Dear Sir/Madam,
This is in response to your recent email enquiry to the Immigration Section of the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi.
A change in your family status may affect the processing requirements for your application or the category in which your application is processed. It may also affect the total processing time for your application. If you get married or divorced, give birth to or adopt a child, or if a member of your immediate family passes away while your application for permanent residence is in process, you need to advise the visa office as soon as possible of your change of family composition.
If you applied under the Economic Class, you must also take into account that the amount of money that you need to have to support your family is determined by the size of your family and the cost of living in Canada. Therefore, as your family size has increased, you must increase the amount of settlement funds required to immigrate to Canada. For more information go to: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/funds.asp
If you applied under the Family Class, you must have a new spouse or child added to both the sponsorship in Canada (and pay the processing fee to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga) and to the permanent resident application being processed at the visa office overseas. In order to add a new dependant to a sponsorship, the sponsor must call in Canada 1-800-242-2210 and ask for the appropriate forms and instructions: (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/contacts/call.asp)
To advise us of a change to your family composition, please send us a signed letter or fax providing us with all required changes to your file. The following information must be included in the letter if we are to make the changes:
- full name,
- date of birth,
- file number [Letter followed by a nine-digit number],
- telephone number, including area code,
- fax number, including area code, and
- mailing address
As we require your signature on this information, please note that your current family composition has not been amended in our records.
How to add your child to your application:
Important: Note that if your child was born in Canada or if one parent is a Canadian citizen, then the child is a Canadian citizen. If that is the case, you do not need to add the child to your application, and no medical examination or fee is required. You must, however, send us a copy of the child’s birth certificate. You should also contact the Consular section of the Canadian High Commission to make sure the child has the appropriate travel document. See these Web pages for information:
You will be required to submit the following documents in order to add your child to your application:
- a letter explaining how your family composition has changed and requesting that your child be added to your application
- processing fee for the child (if accompanying you to Canada)
- an IMM8 application form and Family Information Form filled in for the child
- updated IMM0008 Generic and updated IMM5406 “Additional Family Information” form for yourself and your spouse
- notarized copy of the child’s birth certificate
- copy of your child’s valid passport
- two recent passport-size photographs of your child according to the specifications
- a “Certificat de Sélection du Québec” for your child ( in his or her name), if you wish to immigrate to the province of Québec (http://www.micc.gouv.qc.ca/fr/index.asp)
Copies of the original documents with original certified translations into English or French are required.
The required forms can be downloaded at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/imm0008egen.pdf and http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/imm0008_1e.pdf and http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5406E.PDF.
Passport-sized photographs must meet these specifications: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/photospecs.asp.
Information about the fees that must be paid can be found here:
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/india-inde/visas/fees-frais.aspx
Your child will need to undergo a medical examination. We will send you the appropriate form and instructions after receiving the documents listed above. Be aware that even non-accompanying dependants must undergo medical examinations.
We trust that this information will assist you in adding your child to your application for permanent residence in Canada.
You may find information about our processing times at this link: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/india-inde/visas/processing_times-durees_traitement.aspx. Please note that, if your file is being treated within the time frames listed on the website, we will be unable to respond further to your query.
You may also check the basic status of your file on-line by using the “Client Application Status” function in the “On-line services” section of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website at http://www.cic.gc.ca.
We will contact you if there is any further information we require.
We trust that this information will be of assistance.
PM
Immigration Section / Section de l’immigration
Canadian High Commission / Haut-Commissariat du Canada
7/8 Shantipath, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi
India / Inde
