Family Sponsorship

Spousal Sponsorship — Complete Guide

If a Canadian citizen or permanent resident is in a relationship with a foreign national, they may sponsor that person to immigrate to Canada and join them as one of their own. Your spouse, common-law partner, or sexual partner can be your sponsor. Outland and Inland sponsorship are your two main alternatives when it comes to sponsorship.

Eligibility Requirements

You can sponsor someone if:

• In order to participate, you must be at least 18 years old.
• If you’re a Canadian citizen who either resides in Canada or intends to travel there.
• You are not getting social assistance even though you do not have a disability.
• Your basic needs, as well as those of your spouse or partner and, if applicable, any dependent children, can all be addressed.

It is necessary for sponsors to:

• Make sure you can provide for your partner financially and that they won’t require social assistance from the government.

More on Spousal Sponsorship

What requirements must be satisfied to sponsor in Canada?

You must pledge to support your spouse and any dependent children financially in order to sponsor them for immigration to Canada. You will be required to sign an agreement on behalf of the sponsored person promising to take care of their basic requirements.

These needs include:

• Housing costs, including utilities.
• Food and personal care items.
• Clothes and other daily necessities.
• Uninsured medical expenses, such as dentistry and vision care.

Your responsibilities as a sponsor begin the moment the initiative is put into action. The endeavour shall be completed within three years after the day your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner becomes a permanent resident.

No matter of how your life or finances have changed, you are unable to back out of an arrangement once the sponsorship application has been approved by IRCC.

Whom can I sponsor?

To be eligible for a visa under this immigration programme, you and your foreign spouse or partner must establish that your relationship meets one of the three criteria below:

• A common-law partner is someone you live with or have lived with for at least a year in a marriage-like relationship.
• Spouse: You two are legally wed.
• Relationship partner: You must have been together for at least a year in a committed relationship, but you must have experienced serious issues that prevented you from relocating together (such as cultural, religious or immigration barriers).

The person you are helping must: be at least 18 years old, healthy, and background and security checks.

Can my same-sex spouse or partner sponsor me?

If both parties match the requirements, your spouse or partner may be qualified to apply in one of the three aforementioned categories because Canada accepts same-sex marriages and relationships. If you get married and the ceremony takes place outside of Canada, the marriage must be lawful there as well.

How can I demonstrate that my common-law union is real?

You must provide documentation like the following to show the length and type of your relationship:

• Relationship Details and Sponsorship Evaluation Survey.
• Copies of certificates, marriage licences, or adoption records of any children you and your common-law partner have together.
• Pictures of you and your common-law spouse that depict your bond.
• Documents, such as those demonstrating your status as one another’s common-law partners through job or insurance benefits.
• Evidence of your and your partner’s shared costs.
• A record of your connection (letters, emails, social media).

The application for sponsorship will not be approved if there is any evidence that your relationship is not sincere.

Where Do I Apply?

Make sure you and your loved one meet the requirements for qualifying before you start the application process.

You must submit the two applications listed below concurrently in order to complete the application process:

• Your request to have your spouse or partner sponsored.
• Application for permanent residency of your husband or partner.

Steps to Apply for Spousal Sponsorship

The four steps to applying to sponsor a spouse are as follows:

Obtain the application package, which is available on the government website. This package includes a handbook, instructions, and forms that will help you finish the procedure correctly.

Complete the online application fee, which entails: Processing fees for every applicant included; Right of Permanent Residence Fee; Biometrics Fee; Additional third-party fees, if necessary.

Submit your application by doing as instructed in the documentation you downloaded in step three.

When prompted, send the necessary supporting documentation.