Family Sponsorship (Spouse/ Parents/ Grandparents)
Under the Family Class immigration program, Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor certain family members who are currently residing overseas to immigrate to Canada. Upon successful processing of the sponsorship application, the foreign family member will be issued permanent resident status in Canada.
There are basic admissibility criteria to qualify as a sponsor which include being at least 18 years of age, income eligibility and demonstrated willingness to support family members once they arrive in Canada.
Eligible relatives under the family sponsorship programs include:
- a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner 18 years of age or older;
- an unmarried dependent child under the age of 22;
- a parent or grandparent;
- an orphaned sibling, nephew, niece or grandchild, unmarried and under 18 years of age; or any other relative where the sponsor has none of the above relatives or family members, in Canada or abroad.
Sponsoring Your Spouse
As a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may sponsor your life partner. The immigration authorities recognize the following 3 types of spousal relationships:
1. Spouse – A spouse is a legally married partner
2. Common-law partner – A partner with whom sponsor has lived in a conjugal relationship for at least 1 year. A conjugal relationship is a de facto relationship, meaning that it must be established by facts.
3. Conjugal partner – A partner who has not been able to marry or live in a common-law relationship with the sponsor due to extenuating circumstances (religious, political, social, or cultural impediments).
How we can help with your spousal sponsorship application
The Canadian government lays stress on the reunification of Canadian citizens and permanent residents with their spouses or common-law or conjugal partners. The most important consideration in your application which your immigration officer will scrutinize minutely is the validity of your relationship with your partner. There are numerous proofs, documents and records which may be sought by the officer concerned to establish the relationship without any shade of doubt. The nature of these proofs may be myriad – records of any financial ties and/ or support, proof of cohabitation, records of correspondence such as social media posts, phone call logs, e-mail exchanges, etc.
The nature of the sponsor’s relationship with the partner (whether you have stayed apart for any length of time, any offsprings from the union, etc.) varies from case to case and therefore, the complexities arise. Subjectivity and the accompanying discretion of the immigration officer may become important factors here. Errors and omissions may be easy to commit but the impact they can have on your chances of approval are great. These can lead to delays in processing your application or even a refusal.
Our immigration experts are well-versed with every aspect of spousal sponsorships. They will study your individual case carefully, leverage their considerable experience to give you the best legal advice to substantiate your relationship and put your best foot forward with the application.
Our Special Spousal Sponsorship Packages
Spousal Sponsorship applications depending on the nature of spousal relationship, may vary widely in terms of the documentations required to be submitted. You may seek expert help right at the onset of the process where you need to figure out the extent of proofs required; or you may have already collected all the proofs you thought necessary and want an expert to scrutinize them prior to submission; or you may want an expert to helm the entire process to mitigate any errors. Depending on your requirements, our seasoned immigration experts can offer the best guidance and support to improve your chances of success.
SPOUSAL PROFILE REVIEW
- Initial consultation
- Sponsor & applicant eligibility assessment
- Check sponsor & applicant profiles for general recommendations
SPOUSAL CASE REVIEW
- A total of 3 consultations for case-building & reviews
- Sponsor & applicant eligibility assessment
- Comprehensive review of application & supporting documentation to check completeness & accuracy
- Follow-up advice & recommendations
SPOUSAL APPLICATION PACKAGE
- Sponsor & applicant eligibility assessment
- Creation of applicant profile in PR portal
- Active guidance in listing, identifying & sourcing necessary documentation
- Completion & online submission of application
- Manage communication & any further requests from IRCC
- Sustained advice & ongoing support
The Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship
application process of sponsoring parents and grandparents starts with online submission of the ‘Interest to Sponsor’ form which is made available only during specific windows. The immigration authorities will subsequently roll out a draw to select the cases which will be issued the invitation to apply. Sponsors typically are provided with a deadline of 60 days to collect all the necessary documentation and complete their application.
While it is not mandatory to engage any immigration consultant or lawyer for the process, any expert can greatly increase your chances of success by doing a thorough check to ensure a complete and accurate application.
As a quicker alternative, a Super Visa will allow a Permanent Resident’s or Canadian Citizen’s parents and grandparents to visit their family in Canada for up to two years without renewing their status. This visa is valid for up to 10 years. The Super Visa presents great flexibility and convenience. Our certified and experienced experts are well-versed with the intricacies of the application process and can help you to effectively apply for a Super Visa for your parent or grandparent.