appreciative (stay away from metaphors and poem-like stuff ).

They need to be signed by hand. They can be handwritten or typed, but definitely need to be signed by hand. Have them mail the letters to you, addressed to both of you, and even attach the envelope showing the address for further proof that you are living together.

 

[Rob_TO]

Hello,

I am permanent resident living in Vancouver, BC, and my common-law partner is currently living with me and he is from Sweden.

We are working on putting our papers together to apply for sponsorship under family-common law.

About the support letter from family and friends..

1) Structure of the letter? is it flexible as long as it states important parts?

2) Both our families live outside Canada ( in S.Korea and in Sweden). Can our families send us support letters in email? or does it need to be hand written with signature?

3) Can friends in Vancouver write support letters in email? ( and I would submit the printout)

Many thanks in advance!

1. No set structure is required. Just make sure it includes the basic like how the person knows you and your spouse, for how long, knowledge of you living together, etc etc.

2. As mentioned, for Swedish applicants 2 of the letters must be certified/notarized. So these will need to be originals that are certified by whoever wrote it at a notary or other person able to certify docs.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/3901e.pdf
If you are a common-law or conjugal partner, provide evidence that your relationship is genuine and
continuing and has existed for at least 12 months prior to your application. Also provide details of the
history of your relationship and at least two statutory declarations from individuals with personal
knowledge of your relationship supporting your claim that the relationship is genuine and continuing.

3. After the 2 stat declaration letters, anything else is up to you. For these you can do originals, emails, print-outs, whatever. Just make sure all of them include the writers full name, address, job title (if applicable), phone number and email.... just to make it all more official. If possible you can print them on company letterhead from where the writer works.

 

[Lina]

Thank you so much for your answers!

For 2 notarized letters, would you recommend that 1 letter is from someone on his side and 1 from mine? Or maybe it does not matter?

For example, 1 letter from his parent and 1 letter from mine. Or 1 from his parent and 1 from our mutual friend.

We are trying to select the best persons for writing this letter. Our options are...

His parents
His brother

My parents( they do not speak English)
My sister( speaks/writes English well but the notary in Korea won't understand English...? so it should be in Korean translated in Eng.?)

Our mutual friends who are couples
My old friend
My english tutor from high school who is like my mentor
His friend
My supervisor at work ( she would love to help me with this letter as she met with us both but she has known us for only 3 months as I just started new job)

We met in Oct 2008 in Victoria, BC, Canada as roommates and started dating from Nov 2008. From Aug 2009, we had to do long distance until Feb, 2013. We have visited each other's home/families(except the year of 2011) and have many pics and emails. Since Feb 2013, we have been living together until now. People listed above all know about our background as couple. The reason for long distance was that his working holiday visa had expired and I did not become PR until summer of 2013 (via BCPNP).

Your help is so appreciated!
Thank you,

 

[Smsm81]

Write what you listed here. How you met and how you kept in touch with each other. Show your pictures and those letters either from his family or yours. in Koren language plus the translation. I believe he should be approved soon.

 

[Lina]

Thank you for your kind words.