+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Spousal sponsorship

Cannybabe

Star Member
Aug 4, 2019
73
15
The answer to your question is laid out in the instructions to apply online. Follow the steps one by one carefully. I didn't use the online portal because I found it ambiguous.

If you're applying by yourself (DIY) my suggestion is that you get help from someone you know is not easily deterred by long instructions and has good attention to detail. It looks like you are overwhelmed, so read carefully and get help to ensure you're following the instructions. Also, I suggest you download fresh forms and check if any of your filled out forms are already old, so you don't send old filled out forms.

Good luck!
You are correct about that, I'm a bit overwhelmed.
 

Cannybabe

Star Member
Aug 4, 2019
73
15
Th
I applied online in November. I printed off the 2 forms I had to fill out outside of the portal. I signed them by hand, scanned them, emailed them to my husband. He signed them by hand, scanned them, and emailed them back to me. Then I uploaded them. I'm not sure if they've changed the rules since November. But I do know that in November, the instructions said "digital signature is fine", and everyone who didn't sign by hand were returned. To be safe, I'd suggest doing what the rest of us did.
Thanks so much for this!
 

magpupu2

Member
Aug 25, 2021
14
0
I sent my inland application in Jan 26th 2022. I received the email that they received my paper application on March 3rd. My wife's PGWP was expiring last April and we were worried that she will not the the extension for a work permit in time so we made preparations that worst case she has to go back home to give birth as we do not have the funds to do it here. She was not working at that time and will not have OHIP. We got lucky that she got the extension and got a job within that week and renewed her OHIP. The issue is that we did not do the medical exam and the deadline was last April. I heard that they are cancelling the medical requirements for some inland applicants that did not leave the country and she was here since she started school back in 2016. Is she eligible for the exemption? We are now worried that her application will get denied due to the medical. We can do the medical minus the xray as she is not due till end of October. She did the medical before she came here when she applied for the study permit.

All this delays especially that we cannot link our application to our online profile is killing us. The last communication that we received was 2 weeks ago that she met the requirements for PR but is pending medical and background checks.
 

stmdedios

Newbie
Sep 16, 2022
1
0
Outland Spousal Sponsorship

PA: Philippines

Sponsor: Canadian Citizen

Online Application

Biometrics exempted (Did biometrics July 2021 for TRV I guess they already abandoned this application since we applied for PR)

•April 4/22: Application Received

•July 6/22: AOR + Medical exam request + Approved sponsor eligibility

•July 7/22: Did medical exam + was able to link application to GCKey

•July 11/22: Ghost update. Passed medical exam

•July 13/22: was able to create account in PR Tracker. Eligibility and Background verification status updated to “Completed”

•July 14/22: Received Invitation to Pre-Arrival Services

•Somewhere in July/22: Biometrics status updated to “Received”

Waiting for PPR..

Nothing since then. Just ghost updates every other day in PR Tracker but nothing has changed.
 

yoli85

Star Member
Sep 3, 2019
119
49
Canada
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mississauga
I sent my inland application in Jan 26th 2022. I received the email that they received my paper application on March 3rd. My wife's PGWP was expiring last April and we were worried that she will not the the extension for a work permit in time so we made preparations that worst case she has to go back home to give birth as we do not have the funds to do it here. She was not working at that time and will not have OHIP. We got lucky that she got the extension and got a job within that week and renewed her OHIP. The issue is that we did not do the medical exam and the deadline was last April. I heard that they are cancelling the medical requirements for some inland applicants that did not leave the country and she was here since she started school back in 2016. Is she eligible for the exemption? We are now worried that her application will get denied due to the medical. We can do the medical minus the xray as she is not due till end of October. She did the medical before she came here when she applied for the study permit.

All this delays especially that we cannot link our application to our online profile is killing us. The last communication that we received was 2 weeks ago that she met the requirements for PR but is pending medical and background checks.
1. Medicals are valid for only a year. She needs to have a new one.
2. The medical waiving was announced just a few days ago with no details. If you keep waiting your spouse risks being denied due to no medical examination. Were these requested long ago? No one knows up to now when the medical exemption will be in effect.
3. If you just applied this year in January, your application is not delayed. Your timeline is still within the average time these applications are processed. Be patient.
 
  • Like
Reactions: YVR123

demonpreet

Star Member
Jul 20, 2018
117
5
I am submitting my wife's In land PR application through an online portal.
But I am confused, about how to submit her OWP application. I am not seeing any document in the list.
Can someone please help me understand?

Also, in the tracker, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/192sbvjd4vJsEWY_B7w5DgFKBmIPNYo6TjlVWAk-xxxA/edit#gid=834807307 none of the applications which are submitted online have any data for OWP. So does that mean we cannot apply for OWP if we submit inland application online?
 

