Jpod

Hi all,

I am a Canadian permanent resident and have been living out here for 18 months. My girlfriend (we met in the UK, she is a UK citizen) has been living with me here for the past 4 months and she wishes to extend her stay here by 6 months.

Is the best option in terms of a successful application to apply online from within Canada or return to the UK for a short period of time before coming back out here? The waiting time for online application decisions is 112 days but you get implied visitor status after the application has been received.

On the application form (IMM5708) to extend a visitor visa it asks what her current marital status is. Should my girlfriend choose (a) single or (b) common-law union? We have been living together here since June 1st but my understanding is that a common-law union requires having lived together for at least 1 year and demonstrating financial commitments to each other e.g a shared lease/mortgage/bank account.

There is also a question on the form that asks for the name, address, and relationship of any person or institution she will visit. We're not sure what this question is asking - does this include details of my friends who we visited together during her stay?

Any advice gratefully received!

Jay

Vulcanoid

Key question is are you seeking to establish a common-law relationship, so you can sponsor her? If so, she should probably apply online. No-one can say for sure how either one will go, but generally, if you stay in the country for a long time, leave, then come right back and ask to stay for a long time, the visitor would be asked a lot about their links to their home country, how they planned to support themselves, and if they were living illegally on visitor status in Canada. And she would have to come right back, because if you want to become a CL couple from June 2018, she couldn't be away from you for more than a week or so.

You are correct, the earliest you could be a CL couple is June 1st 2018, this assumes that you live together as a couple for the next 8 months. You are both single until then, or you get married.

Jpod

Thanks Vulcanoid that clears things up nicely!