If you are common-law, you must have lived together for a minimum period of time to qualify as a spouse.
In order to be considered a spouse for the purposes of dividing property or debt you must have lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least two years.
But if you are applying for spousal support, you are considered a spouse if you have lived together in a marriage-like relationship for less than two years and have a child together.
Under the law, the start date of a spousal relationship is the day two individuals begin living together in a marriage-like relationship, or the day they were married, whichever is first. The start date of a spousal relationship determines when rights or responsibilities start under the Family Law Act, particularly respecting property division.
Check out these resources from Legal Aid BC:
Visit a Justice Access Centre:
Talk with a family justice counsellor at a Family Justice Centre.
British Columbia has a central authority that assists left-behind parents whose children have been abducted across international borders. For more information, including contact information, please see International Child Abduction.
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