Ragavan S

Full Member
Jun 18, 2022
24
0
Hi All,

My Spouse submitted inland Spousal Sponsorship and received AOR last week. I am in closed work permit and I am trying to apply for Open work permit and while applying in the form IMM5710, which option I have to choose for the question3 in the 5710 form. It has four options 1) Apply for open work permit with same employer 2) Apply for open work permit first time or with the new employer 3) Restore my status as worker 4) Get a new temporary resident permit.

Can anyone please answer to my query. Thanks !
 

Aliasoufan

Star Member
Aug 19, 2020
195
70
Hello all,

I am a PR residing in Canada since july 2021.

My husband and I got married in august 2022 and we applied for the spousal sponsorship on September 1st 2022 (outland). He currently resides in the UAE and i am planning a one month trip during the winter holidays where i will also be working remotely with a permission from my employer in canada. Is one month outside canada considered as vacation or long enough for IRCC to consider me as non residing in canada? We are just trying to maximize our time together as he is not able to visit canada without a visit visa which i believe cannot be applied for before the sponsorship aor and icu number.(preferably to show proof that we have applied for sponsorship application)

Please share if you have experienced a similar situation.

thank you!
 

yoli85

Star Member
Sep 3, 2019
119
49
Canada
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mississauga
I am submitting my wife's In land PR application through an online portal.
But I am confused, about how to submit her OWP application. I am not seeing any document in the list.
Can someone please help me understand?

Also, in the tracker, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/192sbvjd4vJsEWY_B7w5DgFKBmIPNYo6TjlVWAk-xxxA/edit#gid=834807307 none of the applications which are submitted online have any data for OWP. So does that mean we cannot apply for OWP if we submit inland application online?
That's correct
 
Sep 19, 2022
3
0
Hi Guys, I need some advice for my spousal sponsorship. Actually, I am Candian PR and she is on a study permit. Initially, when she applied for a study permit from India, that one got rejected then she re-applied. After that, we got married in India, and about after a month after the marriage she got approval for a study permit.

Now she is in Canada. I am wondering if
1. I should apply for sponsorship or just wait to complete her study??
2. Further, should I show marriage from India or Canada?

Please provide your valuable suggestion. Thanks
 

vnexpress

Hero Member
Jul 2, 2015
517
63
Dear Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Deputy Ministers:

Thank you for taking concrete action to reduce the backlog of applications. It is encouraging to hear your plan for the upcoming months that IRCC aims to process 80% of applications within pre-pandemic service standards, including family reunification programs.

My note to you today is to remind you of the Liberals’ set of election promises on strengthening family reunification and reducing processing times, including:

  • Reduce processing times for immigration applications to under 12 months.
  • Create electronic applications for family reunification.
  • Build a new program that will provide spouses and children abroad with visas while they are waiting for their permanent residence applications to be processed.
Source: Strengthening Family Reunification and Reducing Processing Times | Liberal Party of Canada

It appears IRCC has been quite determined and successful in delivering the first two, but for the last item, which promises a new program that will provide spouses and children abroad with visas while they are waiting for their permanent residence applications to be processed, nothing has been confirmed to the public. There was a statement publicly made by you that the new policy would be introduced in the summer of 2022 – yet we are soon coming to the fall of 2022 with no news.

There are around 70,000 visa applications for spouses and children waiting to be reunited in Canada, both from inside and outside of Canada. Those who are waiting to be processed inside of Canada are at least able to stay with their loved ones and apply for Open Work Permits, while spouses and partners outside of Canada have fewer options to join Canadian sponsors in Canada unless they are successful in obtaining tourist visas. Tourist visa applications from these applicants are often judged more harshly by visa officers for their intent to return to their home country, or a classic excuse of marriage fraud investigation. Spouses and partners applying to join Canadian partners from outside of Canada are more scrutinized. Visa officers usually argue that applicants have a stronger tie to Canada that would make them more likely to overstay (?), which is purely a biased view targeting one disadvantaged group of applicants. This is a misleading view that should be eliminated system-wide. Adding to the insult is the fact that even foreign spouses, partners, and children of temporary residents (such as Work Permit and Study Permit holders) are able to obtain Open Work Permit or Open Study Permit much easier and faster than partners of Canadian citizens or PRs, as assessment of relationship for accompanying family members of temporary residents, is usually done quite slightly.

To make it fair, I suggest the followings to IRCC, with immediate effect:
  • All pending PR applications inventory for spouses, partners and children outside of Canada that have reached the Sponsorship Approval/Acknowledgement of Receipt, be offered a fast-track tourist or Open Work Permit visas to facilitate their entry into Canada while waiting for PR to be finalized. To ensure integrity, the offer should be limited to the principal applicants only.
  • For new applications, applicants should have an option to include an application for TRV/Work Permit with their PR application and this be processed at the same time with Sponsorship Approval. This is nothing new that requires too much thinking or planning, as IRCC has been offering this solution to applicants of in-Canada spouses, partners and children category for many years. Expanding it to applicants of the outland stream will avoid double-standard in your system.

