Sponsor your Spouse to Canada

If you are a permanent resident in Canada then you are eligible to sponsor your spouse to become a permanent resident in Canada. If you are willing to sponsor your spouse then you would require as follows.

You must require sufficient monetary sources to support them financially.
You have to make sure that they do not want any social assistance from the Canadian government.
The fee charged to Sponsor your legal partner/spouse from $1,050.
Processing time is about 12 months to Sponsor a spouse.

Eligibility

You will be able to sponsor your spouse if you fulfill the below conditions.

Your age should be 18 years old
You require Canadian citizenship and permanent residency in Canada
According to the Canadian Indian Act, if a person registered as Indian in Canada is not able to sponsor their spouse
If you are living outside Canada but have Canadian citizenship, then you have to demonstrate your desire to settle and live in Canada.
You are not eligible to sponsor anyone if you are living outside Canada but have the permanent resident status of Canada.
You must require sufficient funds to fulfill the needs of the person whom you want to sponsor.

Documents Needed

A marriage certificate is required as proof. You can show Wedding invitations and photos too.

If you are having any children while applying, the birth certificate of the children will be required.

Any 2 of the documents below are also required:

If you as well as your spouse have joint properties.
If you are sharing a bank account.
Utility bills with you and your spouse’s names.
Copies of identity proof issued by the government like, voter id.
Tax forms or any other documents which can become proof of you both live having the same address.

If you live outside Quebec

If you are not living in Quebec and want to sponsor your spouse, you have to ensure that you are able and have sufficient financial support to take care of your spouse whom you want to Sponsor. You have to fulfill the following norms.

Economic support for your family members whom you have sponsored will start after they become Canadian permanent residents.
You have to repay any provincial social assistance your spouse gets in that time period.
You have to fulfill the agreement of sponsorship. According to this agreement you and your sponsored person have to agree to some given responsibilities during the undertaking period.

The sponsorship agreement

A sponsored person is also responsible to support their family members and they must have to make efforts to do the same.
You have to fill out the undertaking as well as the form for the sponsorship agreement.
You will have sufficient funds to fulfill the basic needs of your family members whom you want to sponsor.

If you are a resident of Quebec

If you are living in Quebec, you have to fulfill the immigration sponsorship requirements of Quebec. You have to demonstrate your source of income or financial support before the ministry in charge of immigration in Quebec.

You will not be considered eligible to sponsor your spouse if:

Your age is less than 18 years.
According to the Canadian Indian Act, if a person registered as Indian in Canada, they will not be able to sponsor their spouse.
If you are residing outside Canada but have Canadian Citizenship.
If you have temporary foreign resident status in Canada and you’re studying or working there on a permit.
If your permanent residence application is not approved or under process.
You must require the PR status of Canada while submitting your sponsorship application.
If you don’t have sufficient financial support to fulfill the needs of your family member.

How to apply

First of all, you are required to apply to the official program for becoming a sponsor. Your spouse has to apply for gaining permanent resident status. You have to submit both application forms together at the same time. If you are living outside Quebec, there are 4 necessary steps required

1. You will get an application package that will include the following.

You will receive a travel document checklist for you and the person sponsored by you. You both have to fill out the form with full details.
You have to read the guidelines carefully while filling out the form.
Understand that it’s a must for you to be eligible as a sponsor for your spouse.
You have to complete the form with authentic and true information.
Your application must be completely filled
If you want to fill out your family member’s application on their behalf it means that you are doing this as their representative.

2. You have to pay processing fees for you as well as persons you’re sponsoring the right of permanent residence fee.

You have to pay a biometrics fingerprint and photo fee while submitting your application. It will include the cost of fingerprints and a digital photo.
You can employ the expertise of a mediator or third party. They will guide you regarding your medical exam and help you to get a certificate from the police
They will guide you about the instructions needed while submitting your application form. There’s a fee associated with their immigration service.

3. You will get mailing instructions in the application guide. Submission of your application can be via a courier service. It will also make it easy for you to track your application. You can submit through regular mail also.

4. While processing your application your spouse will be asked to send their biometric through a letter. They get 30 days time period to submit their biometrics.

Dependent children

If you want to Sponsor your children, they must fulfill the following.

Their age should be under 22 years
If they are unable to support themselves on a financial basis.
Children are considered dependent on their parents for their needs, especially economically, because of any mental or physical disability.
They should not be currently married or have a common-law partner.

If they qualify all the above norms, you can sponsor them. If you’re already a Canadian citizen, your children are also having Canadian citizenship, whether they are born in Canada or not. You are not able to sponsor your child if they already have Canadian citizenship.

