Common-law relationship evidence package for RCICs

Answers are general operational information only — not legal, tax, regulatory, clinical, privacy, immigration, or professional advice. Requirements vary by matter, client, and regulator.

Frequently asked questions

What form do common-law partners usually complete for IRCC?

When marital status is declared as common-law, IRCC commonly requires the Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409). Confirm the live Express Entry or sponsorship checklist.

Is a marriage-certificate checklist enough if the couple later marries?

No. Collect the documents that match the status declared in the application. If status changes, add new lines rather than overwriting the old evidence set.

What relationship evidence should RCICs request?

Items that show a shared life: joint leases, joint accounts, beneficiary designations, correspondence, photos with context, and statutory declarations from people who know the couple — whatever IRCC's current program instruction lists. Quality beats volume.

Can clients upload a WhatsApp export as one file?

You can accept an export as one evidence item, but you still need labelled lines (housing, finances, identity of both partners). A 400-page chat PDF without an index is how reviews stall.

Does Hivi-X decide if the couple is common-law?

No. That is your professional analysis against current IRCC definitions. Hivi-X tracks whether each evidence type was uploaded and approved.

More Immigration guides

• Email is not document collection for RCICsOntario RCICs lose time collecting immigration documents through email, WhatsApp, and shared folders. A checklist-first workflow keeps client files complete before ITA deadlines.
• Missing documents cost RCICs ITA deadlines and client trustIncomplete immigration files during the Express Entry ITA window create refusal risk, rework, and CICC complaint exposure for Ontario RCICs.
• Better client document collection for Ontario RCICsA practical checklist-first intake model for immigration consultants — from retainer signing through exportable PDF checklist report.
• Stop chasing police certificates in emailPolice certificate collection is a top RCIC bottleneck. Structured checklist intake reduces ITA-period delays for Ontario practices.
• Immigration CRM vs document collection for RCICsWhen Ontario RCICs need a case management CRM, when they need a document-collection layer, and why most firms use both.
• Express Entry document checklist for Ontario RCICsOperational checklist of documents RCICs typically collect for Express Entry clients — verify against current IRCC guidance.
• Express Entry ITA: 60-day document rush workflowWhen a client gets an ITA, RCICs have 60 days to submit a complete application. A practical document-rush workflow with checklists and missing-item tracking.
• Pre-ITA readiness checklist for Express Entry clientsHow Ontario RCICs front-load documents before an Invitation to Apply to avoid 60-day fire drills.
• Employment reference letter collection for RCICsNOC-aligned employer letters are a chronic Express Entry bottleneck. Checklist intake and item-level QC reduce IRCC refusal risk.
• Police certificate collection for Ontario RCICsResidence history rules, country-specific processing, and checklist QC for police certificates in immigration client files.
• Language test documentation for Express Entry clientsIELTS, CELPIP, and TEF result collection — validity rules and checklist intake for Ontario RCICs.
• Educational Credential Assessment intake workflowECA collection and checklist QC for Express Entry and skilled worker programs — WES and other designated organizations.
• Spousal sponsorship document package for RCICsChecklist-driven intake for inland and overseas spousal sponsorship — relationship evidence, identity, and IRCC forms.
• Study permit document checklist for Ontario RCICsLOA, financial proof, identity, and program-specific documents for study permit client files in Ontario practices.
• Work permit document intake workflow for RCICsLMIA-supported and LMIA-exempt work permit document packages — employer letters, job offers, and identity documents.
• Certified translation collection for immigration filesTranslation pairs, translator certification, and checklist QC for non-English/French documents in RCIC client files.
• CICC client file management: what RCICs must keepWhat the CICC Client File Management Regulation requires RCICs to retain — and how structured document intake supports defensible files.
• RCIC communication log documentationCICC communication recording obligations — what to log, what Hivi-X supports, and what stays outside the platform.
• Ontario RCIC client file retentionSix-year retention, active vs closed files, and electronic storage considerations for Ontario immigration practices.
• RCIC client portal vs email for document collectionWhy email and WhatsApp break down for immigration document collection — and what the my-id.ca portal provides.
• Responsible AI for RCIC consultation notesSelf-hosted AI summaries on immigration client files — no third-party AI providers, Canadian hosting context.
• Voice notes for immigration consultation documentationRecord consultation recaps on RCIC client files — faster file notes that support CICC communication obligations.
