# Conjugal partner sponsorship



## peekoos (Jun 24, 2011)

I am hoping someone on this forum can help me gain some insight into the family class/conjugal partner sponsorship. I've stumbled across many threads that give me the impression that unless it's a same-sex situation, getting approval for this sponsorship is very unlikely. Is this true?

My boyfriend and I were originally planning to apply for this sponsorship since we could not for common-law. We have lived separately for the entire duration of our relationship, outside of visits to one another.

There are a few reasons for this: 
1) I was married to someone else for a good part of our relationship (I am now divorced)

2) I was in school for part of our relationship 

3) Even though he can technically support me, I really didn't want to move unless I could work. I can't apply for a work permit quite yet because of my occupation -- it is regulated, and even though I've had my credentials evaluated by the proper authorities, I need further educational upgrading before I can even perform my job legally in Canada. It would be impossible for me to get a job offer in advance because of this fact.

4) Being from the US, I'm only allowed into Canada for 6 months. I understand extensions can be applied for and possibly granted, but I still don't see how I'm supposed to have lived with him for a year (for common-law). I really want to do everything the legal way, and it seems like we have to play the system to actually get this accomplished.

We have been in a relationship for over 12 months and we have tons of documentary evidence proving such. Based on my reasons above, do you think there's any chance we would get approved for the conjugal partner sponsorship? Should we try another avenue?

We have discussed me just moving in with him for the 6 months I'm allowed in Canada and then applying for the extension.....OR possibly just getting married very soon and applying for the spousal sponsorship. We'd rather get married when we WANT, but if we need to just so we can be together we'll do it. We just want to be together. We can always have a "real" wedding later, I guess!

Thanks for any advice/stories you may share!


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

You will need to get married for him to sponsor you. If you have not lived together for a minimum of 12 months a coomon-law sponsorship will not be entertained.


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## chan_konabe (Mar 8, 2009)

Conjugal partner sponsorship is reserved for people who are prevented from marrying each other for government or religious reasons. Same-sex marriage is the obvious one, but another surprising one is that there are still countries in the world that ban divorce. This means that, technically, you'd remain married to your original spouse for life.

There isn't an outside force preventing you and your partner from marrying each other right now so conjugal sponsorship isn't applicable.

Without the ability for either of you to live together for the 12-months, common-law sponsorship would be impossible. However, if you've demonstrated that you've merged finances (ex, joint bank accounts, credit cards, life insurance, etc...) over a long period of time (ie much greater than the 12-months), you might be able to make a convincing argument for common-law sponsorship. Just 'proof of relationship' isn't enough. They'd like to see commitment through merged finances and life insurance. But this is still a longshot...

It looks like getting married and going through the spousal sponsorship process is the quickest, easiest option for you.

Good luck!


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