Spousal sponsorship

[canesmemoire]

So you are in the situation that you want to sponsor your foreign spouse for permanent residency of Canada and don't know where to start. Here are some tips:

Married, common law or conjugal partners

First you need to pick an application class. There are three of them: married, common-law and conjugal. For all of them, you need to prove the genuiniety of your relationship. For common-law, you need to prove that you have lived together for 12 months or longer. For conjugal, you need to prove that you have combined your affairs as much as possible but there are real immigration barriers or other barriers preventing you from living together or getting married. Conjugal is the hardest to prove. For example, if your partner could get a visit visa to come to Canada for 6 months and then apply for an extension to get the full year, even though they will not be allowed to work, that is not considered an immigration barrier. An immigration barrier is if your partner tries to get a visit visa to come to Canada and is repeatedly refused. Some people have had luck with the conjugal class but try to avoid it if possible.

Outland or inland?

Now you need to decide if to apply outland or inland. If your spouse is not in Canada and can not get a visa to go to Canada, you must apply outland. That means that you will send your application to Mississauga and they will approve you as a sponsor. The time that takes is usually 1-2 months to but current processing times can be seen here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/canada/process-in.asp#sponsorship After that, the application is forwarded to your local visa office. If your spouse is residing in a country other than the country of their nationality, you can pick which of the two visa offices you want. Otherwise it will be processed in their country of nationality. You can see the processing times here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/international/05-fc-spouses.asp

If your spouse is staying in Canada as a visitor or on some other visa, you can pick whether you want to apply outland or inland. Outland is generally faster and has appeal rights but a downside to outland is that if an interview is required, your spouse will have to travel to the visa office in the country where it's being processed. Inland has the downside that it's generally not advised that your spouse travels while you are waiting for your processing because it is a requirement of inland that they reside in Canada and if they are denied entry at the border for some reason, your application is gone. If an interview is required for inland, you may also have to wait a long time for it. The inland application would be sent to Vegreville and if all goes well, you would get a first stage approval, usually in 6 to 8 months. The current processing times can be seen here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/canada/process-in.asp#perm_res Then the file is forwarded to your local CIC office where you live and they will contact you for a landing appointment. Getting the PR with inland usually takes 12-18 months. If an interview is required for inland, Vegreville will not give first stage approval but instead will forward the application to the local CIC office without it and you will have to wait for them to have time for your interview. In some cases that can take a year or two. If you do get the first stage approval, your spouse will usually be eligible for health care and an open work permit. It is actually a good idea when applying inland to send an application form for a visit visa extension as well as the open work permit to be given at first stage approval all in one package so it's tied together.

Which method to pick depends on your situation. If your spouses country of nationality has a long processing time or your spouse does not want to have to travel there for a possible interview, then inland is the way to go. For faster processing and freedom of travel during the processing time, outland would be better. You can find the application forms for inland at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/spouse.asp and the application forms for outland at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp

Avoiding potential problems with your application

The most common reason for people to be called for an interview is that the visa officer has doubts about the relationship being genuine. It is up to you to send immigration some quality data, emails, chat logs, phone records, photos, letters and other material to prove to them that your relationship is the real thing. Other reasons you might have problems with is eligibility of the sponsor. The sponsor can not be on social assistance, can not be bankrupt and can not have a record of violent crimes or crimes against family members. If that is the case, better talk to a lawyer and get that cleared up before attempting to apply.

Dependent children

If your spouse has dependent children, they must be included in the PR application, even if they are not coming to Canada. They will need to have medicals as well to keep the option open to sponsor them later. The only way that immigration will accept the application without those medicals is if the children are no longer minors and refuse to have it or if the children are in the full custody of their other parent who refuses to make them available for medicals. In that case, your spouse needs to sign a statement stating that they know that they will never be able to sponsor these children to Canada in the future.

Dependent children are classified as single and either under 22 years of age or if they are older, they must have been full time students since before age 22 or dependent on their parent due to a disability or medical problem.

Refusals due to income and medicals

You will be asked to provide information about your income but you will not be denied to sponsor your spouse and dependent children because you do not make enough money. It is possible though that if you make absolutely no money at all that immigration may ask you how you plan to support yourselves.

Spouses and dependent children are also exempt from the clause about excessive demand on health care so you do not have to worry about them being refused for that reason.

Sponsoring your spouse while living in another country

If you are a Canadian citizen, you can sponsor your spouse without being in Canada but you do then have to prove that you are planning on moving to Canada when your spouse gets approved for permanent residency. Such proof can include having arranged jobs, being accepted to college, having arranged housing or letters from friends & relatives stating that they know of your plans and that you can stay with them while you look for housing etc.

If you are a PR, you must reside in Canada in order to sponsor your spouse. You can chance short vacations (remember that a Canadian vacation is generally no longer than 2 weeks) but if immigration finds out that you are not in Canada, you risk getting your application refused.

WOW.. a very helpful topic and tips for those who are planning to sponsor their spouse, common-law, conjugal

 

[Coolnspicy]

Re: online payment for Spousal sponsorship and dependant child

hi Sir/Madam.

I want to ask about the online payment. I have a wife and I kid and im a permanent resident. im apllying for family sponsorship... what should I pay

Sponsorship application (per application).. 1
Principal applicant..... 1
Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of the principal applicant, or where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older ...... 1
Right of Permanent Residence Fee ..... 2 (THIS YOU DON'T PAY INITIALLY UNTIL YOU ARE ASKED TO)

can somebody verify this? Im a littlebit of confused..

thanks for the help, very appreciated..

