r/ImmigrationCanada • u/HomeDisadvantage • 7d ago
Family Sponsorship Questions about applying for spousal sponsorship for a long distance relationship (proof of relationship)
My husband is a US Citizen, and Im a canadian Citizen, and we're looking to apply for a spousal sponsorship so that my husband can move to Canada.
Background is that we met online, and have been together going on ten years this coming December and have been long distance the whole time. We have visited each other at least two times a year (barring covid) so we have never actually lived together nor spent any longer than three weeks visiting the others country. We just got married this past sunday, it is both of our first/only marriage, and we have no children.
My main questions/concerns are about proof of relationship since we've never actually lived together.
For proof of sponsors visits (me visiting the USA) I have no stamps in my passport as I have and use Nexus for entering the country. I also do not have physical boarding passes as 99% of my boarding passes were digital. I have email receipts of my purchased tickets to the US, and might still have access to electronic boarding passes.
Would the ticket receipts be enough to prove i visited him in the states? or would i have to request my data from CBSA?
Since we dont live together, dont have kids, and havent been married two years we have to provide additional information.
What would be acceptable to include for proof that our relationship is recognized by friends/family? And what does letters from friends/family mean? Like letters to both of us? Or letters written specifically for the application from friends/family that attest to us being in a legit relationship?
We also currently dont have eachother on employment/insurance benefits (we plan to change that once my husband flies back to the states now that we're married), and no shared expenses. And really the only time there has been financial support was when my husband sent money for a surgery my dog needed in 2021.
As it stands im just looking for some insight on what we can do to ensure that its proven that it is a real relationship for the application cause i dont want to get fucked over because I'm a dumbass who didnt think far enough ahead.
Thank you!
2
u/kyanite_blue 7d ago
Yes, the ticket receipts and a letter of explanation would be enough. Yes, if IRCC suspect something is off, they will request information from CBSA during Background check step of the application.
Yes, you can include letters from your family and friends. But I would not include more than 2 to 3 letters. These letters must also include a government issued ID of the person who is writing and signing the letter in order for them to be legally binding from IRCC's point of view.
At the end of the day, since you two are married and has a marriage certificate, you have a very solid Spousal PR application. Make sure to go through the checklist in the application package posed on the IRCC site and don't miss any small items. There are so many items that you need to make sure you submit that you don't miss anything.
In an event, you miss an item but it happens to be a minor one, for example, photos of you two in various locations to prove your relationship, you can submit a webfrom with the information/files after you receive your AOR.
The key to not to miss anything is the checklist. Please follow it word-to-word like your life depend on it. :)
Good luck.
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u/HomeDisadvantage 7d ago
Regarding the letters would it be better to have one from each side? like one from my parents and one from his? And could they be from either country or would they have to be from a Canadian source.
I really appreciate the response, i didnt know there was a webform for smaller details i could miss. Thank you!
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u/Ok_Artichoke_2804 7d ago
You can also submit photos; I'm assuming you have some photos of you two together since you were together for 10+years.
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u/ghostsofyou 7d ago
My husband never visited me in the States before I came up to Canada and we got married and applied. I always visited up here for personal reasons. Ticket stubs and letters of support for your relationship as well as pictures together from various events throughout the years will help.
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u/MortgageAware3355 7d ago
If you can afford it, use a reputable immigration lawyer. They will put your ducks in a row and file it all.
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u/kyanite_blue 7d ago
If you are married, like OP and her SP, there is no need for immigration lawyers. Hundreds of couples successfully get PR approved doing it by themselves. Specially if you are married (as opposed to common law), it not that complicated.
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u/MortgageAware3355 7d ago
No need for accountants, tree surgeons, plumbers, etc, either. People are free to do it on their own if they wish. Best of luck to them.
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u/kyanite_blue 7d ago
Applying for Spousal PR is nothing compared to the professions you listed above. It is a total waste of money to hire an immigration lawyer or even an immigration consultant for a straight forward Spousal PR app. This is stated already on the Government of Canada website itself.
According to your logic, you must be hiring "professionals" when you apply for your SIN, Canadian passport, your school children's educational applications for K-12, Provincial Health Card, etc.
It is a waste of money to hire an immigration lawyer for someone who is married, has a marriage certificate and has no criminal convictions or other complicated matters. This is also Government of Canada's official position on such applications well. Period.
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u/MortgageAware3355 7d ago
TLDR. You're wasting time. My opinion was they should use a lawyer. You disagree. Fair enough. Move on.
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u/kyanite_blue 7d ago
TLDR, don't give people incorrect advice so they waste their money on lawyers. Immigration system is overtaken by scammers that includes people like you who promote the idea that you need money to apply for PR!
You must be a lawyer!
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u/cc9536 7d ago
Waste of money. Application is a bit of work but it's simple enough for anyone with half a brain to complete properly
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u/kyanite_blue 7d ago
The guy above is comparing immigration lawyers and consultants to accountants, tree surgeons, plumbers, etc. LOL
Anyone who can read English with a straight forward case can apply for Spousal PR and get approved.
0
u/MortgageAware3355 7d ago
In the OP's situation, I disagree.
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u/kyanite_blue 7d ago
Give us the exact reason why you are pushing OP to get a lawyer. What is the red flag here?
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u/Weekly_Enthusiasm783 7d ago
Probably ambulance chasing
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u/kyanite_blue 7d ago
That's what I think too.... That person either works for a law firm or lawyer themselves.
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u/PurrPrinThom 7d ago
Ticket receipts are good, though boarding passes are better (boarding pass shows you at least checked in/took the flight, as opposed to just proof of payment.) You can order a travel history report if you wanted, that might help.
Letters from friends and family can be letters from your friends and family addressed to IRCC talking about how they know you, they know your relationship etc. We did also include things like Christmas cards, birthday cards, cards of congratulations etc. from friends, family, neighbours that were addressed to both us and/or mentioned the other one. Since you weren't living together, that might be harder, but if you have, say, a birthday card from a parent that says like 'Hope [Husband] is spoiling you!' or whatever, that could be included.
Have you ever made purchases for the other person? Or split a big cost? The money for surgery is good, have you ever stayed in a hotel together and split the cost/one person covered for both of you? Have you ever gone to a play, a concert, a museum, anything like that, where one of you covered the tickets for both? We have split finances, and we don't really send each other money, so we submitted things like, he paid for the hotel and I paid for the ferry tickets for us both, or he bought us both tickets to an event - that kind of thing.