• AI summaries for immigration client filesHow self-hosted AI summaries on voice notes help RCICs document consultations without third-party AI risk.
• Co-agent workflow for RCIC teamsHow small Ontario immigration firms use Hivi-X co-agent access for junior consultants and document coordinators.
• Exportable PDF package for CICC client recordsOrganized checklist PDF export for RCIC client files — intake documentation before and after IRCC submission.
• Canadian-hosted document collection for RCICsWhy Canadian hosting matters for immigration client files — PIPEDA, CICC confidentiality, and US-hosted tool risk.
• Secure client portal for immigration documentsSecure guest link or my-id.ca portal upload flow for immigration clients — checklist sharing and mobile-friendly intake.
• Small RCIC firm document standardizationHow 1–5 person Ontario immigration firms standardize intake across consultants and programs.
• Principal RCIC client file oversightHow managing partners review intake completeness across consultants without opening every inbox.
• DocuSign vs document collection for RCICsE-signatures vs structured immigration document intake — different tools for different steps in the RCIC workflow.
• OINP Workforce Priority document checklist for Ontario RCICsOperational intake for Ontario's 2026 OINP redesign — applicant and employer documents on a reusable checklist, verified against ontario.ca.
• Canadian citizenship document checklist for Ontario RCICsOperational supporting-document intake for citizenship applications — identity, presence evidence, language proof, and photos — beside your CRM.
• Parent and grandparent sponsorship document package for RCICsTwo-sided intake for PGP — sponsor income and status documents plus applicant identity, medicals, and police certificates — on one missing-item dashboard.
• Proof of funds collection for Express Entry (Ontario RCICs)How RCICs request, QC, and store IRCC-acceptable bank letters for Federal Skilled Worker and Skilled Trades files — and letters of explanation when funds are not required.
• IRCC medical exam document collection for Ontario RCICsTrack panel-physician medicals, information sheets, and eMedical confirmations on the client checklist — without turning Hivi-X into a clinic booking tool.
• PGWP document checklist for Ontario RCICsOperational post-graduation work permit intake — completion letter, transcript, passport, language proof, and field-of-study evidence — with guest-link QC.
• Visitor visa (TRV) document checklist for Ontario RCICsStructured temporary resident visa intake — purpose of travel, ties to home country, finances, and invitation letters — without using email as the client file.
• Super visa document collection for Ontario RCICsHost invitation, host income, medical exam, and private health insurance — the four document groups that make super visa files different from a visitor visa.
• Google Drive vs document collection for Ontario RCICsWhy a shared Drive folder is not a CICC client file — missing-item tracking, Canadian hosting, approve/reject, and PIPEDA compared side by side.
• WhatsApp is not an immigration client fileWhy chat threads fail CICC file management — and how Ontario RCICs move police certificates and relationship evidence onto a real checklist without banning WhatsApp.
• IRCC upload specs — photo dimensions and file-size QC for RCICsOperational QC for IRCC portal uploads — per-account MB limits, accepted formats, and digital photo pixel rules — before a 60-day ITA or citizenship submit.
• Dependent family member document collection for RCICsPrincipal, spouse or partner, and children on one immigration checklist — birth certificates, custody, passports, medicals — so a missing child exam cannot hide.
• PR card renewal document checklist for Ontario RCICsOperational IMM 5444 intake — photos, identity, presence evidence — for permanent resident card renewals and replacements.
• Spousal open work permit document intake for RCICsCollect SOWP supporting documents — sponsor status, relationship evidence, passports — on a reusable checklist beside your work-permit template.
• RCIC client onboarding and retainer document packageWhat to collect the day the retainer is signed — agreement, IMM 5476, ID, consultation notes — so the CICC file exists before the first IRCC form.
• PIPEDA and document collection for Ontario RCICsHow Canadian-hosted checklist intake supports PIPEDA safeguards for immigration files — without claiming certification or replacing your privacy program.
• Guest link for overseas immigration clientsHow Ontario RCICs collect documents from applicants abroad without a my-id.ca account — email OTP, mobile upload, time zones — on a scoped Hivi-X grant.
• Incomplete IRCC applications — document QC before the file is returnedWhy complete-application programs bounce missing PDFs — and how Ontario RCICs use item-level checklist QC instead of hoping the portal is the first review.
• Language test, medical, and police certificate expiry tracking for RCICsOperational validity windows for IELTS/CELPIP, immigration medicals, and police certificates — and the honest limit that Hivi-X does not auto-alert.