Spouse Sponsorship

Canada offers a number of immigration programs that give Canadians the opportunity to sponsor their family members to Canada. Under spousal sponsorship program, a Canadian Citizen or Permanent resident may sponsor a spouse or common-law partner for Canadian Permanent residency but it required that arriving immigrants receive care and support from their sponsors.

In order to receive a visa through this immigration program both parties sponsor and sponsored must be able to prove their relationship and should be under one of the three categories.

Spouse

Sponsor and sponsored person are legally married and have legal document to prove their relationship.

Common Law Partner

In this case, both parties should live together continuously for at least 1 year excluding brief absence of business or family reasons.

Conjugal Partner

A conjugal partner is a foreign nation residing outside Canada who is in a conjugal relationship with a sponsor for at least 1 year but could not live with the sponsor as a couple.

NOTE: Canada recognizes same-sex marriage, and same-sex partners may be eligible to apply under any of the above three categories, provided they meet all eligibility requirements.

Requirement of Spouse or Common Low partnership

Requirement for Sponsor

  • Be 18 years of age or older.
  • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
  • Must not have spouse sponsored in last 5 years.
  • Be sponsoring a member of the family Class.
  • Prove that you have sufficient income to provide the basic requirements for your family members in Canada as well as the persons included in your sponsorship undertaking. You may also have a co-signer. Your combined gross income may help you meet the income requirements.
  • And should have clean record of offense nor should be in Bankruptcy.
  • Requirement for Sponsor

  • Must be of legal age to get married.
  • Must be able to have clean record of offense in home country.
  • Should be medically healthy.
  • Spousal sponsorship application include 2 parts

    A. The Canadian or Permanent resident applies to sponsor his or her spouse or common-law partner; and
    B. The spouse or common-law partner applies for Permanent residence

    Outland Sponsorship Program

    The outland spousal sponsorship stream of the family sponsorship program allows a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to sponsor their spouse or common-law partner for Canadian permanent residence, regardless of where they are currently living. As part of Canada’s commitment to reuniting families as quickly as possible, most applications are processed within a 12-month period. While this program was designed for sponsored individuals living abroad, applicants residing in Canada may also choose to apply for outland spousal sponsorship, as it may enable them to travel in and out of Canada while their application is being processed. Outland application is processed through the visa office that serves the applicant’s country of Origin or where they have resided legally for at least one year.

    Inland Sponsorship Program

    Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are already living with their spouse in Canada can apply to sponsor them through the inland spousal sponsorship stream of the family sponsorship program. If the applicant’s temporary status document is not valid for the duration of the sponsorship processing period, they will need to apply for an extension, or a new status document, to maintain their legal status in Canada while their sponsorship application is being processed.

    Inland application generally takes longer as compared to the outland, however person being sponsored through the inland program may be eligible to get an open work permit while his or her application is being processed.

    In each program, applicant has to meet some specific requirement in order to be considered eligible