Tips & Tricks w/Common-Law App

[Veelia11]

Hello,

My boyfriend is applying to sponsor me under the "Common-Law" sponsorship option. We are looking for any tricks, tid bits, and important information needed to make this the best application that we can have (especially in regards to proof, as through reading the forums, it seems that is the trickiest part). Below you will find the necessary information about the two of us, but please ask for anymore if it could help in aiding our process. Thank you.

The Relationship
Started dating in March 2012.
Met through an online video game (World of Warcraft) and met in real life for the first time March 28th, 2012 (both drove).
Kept in contact on Skype/WhatsApp constantly since beginning the relationship.
We would visit each other (driving or by airplane) at least once every 3 months (if not less than that).
Finally moved in with each other May 2013 (I moved in with him in QC while studying French @ McGill).

The Sponsor (Boyfriend)
Native-Born Canadian
French First Lang, English Second Lang
Quebec Resident
Steady Job
26 Years old

The Sponsored (Me, Girlfriend)
Native-Born American
English First Lang, French Second Lang
Currently Living in QC on a Work Permit (valid through April 2015)
Has been living with boyfriend here in QC since May 2013
Studied @ McGill from Sept 2013-Oct 2014
Working downtown Montreal since Sept 2014
Steady Job (in Canada)
23 Years old
Took IELTS exam (just in case) and also have graduation from McGill's French Language program (which acts as a proof of French language).

The only issue I'm worried about is we don't have many things in both of our names besides the Apartment Lease. We still pretty much pay for everything on our own, and do not have a joint bank account. We are just looking for help and things that we might not think of that would aid in our application. We used Skype and What's App often to communicate before moving in (and still use What's App for texting). We have a handful of plane tickets to and from the US/Canada. We have the lease from when I moved in with him with both our names. We did not really call/text much on our actual phones due to the expensive international fees (hence why we used Skype/What's App). What else could we use to aid us?

Do you have any other tips for applications?

Thank you so much,

Cary & Mathieu

 

[Rob_TO]

Joint lease is the #1 thing to prove common-law. So by having that, you are in great shape. You could also show things like:
- mail addressed to each of you, going to same address
- as of May 2014 you are officially common-law, so he should have changed his tax status with CRA from single to common-law at that time. Can include proof he did this
- get a joint bank account, or supplementary credit card
- get life insurance on each other, or perhaps he has work benefits and can add you as dependent/beneficiary
- lots of pics of each of you together with friends/family
- testimony letters from friends/family that include statements that you've been living together 1 year (at least 2 should be notarized/certified letters)

Your communication proof (like chat logs, screenshots, call logs etc) will be more important to establish how your relationship developed before moving in together. Once you moved in together, proof of communication is not as important since you are living with each other and simply talking every single day.

Yours sounds like a very easy and simple case. Just make absolutely sure you apply OUTLAND for quickest processing time.

 

[Veelia11]

Hey there,

What do you mean by outland? I'm currently working in Montreal and I can't really take an extended time off to work. I thought we should apply from Canada as we're both living together here in Canada.

 

[scylla]

You can file an outside of Canada (outland) application while living in Canada. It's much (much) faster for Americans. You would be crazy to apply inland. With outland, you could be done in as little as four months.

 

[Graihn]

Also, as the holidays are here, ask friends and family to send you xmas cards addressed to you as a couple.

 

[keesio]

Also, as the holidays are here, ask friends and family to send you xmas cards addressed to you as a couple.

Good idea!

 

[Veelia11]

I apologize that I'm so confused by this...

What do you mean by apply outland?
When I'm on CIC I see two application choices:

Apply for a spouse living inside Canada
&
Apply for a spouse living outside Canada.

We would choose spouse living outside Canada even though I'm living inside Canada?
Or would we just send the Spouse living inside Canada application to Mississauga?

On the form that I've already completed (living in Canada form) it asks if we're currently living together, and I put yes (since we are) and it asks for dates, etc. How do I get around this I apply as someone living outside of Canada when I'm not?

 

[keesio]

We would choose spouse living outside Canada even though I'm living inside Canada?