I understand IRCC is working hard to swiftly respond to many priorities, including backlogs and humanitarian programme. However I still wanted to note you that foreign spouses, partners and children of Canadian sponsors and PR waiting outside of Canada, are an essential part of Canada's Immigration Plan which actively promotes family reunification and LGBTQ+, so these families should be supported better.

Bruce
 
Last edited:

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,140
8,792
Also, in the tracker, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/192sbvjd4vJsEWY_B7w5DgFKBmIPNYo6TjlVWAk-xxxA/edit#gid=834807307 none of the applications which are submitted online have any data for OWP. So does that mean we cannot apply for OWP if we submit inland application online?
You cannot apply for it at the time of submitting initial application - but you can apply later. I believe you must apply after receiving AOR, but not certain about the exact timing.
 

GL2019

Star Member
Jun 13, 2022
51
21
Dear Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Deputy Ministers:

Thank you for taking concrete action to reduce the backlog of applications. It is encouraging to hear your plan for the upcoming months that IRCC aims to process 80% of applications within pre-pandemic service standards, including family reunification programs.

My note to you today is to remind you of the Liberals’ set of election promises on strengthening family reunification and reducing processing times, including:

  • Reduce processing times for immigration applications to under 12 months.
  • Create electronic applications for family reunification.
  • Build a new program that will provide spouses and children abroad with visas while they are waiting for their permanent residence applications to be processed.
Source: Strengthening Family Reunification and Reducing Processing Times | Liberal Party of Canada

It appears IRCC has been quite determined and successful in delivering the first two, but for the last item, which promises a new program that will provide spouses and children abroad with visas while they are waiting for their permanent residence applications to be processed, nothing has been confirmed to the public. There was a statement publicly made by you that the new policy would be introduced in the summer of 2022 – yet we are soon coming to the fall of 2022 with no news.

There are around 70,000 visa applications for spouses and children waiting to be reunited in Canada, both from inside and outside of Canada. Those who are waiting to be processed inside of Canada are at least able to stay with their loved ones and apply for Open Work Permits, while spouses and partners outside of Canada have fewer options to join Canadian sponsors in Canada unless they are successful in obtaining tourist visas. Tourist visa applications from these applicants are often judged more harshly by visa officers for their intent to return to their home country, or a classic excuse of marriage fraud investigation. Spouses and partners applying to join Canadian partners from outside of Canada are more scrutinized. Visa officers usually argue that applicants have a stronger tie to Canada that would make them more likely to overstay (?), which is purely a biased view targeting one disadvantaged group of applicants. This is a misleading view that should be eliminated system-wide. Adding to the insult is the fact that even foreign spouses, partners, and children of temporary residents (such as Work Permit and Study Permit holders) are able to obtain Open Work Permit or Open Study Permit much easier and faster than partners of Canadian citizens or PRs, as assessment of relationship for accompanying family members of temporary residents, is usually done quite slightly.

To make it fair, I suggest the followings to IRCC, with immediate effect:
  • All pending PR applications inventory for spouses, partners and children outside of Canada that have reached the Sponsorship Approval/Acknowledgement of Receipt, be offered a fast-track tourist or Open Work Permit visas to facilitate their entry into Canada while waiting for PR to be finalized. To ensure integrity, the offer should be limited to the principal applicants only.
  • For new applications, applicants should have an option to include an application for TRV/Work Permit with their PR application and this be processed at the same time with Sponsorship Approval. This is nothing new that requires too much thinking or planning, as IRCC has been offering this solution to applicants of in-Canada spouses, partners and children category for many years. Expanding it to applicants of the outland stream will avoid double-standard in your system.

I understand IRCC is working hard to swiftly respond to many priorities, including backlogs and humanitarian programme. However I still wanted to note you that foreign spouses, partners and children of Canadian sponsors and PR waiting outside of Canada, are an essential part of Canada's Immigration Plan which actively promotes family reunification and LGBTQ+, so these families should be supported better.

Bruce
I couldn't have written this better myself! What is the best way to ensure this letter reaches the minister?
 

Kiikii

Hero Member
Jul 6, 2022
226
116
You cannot apply for it at the time of submitting initial application - but you can apply later. I believe you must apply after receiving AOR, but not certain about the exact timing.
Actually i have applied and the consultant made sure to apply for the OWP with PR application, not just for me for all their current couples who applied for spousal sponsorship. And None of us have received OWP btw let alone COPR i am hitting 5 months this week