Sponsoring husband from Pakistan

[sharedknowledge]

Dear Experts/Forumates,

A girl is a PR and is living in Canada doing her university studies, and is marrying someone from Pakistan. Both have never married before.

In Pakistani society, the marriage normally involves 2 processes:
1. First step is Nikah (i.e., the marriage is registered and documented with the authorities and legally both become husband and wife, and it can be performed online without physical presence of both parties in the same place).
2. In the second step, the celebration (called Rukhsati) takes place normally with physical presence of the bride, groom, and their families and friends.

My question is:
Knowing that if the Nikah is performed online, then she wouldn't be able to provide photos of the ceremony, which seems to be one requirement for the sponsorship application to go through.

Since the sponsorship process takes quite a long time, can she start the sponsorship process for her husband once she completes the Nikha process given that it is done online.

Much appreciate your earliest guidance and insights.

 

[KBH]

She cannot apply to sponsor her husband if the marriage was not performed in person. For the purpose of spousal sponsorship, as of 2015, Canada no longer recognizes marriages where both parties are not physically present. If the application were to be submitted before the in-person ceremony took place, it would be rejected.

See here for more info. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/bulletins-2015/613-june-11-2015.html

 

[Rob_TO]

Since the sponsorship process takes quite a long time, can she start the sponsorship process for her husband once she completes the Nikha process given that it is done online.

No, it would end in a guaranteed refusal.

They can only apply after the legal marriage process is done where they are both physically present.

 

[sharedknowledge]

Thank you so much for the advice.