Yes.. confusing, isn't it? All the "outland" does is treat your application as someone applying from outside Canada. But it doesn't matter if you actually are in Canada as a visitor or (in your case) with a work permit. Since you can already work and live in Canada, inland gives you absolutely no benefit, even if the processing times were faster. Even if you were in Canada on just a visitor visa, outland would be recommended since the timelines for US citizens are very fast.

 

[Veelia11]

And "applying outland" means choosing the "living outside of Canada" option?
I mean isn't it not advisable to lie on the application?

I was just looking over the application and the questions are different, they seem to assume that we're living in the United States together instead of in Canada together (saying if you check that you're not living together they ask when your partner moved back to Canada, etc).

It just seems like we would be lying...?

 

[Veelia11]

I have another question, when they ask you questions that require you to fill in a X to X date, and you're presently living there or working there, etc, what do you put in the last section? I can't just write "present" over the date boxes, so do I just put the current date?

 

[Graihn]

I have another question, when they ask you questions that require you to fill in a X to X date, and you're presently living there or working there, etc, what do you put in the last section? I can't just write "present" over the date boxes, so do I just put the current date?

Everyone that have had the same situation as you have just left that blank, and once printed filled in PRESENT. Including me.

 

[warzo]

You can live in Canada and provide a Canadian address and still apply as "Outland". As everyone else, this is a better option. Inland could take upto 13 months just to evaluate whether your common law can sponsor you or not, and perhaps another 1 year until your application is processed and completed. During that time, you are unable to leave Canada.

With outland application, the entire process could take only 4-6 months, and you may get your COPR before your work visa expires (no promises though). You will also be able to leave and travel.

And "applying outland" means choosing the "living outside of Canada" option?
I mean isn't it not advisable to lie on the application?

I was just looking over the application and the questions are different, they seem to assume that we're living in the United States together instead of in Canada together (saying if you check that you're not living together they ask when your partner moved back to Canada, etc).

It just seems like we would be lying...?

 

[keesio]

You can live in Canada and provide a Canadian address and still apply as "Outland".

Yup... well the "live" part depends on what kind of status you have in Canada. The OP has a work permit so she can live and work in Canada no problem. But if you did not, you can still "visit" and stay your spouse in Canada if you have a visitor visa (or if you are visa-exempt). You can also extend your visa from inside Canada. So people have "visited" their spouse in Canada for the entire duration of their outland application. The terminology is important since CBSA and CIC can give you trouble if you tell them you are planning on "living" in Canada when all you have is a visitor visa (again does not apply to OP as long as her work permit is valid).

 

[canuck_in_uk]

And "applying outland" means choosing the "living outside of Canada" option?
I mean isn't it not advisable to lie on the application?

I was just looking over the application and the questions are different, they seem to assume that we're living in the United States together instead of in Canada together (saying if you check that you're not living together they ask when your partner moved back to Canada, etc).

It just seems like we would be lying...?

As said above, DON'T apply inland. There is no need to lie on an outland application; it's perfectly fine to use your Canadian address. CIC will know that you are applying outland while you are living in Canada and there will be no problem with that.

 

[Veelia11]

Yup... well the "live" part depends on what kind of status you have in Canada. The OP has a work permit so she can live and work in Canada no problem. But if you did not, you can still "visit" and stay your spouse in Canada if you have a visitor visa (or if you are visa-exempt). You can also extend your visa from inside Canada. So people have "visited" their spouse in Canada for the entire duration of their outland application. The terminology is important since CBSA and CIC can give you trouble if you tell them you are planning on "living" in Canada when all you have is a visitor visa (again does not apply to OP as long as her work permit is valid).

My name is on our lease, so I'm really not visiting... It's my apartment too.

I just really want to make sure that I'm understanding everyone.
Has anyone here applied "outland" and lived inland for a year+ in Canada already?

Also, it looks like I have to take a medical exam by a Panal Physician in my would-be country of residence (the United States) and I (like I have stated before) cannot simply take off work to do this. If I submit an examination from a Panal Doctor in Canada that would be okay?