Love story / genuineness guide

Tell your relationship story the way an immigration officer can assess it — dates, places, names, and proof for each claim

Spouse, common-law, and conjugal partner prep · Atty. George M. Garvida · not legal advice

Start worksheet ← Family sponsorship

Relationship story worksheet — genuineness prep

Officers do not approve a file because a couple “loves each other.” They look for a consistent, specific history that matches documents. This worksheet follows questions on IMM 5532 (Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation) and proof rules on IMM 5533 (document checklist). It is not IMM 5532, not a genuineness verdict, and not a promise of approval. Prefer paper? Open blank form. Photo captions in plain language: Your Photos & Your Love Story.

How to tell a story an officer can use. Write facts you can prove: when, where, who, and what happened. Sponsor and partner will be asked separately — answers must match. If you have no visits, no joint lease, or a short courtship, say so and explain. Do not invent facts, copy a template letter, or send hundreds of “good morning” chats. This worksheet is not legal advice and does not guarantee any IRCC outcome. Prepared under Atty. Garvida for case preparation only. Verify current rules on IRCC — sponsor a spouse or partner. Country-specific civil documents: IMM 5289 complete guide. RCIC / lawyer reviews before anything is filed.

Form EBBI-LS-2026-09 · Explore Beyond Borders Inc. · Case prep only

EBBI Love Story / Genuineness Guide (Form EBBI-LS-2026-09)

Who

Met

Commitment

Life

Proof

Story

Submit

1. Who is telling the story

Both people in the relationship should eventually complete IMM 5532. This EBBI worksheet can be filled by the sponsor, the sponsored person, or both together. Use legal names as on passports.

Who is filling this worksheet? Sponsor (the person in Canada) Sponsored person (the partner) Both together

Sponsor given name(s)

Sponsor family name

Sponsor email

Sponsor phone

Partner given name(s)

Partner family name

Partner email

Partner phone

Relationship type Spouse (legally married) Common-law partner (lived together 12+ continuous months) Conjugal partner (committed, but unable to live together or marry because of a barrier)

IMM 5533 four questions (photo / extra proof gate)

IRCC uses these four yes/no facts to decide whether you must send extra photos and recognition evidence with the application. Answer honestly. If you later change an answer, the document list changes.

Are you currently living together? Yes No

Is this the first marriage for both of you? (Choose No if either of you was married before, or if you are not married.) Yes No

Have you been married two years or more? (Choose No if common-law/conjugal or married less than two years.) Yes No

Do you have children together? Yes No

2. How you met

Officer-ready writing. Weak: “We met online and fell in love.” Strong: “We matched on [app] on 12 March 2022. First video call 14 March 2022. First in-person meeting 3 June 2022 at [café], Quezon City, with [friend’s full name] present.” Name the app, the introducer, the street or venue, and the date. If a fact has no proof, still tell the truth and note that in Step 5.

Date you first met (in person or online)

Place you first met (city, country, venue or app)

How did you meet? In person Online / dating app Introduced by family or friends Work, school, or church Other

Tell the first meeting in order — who, where, what you talked about

When did it become a committed relationship?

When did you become exclusive / stop dating others? (if different)

What changed on that date? (words said, trip, meeting parents, moving in)

3. Commitment — proposal, wedding, family

IMM 5532 asks whether the marriage was arranged and who knows you as a couple. List full names. “My family knows” is not enough.

Was this an arranged marriage? No Yes Partly / family-assisted

If arranged or family-assisted, who introduced you and how long did you know each other before the ceremony?

Proposal date (if any)

Proposal place

Who was there, what was said, and is there a photo or message from that day?

Wedding / ceremony date (if married)

Wedding city, country, and venue

Who attended? Name parents, siblings, and at least two friends on each side if they were there

People who know you as a couple (even if they missed the wedding)

How did each family react? Include any objection and how it was resolved

4. Life together or apart

Interview and IMM 5532 questions often cover addresses, daily life, in-laws, work, language, and money. Vague answers (“we talk every day”) are weaker than a pattern you can show in chat logs or remittance slips.

