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Inland Sponsorship: Police Certificate for Iranian Partner

charliebchen

Newbie
Nov 25, 2024
5
0
Hello,

I am applying to sponsor my partner who is an Iranian citizen but I am a little bit confused by some of the requirements on form IMM5589.
  • Does the application require my partner to attach all travel documents and passports for her family members as well? The top header (below) states that the following supporting documents are for the principal applicant and all family members. Does her family need to provide supporting documents even though I am not sponsoring them and they are not coming to Canada?

  • I also have the same question at the "Police Certificates and Clearances" section, again the checklist reads "You (the principal applicant), and any family members 18 or order (who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents), must submit police certificates from the following country or countries at this time...". So does this mean that my partner will need to arrange to have police certificates from her family sent as well? Again, I am not sponsoring her family and they are not accompanying her to Canada.

Thanks!
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,367
8,959
Does her family need to provide supporting documents even though I am not sponsoring them and they are not coming to Canada?
In both the contexts you ask about here, 'family' refers to immediate family, which for a spouse / common law partner means usually just the spouse and dependent children. So no, passports and police certificates NOT required for her siblings, parents, cousins, whatever. (if you're sponsoring, no additional docs required from you other than what is asked for in sponsorship forms - and no police certificate needed)

I believe the only cases where 'other family' members are asked about are fairly clear - additional family information (or something), and a few other places where they may specifically ask about parents, for example.
 

charliebchen

Newbie
Nov 25, 2024
5
0
In both the contexts you ask about here, 'family' refers to immediate family, which for a spouse / common law partner means usually just the spouse and dependent children. So no, passports and police certificates NOT required for her siblings, parents, cousins, whatever. (if you're sponsoring, no additional docs required from you other than what is asked for in sponsorship forms - and no police certificate needed)

I believe the only cases where 'other family' members are asked about are fairly clear - additional family information (or something), and a few other places where they may specifically ask about parents, for example.
Thanks so much for the clarification, upon first reading the "police certificates" section it was very confusing to read that my partner's parents and brother also needed a police certificate even though they are not accompanying her to Canada.

Another question that I had regarding the police certificates, she has a copy from 2021 when she first arrived in Canada (on a study permit). She also has a translated English copy but it was translated by an official in Iran. Is this translated version valid or should we arrange to have a certified translator here produce another translated copy?

Thanks!
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,367
8,959
Thanks so much for the clarification, upon first reading the "police certificates" section it was very confusing to read that my partner's parents and brother also needed a police certificate even though they are not accompanying her to Canada.

Another question that I had regarding the police certificates, she has a copy from 2021 when she first arrived in Canada (on a study permit). She also has a translated English copy but it was translated by an official in Iran. Is this translated version valid or should we arrange to have a certified translator here produce another translated copy?

Thanks!
If the translator in Iran was a certified/official translator, that should be good (with notarized copy of original). If in doubt it may make sense to just get it done here (yes it would cost some money but time lost if there's a problem more valuable).

I have no idea whether she needs a new police certificate though.
 

charliebchen

Newbie
Nov 25, 2024
5
0
If the translator in Iran was a certified/official translator, that should be good (with notarized copy of original). If in doubt it may make sense to just get it done here (yes it would cost some money but time lost if there's a problem more valuable).

I have no idea whether she needs a new police certificate though.
The police certificate she has with her was issued to her in Iran prior to coming to Canada and it does have a stamp from an Iranian government official verifying the translation. But for safety it sounds like it would be better to request a new one and have it translated here.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,367
8,959
But for safety it sounds like it would be better to request a new one and have it translated here.
Note, wasn't my intention to scare you into getting it done, just that the 'pain balance' leans to not taking a risk on it.

It sounds to me like it was done properly and I've no reason to doubt that.
 

charliebchen

Newbie
Nov 25, 2024
5
0
Note, wasn't my intention to scare you into getting it done, just that the 'pain balance' leans to not taking a risk on it.

It sounds to me like it was done properly and I've no reason to doubt that.
I understand, the thing that worries me is the translation, Canada's immigration site specifically says that the Ministry of Justice is the only body that can verify the translation. Anyways, thanks for all of your help!
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,367
8,959
I understand, the thing that worries me is the translation, Canada's immigration site specifically says that the Ministry of Justice is the only body that can verify the translation. Anyways, thanks for all of your help!
That I don't know about. No shame in getting it translated again to be sure.