If you are interested in sponsoring your Common Law Partner, there are a few things you need to consider before you endeavour to proceed with your application. The first thing you need to consider is whether or not you are eligible to sponsor.
Common-law Sponsorship Requirements
- You must be at least 18 years old
- · You must be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident
- · You must live in Canada or intend to reside in Canada when your partner received their Permanent Resident status
- · You and your spouse or common-law partner must sign an agreement that you understand your obligations and responsibilities to each other and Canada
- · You must sign an undertaking that is basically the sponsor’s commitment to be financially responsible for their sponsored partner for a set time
- · You must demonstrate that you have sufficient finances to be able to support your common law partner
Once you have determined that you are eligible and agree to the your requirements as the sponsor, the second thing you will need to consider is whether or not your relationship qualifies as being Common Law. Simply because you live with someone does not make them a Common Law Spouse. Being in a Common Law relationship does have a residency requirement, but it is more than that. Those who qualify as a Common Law relationship not only live together, but are codependent and exist in a marriage like commitment.
Demonstrating your Common-law Relationship
This means that you have shared assets and responsibilities and are mutually exclusive to one another. Essentially, you are “married” in spirit, without having a formal ceremony or legalizing the relationship formally and you have existed in this way, together, for at least 12 months.
In order to demonstrate the genuineness of this relationship, you will need to satisfy Citizenship and Immigration Canada of the above. Demonstrating the genuineness of your Common Law relationship is essential to be approved. An Immigration Officer reviewing your application will need to be convinced that you are in a bona fide relationship and not one solely for the purposes of immigration to Canada.
You will need to provide proof of the above. A couple examples of documentation you can provide to demonstrate cohabitation as well as the genuineness of your relationship would be”
- Proof of joint accounts
- Proof of Joint bills
- Proof of address with both your names on it
- Rental Agreements with both your names on it
- Proof of ownership with both your names on it