Most Important Documents that Supports
If you are currently in a common-law partnership with your significant other and would like to apply for common-law sponsorship, it is very important to recognize that Immigration Canada is very particular about proving common-law partnerships. The reasoning behind this is because common-law partnerships are not marriages; therefore, trying to prove your common-law partnership can be challenging but not impossible. As a result, in this article, I will explain what exactly a common-law partnership is, eligibility requirements for common-law partnership and important documents that supports common-law sponsorship.
What is a Common-Law Partnership
As per Citizenship and Immigration Canada, a common-law partnership or union is defined as a couple, same or opposite sex, that is involved in a marriage-like commitment. Additionally, one of the most important prerequisites to being in a common-law partnership is having continuously cohabitated with your partner for at least one full year. The key word from that sentence is continuous; if the couple has not resided together continuously, then they would not qualify as a common-law partnership. Keep in mind, the couple could have periods of not seeing each other, however, these periods must be for short periods of time and must be for specific reasons, such as family obligations, business opportunities, etc.
Eligibility Requirements for Common-Law Partnership
In order to be considered a common-law partnership, it is essential for both partners in the relationship to abide by the eligibility requirements for common-law partnership. The eligibility requirements for a common-law partnership include:
- Cohabitate together for at least one (1) year with your partner
- Not have left your partner for more than a short period of time
- Demonstrate that both partners have combined affairs together
- Share a household together
If you have determined that you and your partner both qualify and meet all of the aforementioned eligibility requirements, then you indeed qualify for common-law partnership in the eyes of Canadian Immigration.
In order to determine whether you are eligible to sponsor your common-law partner, there are a different set of requirements that the sponsor must abide by. In order to be eligible to sponsor your common-law partner, you must:
- Be either a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or a Registered Indian in Canada
- Be at least 18 years old
- Reside in Canada
- Demonstrate that you have enough funds to provide the basic needs for your common-law partner and any dependent children while living in Canada
If and once you determine that you have met all of the previously mentioned eligibility requirements for both common-law partnerships and common-law sponsorships, you may proceed to begin applying for common-law sponsorship in Canada. In order to prove your common-law partnership, Immigration Canada requests specific information and documentation from both partners in order to prove their common-law partnership accordingly. In other words, the reason why you would submit this information and documentation to Immigration is to prove that your relationship with your partner is, in fact, genuine and real.
Important Documents that Supports Common-Law Sponsorship
Because common-law partners are not in a legal marriage, although they are in a marriage-like commitment, it is essential to prove to Immigration Canada that you are, in fact, in a partnership. That is why there are very important documents that must be compiled and submitted with your common-law sponsorship application in order to prove the genuineness of your relationship to your common-law partner. If you don’t do this or fail to do this, your common-law sponsorship will unfortunately be refused. It is very common to see the common-law partners supporting each other by providing emotional as well as financial support. Therefore, in order to qualify as a common-law sponsorship, you must first share a household together and live in the same home. Furthermore, in order to prove cohabitation for at least one year, there is certain documentary evidence that you should submit to Canadian Immigration. For instance:
- Joint Ownership of Residence/Property
- Lease Agreements
- Rental Agreements
- Shared Utility Bills, such as telephone, electricity, gas, etc.
- Joint Bank Accounts & Credit Card Accounts
- Receipts of shared household items, such as furniture, appliances, electronics, etc.
- Any correspondence sent to either partner at the same address
- Identity documents that show the same address, such as driver’s licenses, insurance policies, etc.
- Any additional documents that can prove cohabitation
When assessing and examining common-law sponsorships, Immigration Canada will want to see these specific documents and information. However, if by any chance, you cannot provide these documents or information, you can still have a chance to get your common-law sponsorship approved. But if you can provide all of the aforementioned documentation, then your chances of approval will be much higher and the application will be much stronger. It is important to note that the aforementioned documents strongly support common-law sponsorship in Canada. It is essential to try and submit these documents to Immigration. There are also specific eligibility requirements that were previously mentioned that must be met in order to successfully apply for a common-law sponsorship.
Contact Akrami & Associates
It is essential and highly recommended that you have met all of the aforementioned requirements and compile all of the required documentation prior to applying for common-law sponsorship. Common-law Sponsorship applications are difficult applications to pursue on your own and it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to submit the application. Here, at Akrami & Associates, we work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients reunite with their common-law partners in Canada and are now permanent residents of the country. If you believe that you qualify for common-law sponsorship, please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at our office at 416-477-2545 for more information or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advice.
With Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!
