Spousal Sponsorship
If you are a permanent resident of Canada or a Canadian citizen and you meet all eligibility requirements, you can sponsor to Canada your husband/wife as well as your common law partner (living together continuously for one year). Amongst many other requirements, the genuineness of the relationship must be established through clear and complete supporting documentation. There are 2 different types of spousal sponsorship applications – an overseas and an inland process.
Book an appointment for your Spousal Sponsorship application
Keyork Immigration Law is happy to offer a free 30 minute appointment to discuss your spousal sponsorship applications. Answer a few questions in the following form to book your appointment!
Sponsor's required qualifications
As a sponsor, you must:
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be 18 years or older
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be a Canadian citizen or a Permanent Resident of Canada
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be married or in a common-law relationship (living together for at least one year)
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reside in Canada or if living outside Canada, demonstrate the intention to return to Canada
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in the 5 years preceding the sponsorship application, you did not become a permanent resident after being yourself sponsored by Canada by a spouse
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not be in receipt of social assistance for a reason other than disability
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not be an undischarged bankrupt under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act
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not have persons you previously sponsored or their family members received social assistance during the validity period of the undertaking
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not be ordered to leave Canada, not be the subject of a report on inadmissibility
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not be late in making any required payments on an immigration loan, a performance bond or any other amounts you agreed to pay under Canadian immigration legislation
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not be currently detained in jail, prison, penitentiary or reformatory
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not be convicted of a sexual offense or serious violent offense against anyone causing bodily harm against someone who is related to you, or an attempt to commit such an offense
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not be in default of a court order to make support payments to your spouse, former spouse or child
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not be the subject of an application to revoke your Canadian citizenship
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not be charged with an offense under an Act of Parliament punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of at least 10 years
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demonstrate that the relationship is permanent and genuine through strong supporting documents
What documents are needed for a Spousal Sponsorship application?
Read about the documents required to apply for a Spousal Sponsorship.
Watch our Youtube video below to understand the differences between inland and overseas spousal sponsorship.
Do you have to be married to sponsor your partner to Canada? Find out by watching our Youtube video below.
Understand the differences between common law relationship and marriage in terms of spousal sponsorship in our Youtube video below.
Learn about Canadian Spousal Sponsorship Interviews by watching our Youtube video below.
Find out about processing time for Canadian spousal sponsorship in our Youtube video below.
Here are our useful blogs about Spousal Sponsorship
My experience filing my own spousal sponsorship application
I have been practicing immigration law for over 10 years now, and despite all of my knowledge and expertise, it was still quite a stressful and overwhelming process to prepare and file my own application in 2020. When I help […]
Spousal sponsorship separation: How does it effect my sponsorship?
I was sponsored to come to Canada but I want to leave my spouse. Will I have to leave Canada if we separate? If you became a Canadian permanent resident through spousal (or common-law partner) sponsorship and you are no […]
Common-Law Partner application issues after applying
I became a permanent resident but did not include my common-law partner in my application. Can I apply to sponsor her now? At Keyork Immigration Law, we often speak to clients who failed to include a partner or dependent family […]
Common-law Spousal Sponsorship
I have been living with my partner for a year but we are not married or engaged. Can I sponsor them for Canadian permanent residence? The short answer and good news are – yes. Couples that are not married, but […]
Spousal Sponsorship: Can the applicant work while the application is being processed?
I applied to sponsor my spouse for permanent residence. Can they work in Canada while the application processes? If you submitted an inland application to sponsor your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, they have an option to work while the […]
Spousal sponsorship applications: new guidelines and requirements as of June 13-2017
I am sponsoring my common law partner, I heard that I had to submit specific documents with respect to our cohabitation. What are the required documents by IRCC? As of June 13, 2017, new guidelines, checklists and requirements have been […]
Do I need a CSQ?
I live in Europe and my husband is submitting a spousal sponsorship application so that I can move to Canada to be with him. My husband lives in Montreal, Quebec. Will I need to apply for a Certificat de […]
My husband recently got deported to Mexico. Can I sponsor him to Canada?
How can I address spousal deportation? I met my husband in Canada, he is a citizen of Mexico and I am a Canadian citizen. He recently got deported to Mexico. Can I sponsor him to Canada? When a spousal deportation […]
If I got married in another country, do I need to register my marriage in Canada or get married again in Canada?