Sponsorship application (per application) $75

Principal applicant (spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or other family member) $475

Principal applicant, if under 19 years of age and not a spouse or common-law partner (including a dependent child of the sponsor, a child to be adopted and an orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew or grandchild) $75

Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of the principal applicant or, where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older $550

A family member of the principal applicant who is under 19 years of age or a family member of the principal applicant 19 years of age or older who has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 19, due to a physical or mental condition $150

Where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who:
is under 22 years of age, unmarried and not in a common-law relationship, or
is 22 years of age or older and has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 22, due to a physical or mental condition
$150

 

[Ponga]

That was way too much information and probably didn't do much to answer the question...which has been answered here:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/payment-for-spousal-and-dependant-child-t398810.0.html

 

[willyblue]

Re: online payment for Spousal sponsorship and dependant child

When applying for common law with ur new partner and your divorce with ur ex wife is not yet over, Is the divorce application enough proof that you have been separated from your ex and will CIC see it as a legal separation from ur ex?

 

[munna bahi]

:-\hi all. i need some assistance or guide line about my case. which was applied in Nov 2013.started processing in Dec 2013.
after tht many queries from London visa office. last email i receive in June 2015.for medical and police certificate. everything done. then came back from London to Pakistan. they asked in Oct 2015 for update schedule A form.after that long silence. no reply nothing. contacted with MP. receive reply to wait for security check. cant understand the situation. my fourth wedding anniversary is coming next month. e both are very stressed. anybody can help.

 

[Siempreamor]

If he ever wants to be able to sponsor his son in the future, he must get a medical exam. Or, he can NEVER sponsor his son. I don't know how CIC handles this, if they will request a medical or not.

I know some people have created affidavits that state they are aware they can never sponsor their minor child and to proceed with the application without the child's medical.

Thank you for your assistance. We will have to send CIC a letter explaining our situation and my husband's attempt to have his son get the medical exam done. Unfortunately we have been unsuccessful. Do you believe this will delay our application? Please help us.
Thank you once again. We really appreciate your advise.

 

[Madeline]

Hi,

I need your advice, Manila visa office requested my passport last Sept 2015 for the final procedure of your application. My husband is sponsoring me who is a PR.

I received an email from the immigration today and they are asking for documentation of our child.

However, we don't have any child yet since we recently got married last 2014.

What should I do?

Thanks!

 

[scylla]

Thank you for your assistance. We will have to send CIC a letter explaining our situation and my husband's attempt to have his son get the medical exam done. Unfortunately we have been unsuccessful. Do you believe this will delay our application? Please help us.
Thank you once again. We really appreciate your advise.

Yes - you should expect this will delay the application. CIC does not like to permanently exclude a child from ever being sponsored. In addition to any letter, ideally you also sent supporting evidence proving you were unable to obtain the medical (e.g. email from ex spouse refusing to cooperate). Good luck.

 

[Aquakitty]

Hi,

I need your advice, Manila visa office requested my passport last Sept 2015 for the final procedure of your application. My husband is sponsoring me who is a PR.

I received an email from the immigration today and they are asking for documentation of our child.

However, we don't have any child yet since we recently got married last 2014.

What should I do?

Thanks!

Do you or your husband have any children outside your relationship? If not, reply with a case-specific enquiry stating that you received this email but you both have no children. In this case it is probably a mistake.

 

[Little castle]

Hi all,
Wondering if anyone has experience with being born a Canadian citizen but born in the UK. Having trouble finding info on line and when I call embassies/foreign affairs nobody knows the answer to this. I'm in the beginning stages of applying for Spousal sponsorship and everything is so confusing. I need to have my birth certificate notarized and authenticated... but because I wasn't born in a Canadian province, I can't have it done here. I called the British Consulate in Toronto and they can't do it there either. Any have this experience in the past and have a solution?? Thanks in advance for any guidance!

 

[Madeline]

Do you or your husband have any children outside your relationship? If not, reply with a case-specific enquiry stating that you received this email but you both have no children. In this case it is probably a mistake.

No, we don't have. What can you recommend sending them letter by mail or email stating we don't have any child?'


Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.

 

[jomz]

Hi,

I need your advice, Manila visa office requested my passport last Sept 2015 for the final procedure of your application. My husband is sponsoring me who is a PR.

I received an email from the immigration today and they are asking for documentation of our child.

However, we don't have any child yet since we recently got married last 2014.

What should I do?

Thanks!

Just reply to their email stating that you and your spouse do not have any children.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Wondering if anyone has experience with being born a Canadian citizen but born in the UK. I need to have my birth certificate notarized and authenticated... but because I wasn't born in a Canadian province, I can't have it done here. I called the British Consulate in Toronto and they can't do it there either. Any have this experience in the past and have a solution??

The process isn't any different because you are a Canadian by descent. Why do you think you need to have your birth certificate notarized and authenticated?

 

[Aquakitty]

No, we don't have. What can you recommend sending them letter by mail or email stating we don't have any child?'


Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.

Just send the message however they say to in the email (either by replying to the email or using the case-specific inquiry tool).

 

[Madeline]

Just reply to their email stating that you and your spouse do not have any children.

Thank you jomz!!