Stages of Spousal Sponsorship in Canada
Canadian Spousal Sponsorship Program is the process through which a Canadian citizen or permanent resident may sponsor their partner to come to Canada and live permanently. We recognize how essential it is for families to be together in Canada. As a result, applications for spousal and family sponsorship are given first consideration. Now lets take a look at the stages of spousal sponsorship in Canada:
What is spousal sponsorship in Canada?
Spousal sponsorship, as the title indicates, is the process of sponsoring a married partner to come to Canada. According to Canadian immigration law, a marriage is regarded lawful if it occurred legally where it occurred or if Canadian law recognizes it as legal.
How long does it take to sponsor a spouse in Canada?
Around 12 months – From beginning to end, sponsorship applications take approximately 12 months to complete. They are normally handled in less than a year, but they might take considerably longer due to the nature of your case. Once you’ve submitted your spousal sponsorship application, you’ll want to keep track of processing times – see our post on spouse sponsorship Canada processing times for more information.
Stages of spousal sponsorship in Canada:
Stage 1: Get the application package
The application package includes the following documentation:
- a document checklist for you and the people you wish to sponsor;
- forms you both need to complete;
- instructions to ensure proper form completion by you and your family members.
Before completing the application form, thoroughly read the instruction guide. You cannot get a refund for the sponsorship application fee that was paid to complete your application.
Stage 2: Pay your application fees
On April 30, 2022, permanent residency fees increased. Learn more about why fees increased.
The following factors are often included in the cost of your services:
- processing expenses for you, the people whose sponsorship you are providing, and their dependents;
- the fee for the right to permanent residence;
- the fee for biometrics
Stage 3: Submit your application
The application guide includes mailing instructions. If you choose, you may employ a courier service to deliver your application. Courier services can assist you in tracking down your application. Regular mail may also be used.
Stage 4: Send the authorities additional information during the processing
During processing, the Canadian Government asks the person you’re sponsoring to submit their:
- medical exams
- police certificate
- biometrics
Please also note that:
- When you apply, you must present police credentials.
- They are required for the individual being sponsored as well as any family member 18 or older who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Police certificates are typically valid for one year from the date of issuance.
- Once the biometrics money is received, we will send a letter to your family members requesting their fingerprints.
- Your family members must provide this letter when providing biometric information.
- They have 30 days to provide their biometrics in person at the collecting station nearest to them.
Spouse Sponsorship Canada checklist 2023
Following this link, you will find all of the documents you will need to sponsor a spouse for immigration to Canada.
All immigration forms must be written in either English or French, and if they weren’t initially written in one of these languages, they must be submitted with a validated translation into one of these languages.
The list that follows is only meant to be used as a guide since it lacks enough specific information to help you finish an application package without consulting any other sources.
Please keep in mind that you should never act—or refrain from acting—based solely on the information provided here; always seek the advice of a professional immigration consultant.
What is minimum necessary income to sponsor spouse in Canada?
Spousal sponsorship does not have a minimum income limit like other types of sponsorship.
Nevertheless, since you must sign an undertaking agreement pledging to provide your partner’s basic financial requirements, the immigration officer may determine if you have enough money to sponsor.
Therefore, you must demonstrate how you will support your spouse, partner, or common-law spouse in Canada.