If you want to Sponsor your child, you have to mention your child as the main applicant. You have to demonstrate that the legal guardian of your children should not have any objections to immigration to Canada.

Eligibility of the people you’re sponsoring

If you want to Sponsor your spouse, your children, or their dependents, they must have the following.

They require all necessary documents
Full medical checkup reports
Fingerprints and photos required
Their identification proofs
Additional information if required during the process.

How your application is processed

Your sponsorship application will be sent back to you if the following are true.

You have not filled it with complete information.
You have not paid processing fees.

If you fulfill the conditions then your application will be processed and you will be provided an application number. You will receive an acknowledgment of receipt. The authorities will check on your eligibility to be a sponsor. They will check the eligibility of the person you have sponsored to gain a permanent resident card in Canada.

If you are refused as a sponsor

If you are refused as a sponsor then you have a choice to continue the processing of an application for PR Canada for your spouse.

If you want to withdraw your application, $75 CAN sponsorship fees will deduct and you will get back the other remaining fees. If you want to continue your application then you will not get any money back as a refund.

If you’re approved as a sponsor

If you are eligible to be a sponsor then the processing of your family member who is sponsored for a green card by you will start. They can link their application through the online account, after that they will get a letter with the application number. By doing this they can communicate easily and quickly and they will also be able to get updates regarding their application.

Biometrics

You have to pay a biometrics fingerprint and photo fee while submitting your application. It will include the cost of fingerprints and a digital photo. While the processing of the application is going on, your spouse will be asked to send their biometrics through a letter. They get 30 days the time period to submit their biometrics.

If you live in Quebec

To get the approval of the eligibility of your spouse/ family members, they have to fill out and sign the application for permanent selection and you have to attach this application along with your application of undertaking and submit it to the government of Quebec.

If you get approval for your application from the Government of Quebec, then the application processing will begin for your spouse/ family member’s permanent resident.

If you get approval for your permanent residence application then your spouse or family members will be required to send the following.

They will need to send their passport photocopies.
2 passport-size photos.
Proof of fees paid by you for the application for permanent residence.

Documents your family members will get

If your family members are not living in Canada, they will receive some documents once the processing will be over on their application. This document will confirm their approval to be a permanent resident of Canada called Confirmation of Permanent Residence.

If they require a visa, if they are living in the country whose residents require a visa or a passport to travel to Canada, they will be provided a permanent resident visa.
When they receive these documents, they are eligible to travel to Canada,
They should have a check on expiry dates on their visa and confirmation of Permanent Residence.
They have to meet the officer of immigration at a Canadian port of entry before the expiry date of their documents, that officer will decide whether your family can stay in Canada and become Canadian permanent residents and citizens.

If your family members are inside Canada

A meeting with an immigration officer will be scheduled by sending a letter. They have to meet an immigration officer and that officer will take the final decision on your case.

On application refusal, you will be shared the reason behind the refusal. You can appeal the decision if your family/spouse is living outside Canada. You can’t appeal the decision if your spouse/ family is living inside Canada.

If your processing time has passed

If the processing time of your application gets over then it will take a long time for processing, in this case, you can contact the immigration office through a web form. You have to update your information to keep the processing going smoothly.

If you got married or divorced.
If a child is adopted or born into your family.
If the applicant or dependent is dead during the processing period.
You have to update your contact information if you change your phone number or your mail address
If you are not following these instructions then the immigration authorities will be unable to update your information and it will cause a delay in processing your application.

If you want to handle your spouse’s, partner’s, or child’s application for them

You can fill out the application on their behalf by being their representative. To be a representative the person must sign the form whom you’re sponsoring.

For this, you need to give the following details.

Your full name.
Your date of birth.
Place of birth.
Application number.
Client ID Number of your family member.
You have to upload the form after filling it.

If you want to check on your representation’s application status

As the sponsor, you can follow up on the information or status of your spouse or family member but you have to provide their written consent then only you will be able to access the information of their application.

Withdraw your sponsorship application

Your sponsorship application can be withdrawn if you can do this before the person becomes a permanent resident and citizen of Canada.

You can get a refund if the processing of your application has not started yet. You can send the request to withdraw your application through a web form. You will have to give the following details.

Your full name.
Your date of birth.
Place of birth.
Your application number.
Client ID Number of your family member.

Confirmation of Permanent Residence

Your spouse/family members will receive this document when they get approval on their application.

A passport or travel visa will be given. A permanent resident visa, valid as Quebec Selection Certificate, will be issued to them if they are settling in Quebec as a Permanent resident.

If they are already living in Canada then they have to meet an officer of immigration. They have to meet an immigration officer and that officer will decide whether your family can gain citizenship and immigration to Canada and become permanent residents