Are my marriage documents still valid in Canada? No. A marriage or marriage documents will be valid and recognized in Canada and for the purposes of immigration if it is legally recognized where it took place and under Canadian Federal […]
My sponsor paid the Right of Permanent Residence Fee and I submitted my passport to the Embassy, when can I come to Canada?
How long can I expect to wait for paid spousal sponsorship before entering Canada? When the Embassy or High Commission of Canada asks the sponsor to pay the Right of Permanent Residence Fee ($490) and the applicant to submit the […]
Sponsorship of Husband – Successful Application!
A Successful Husband Spousal Sponsorship Application story! I am a Canadian citizen and I met my husband in Toronto. He was a citizen of Jordan and was in Canada for a Study Permit. We married and we submitted an overseas […]
Spousal Sponsorship Appeal
What you need to know about the Spousal Sponsorship Appeal process If you submitted a spousal sponsorship application and it has been refused, you can submit an appeal at the Immigration Appeal Division. The Appeal Division will hold a hearing […]
Steps for a overseas spousal sponsorship application?
What are steps for an overseas marital sponsorship application? How long does it take? These are questions I get asked very frequently. The procedures on marital spousal sponsorships are indicated on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. However, the information […]
Spousal Sponsorship refusal: What are your options
I applied to sponsor my wife, I included a lot of documents about our relationship, but the application was refused. What are my options? Should I appeal the refusal? It is important to look at the quality of the documents […]
Spousal Sponsorship : How to confirm if a decision has been made
I did the medical examination and on the CIC website it says “Decision Made”. It’s also been exactly the number of months indicated on the processing chart. When will I get the decision? The online tool allowing you to check […]
I am married but separated and have been living with my boyfriend for 2 years, can I sponsor him to Canada?
The good news is that you can. The Operation Manual 2 on the Processing of the Members of the Family Class states the following: What happens if the common-law partner (principal applicant) is married to another person? “Persons who are […]
What is the spousal sponsorship process in Canada
I am in the spousal sponsorship process for my spouse from overseas but there is now an armed conflict in his city – can he come to Canada sooner? This is truly an unfortunate situation, however, depending on the details […]
How can I sponsor my wife to Canada
I want to sponsor my wife to Canada – she is currently in Canada as a visitor. Should I submit an in-Canada sponsorship application or an overseas spousal sponsorship? An in-Canada sponsorship application is very different than an overseas sponsorship […]
Does it make a difference where I get married?
Marriage Certificate: Does it make a difference where I get married? I want to sponsor my wife to Canada and she lives in Mexico. We are planning on getting married. Does it matter where we get married? Do we have […]
Can my spouse come and visit during the immigration process?
Can my spouse come and visit during the immigration process? I want to sponsor my wife to Canada, and I want her to visit me during the process – is that possible? I often get asked this question by couples. […]
Can I sponsor my husband to Canada even if I don’t live in Canada right now?
I am a Canadian citizen and I live with my husband, a citizen of India, in Dubai. We want to live in Canada in the near future. As a Canadian citizen, you can sponsor your spouse or common-law partner to […]
Canadian border landing process – what will happen exactly?
I sponsored my spouse and we will now drive to the Canadian border for the landing process – what will happen exactly? You should first make sure that you have a valid entry visa to the United States. Upon meeting […]
I filed a spousal sponsorship appeal over a year ago – when is my hearing going to be scheduled?
When we have filed an appeal with the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD), we must wait for the registry to schedule a hearing date. It is quite common that a hearing can be scheduled 1-2 years later. It all depends on […]
Can I stay in Canada with my spouse?
I am in Canada as a visitor and I filed an overseas spousal sponsorship – can I stay in Canada with my spouse? Many of our clients wish to stay in Canada while their spouses are sponsoring them. If you […]
Why you shouldn’t despair over processing times for Spousal Sponsorship
Spousal Sponsorship approval – Why you shouldn’t despair over processing times Having practiced Canadian immigration law for almost 10 years now, I have prepared and submitted hundreds of spousal sponsorship applications for my clients. I have had clients from all […]
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