Addresses you have shared, with from/to dates (or N/A)

If you do not live together now: why, since when, and when you plan to live together in Canada

How you keep in contact (apps, typical hours, language, how often)

In-person visits — each trip: who travelled, dates, cities, and proof you still have (tickets, boarding passes, passport stamps)

If there were no visits, explain why (IMM 5532 Part C question 4). Money, visas, work, health, COVID, or family care are facts — not excuses, if they are true.

Daily-life facts officers often ask

Partner’s work or school (employer/school, hours)

Sponsor’s work or school

Languages you speak with each other

Partner’s parents’ full names (and yours)

Plans in Canada (where you will live, work, and who will help you settle)

Money and shared expenses (remittances, who pays rent/bills, joint accounts, amounts and dates if you remember)

5. Proof that matches the story

A claim without a document is only a claim. Match each important fact to a file you can upload. IRCC also caps some evidence: about 10 pages of chat/letters if you live apart; about 20 photos plus a caption sheet if extra photos are required. Certified translation if the document is not English or French.

If you currently live together — pick at least two (IMM 5533)

If you cannot tick two, write the explanation at the bottom of this step.

Joint ownership of residential property Rental agreement showing both as occupants Joint utility, credit card, or bank account (at least one joint bill) Vehicle insurance listing both at the insured address Government-issued documents showing the same address (at least one for each person) Other documents to each person at the same address (cell, pay stub, tax, bank, insurance) — at least one each

If you do not live together (IMM 5533)

Proof of contact — letters, texts, emails, social media (keep to about 10 pages; pick a range of dates, not one week) Proof of sponsor/partner visits — tickets, boarding passes, passport stamps

If there were no visits, you already explained why in Step 4 (IMM 5532 Part C question 4).

You answered yes to all four IMM 5533 gate questions (living together, children together, first marriage for both, married two years or more). Extra photos are not required at filing. IRCC can still ask for more later. You may skip the caption list unless you want to send photos anyway.

Photo caption sheet (if extra photos are required)

List photos from different times and places — not only the wedding day. For each: date, location, who is in it, what event. Maximum about 20 photos.

Photo captions

If extra photos apply, also pick at least two more (IMM 5533)

Recognized as spouses — employment or insurance benefits Financial support or shared expenses Friends/family recognition — letters or public social media (not private “we love you” posts copied from a template) Proof you lived together in the past

For the three strongest facts in your story, what document proves each one?

Written explanation if you cannot meet the two-document cohabitation rule, or other gaps

6. Combined story draft

Generate a first draft from your answers, then edit in your own words. Both people should be able to tell this story without reading it. Do not add facts you cannot prove. Counsel will turn this into IMM 5532 answers — they will not swear it for you.

Your relationship story (edit until it is specific and consistent)

Consistency checklist

Sponsor and partner would give the same dates and places if asked separately Every trip in the story has a ticket, stamp, or an honest “no proof” note Names match passports and the marriage certificate / PSA We did not copy a sample “love letter” from the internet Gaps (no visits, short courtship, prior marriage) are explained in our own words

Anything else an officer should know? (IMM 5532 “anything else” — prior refusals, prior marriages, children from other relationships, gaps in contact)

7. Client declaration

I declare that the information in this worksheet is true, complete, and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand this is case preparation only — not IMM 5532, not a sworn affidavit, not legal advice, and not a decision that the relationship is genuine. IRCC decides genuineness on the full application. I have read the Privacy Policy and Legal Notice. I authorize EBBI to share this information with supervising counsel, Atty. George M. Garvida, to prepare a recommendation.

I have read and agree to the above declaration I agree to the Privacy Policy and Legal Notice.

Type your full name (electronic signature)

Date

Thank you — your love story worksheet is received

EBBI will use this to prepare IMM 5532 answers and a proof list under Atty. Garvida. This is not a filing and not a genuineness decision. We typically follow up within 2–3 business days.

Keep original chats, tickets, and certificates. You can also start the family sponsorship assessment if you have not already. Questions: admin@explorebeyondborders.ca, (647) 780-4069, WhatsApp.