Immigration Blog about US & Canadian Immigration matters.

Sponsoring Family to Canada

Looking to sponsor a family member to Canada? Wondering about the process, and what to do? There are many different types of applications when sponsoring members of the Family Class. This can involve spouses, conjugal partners, common-law partners, parents, grandparents, siblings, etc. There are many types of members you can sponsor, each with a different application depending on their specific situation. However, there is one thing in common with all sponsorship applications. That is the proof of finances. As a sponsor, your application will likely question your financial situation. Depending on the type of application or person(s) you are sponsoring, you would need to meet certain specific financial requirements in order to be an eligible sponsor.

Why am I Financially Responsible for the Person I Sponsor?

When you sponsor someone under the Family Class, you will be asked to sign an undertaking. This is a contract in which you commit to being financially responsible for the person that you sponsor. This includes basic requirements, which are the essentials for living such as: food, clothing, personal requirements, shelter, utilities, fuel, household supplies, and health care (for those branches that aren’t covered in Canada, such as dentistry). This undertaking is assurance to the Canadian Government that your sponsorship will not result in a burden on the Canadian social assistance program. The undertaking only lasts a set number of years, dependent on the type of person you are sponsoring. For example, for a spouse, the length of the undertaking would be three years after the spouse becomes a permanent resident. Note that during this time period of three years, the undertaking is binding. This means that you would be responsible for them even if you divorce, separate, move away from each other, etc. This undertaking is the document that binds you to be financially responsible for the principal applicant. This means you must demonstrate that you have adequate financial resources to provide for the person(s) who will be coming to Canada.

Ways of Sponsoring Wife to Canada

For most, one of the biggest joys in life is spending quality time with family. With a holiday designated specifically for family time, it is clear that Canadians take their family time seriously. However, there are still many people whose spouses are in another country; therefore, their dreams of joining the valued Canadian family experiences are on hold. But why wait? There are various ways of sponsoring that could ultimately lead to your spouse joining you in Canada, such as the inland application and the overseas application.

What is the difference between an inland and overseas Spousal application?

An inland spousal application can be filed when the spouse is in Canada. This would involve obtaining a visitor visa to be in Canada, and then applying for the inland application from within to the Canadian office. If the application for a visitor visa is denied, then the applicant cannot file an inland application and may only file an overseas spousal application which would mean that the spouse is residing outside of Canada. This would have to be sent to the visa office within the country where the spouse has lived for at least one year.

Spousal Sponsorship Conditions, Agreement & Undertaking

When you are sponsoring your spouse or partner for Permanent Residency, whether it takes place inside or outside of Canada, you are committing to more than just each other. There are commitments and promises to be upheld by both the sponsor and the sponsored individual with the Canadian Government.

In some cases, this ‘agreement & undertaking’ lasts longer than the relationship, so it is important to fully understand what you are signing up for when you decide to sponsor your spouse. Similarly, if you are the sponsored person, your Permanent Residence is conditional for what can almost be considered a probationary period; therefore you must also be fully aware of what conditions are placed on you if you chose to pursue Spousal Sponsorship.

Two Types of Spousal Sponsorship:

There are two different ways to apply for spousal sponsorship. There is the inland vs outland application. As with everything in life, there are pros and cons to each and every situation. Determining which application is best suited for you and your spouse’ specific needs may be a little confusing. There are different rules and aspects to each application which may or may not benefit you. However, understanding the differences between the two applications (inland or outland) may help with making this decision a little bit easier.

Spousal Sponsorship Application from Inside of Canada (Inland):

Pros:

• The sponsored spouse must remain within Canada during the processing time.
• The sponsored spouse can obtain an open work permit (an open work permit allows the sponsored spouse to work in Canada during the processing time for your application).

Cons:

• The sponsored spouse may not leave Canada during the processing time, otherwise the application will be determined abandoned.
• Processing times are usually longer than the processing times for outland sponsorship. The first stage alone takes about 8-12 months.
• If an inland application is denied, then no appeals will be permitted.

Spousal Sponsorship Application from Outside of Canada (Outland):

Pros:

• The sponsored spouse is allowed to travel to and from Canada during the processing times; however, he/she can only do so if he/she has a valid document that allows them to do so, such as a Temporary Resident Visa.
• Processing times are usually faster than with inland applications, however this depends on which country you are applying from.
• If an outland application is denied, then the sponsored spouse has the right to appeal that decision.

Cons:

• The sponsored spouse must wait outside of Canada for a decision, unless your spouse has an additional visa (e.g. Temporary Resident Visa) which allows them the ability to be within the country while waiting for the application to be processed.

Further, you must go through extensive lengths to provide proof of their relationship. These documents listed are what CIC required you to produce. However, you should add in anything extra that you can possibly think of that can prove your relationship is genuine. Examples would be a joint bank account maybe, proof of living together (renovations), mail comes to same address, phone records that show consistent communication, text messages, etc…) All in all, you are trying to show your relationship to someone who does not know you through paper.

Thinking of sponsoring your spouse but unaware of how to start? We understand that the process of sponsoring your loved one to gain permanent residency in Canada can be long and tough. Many things have to be considered before you can even begin the application.

What Is Spousal Sponsorship?

Love is blind, one is unable to help who they fall in love with. Your significant other can be from a different country but you reside in Canada. The process of spousal sponsorship allows you to sponsor your loved one to immigrate to Canada to obtain permanent residency. By sponsoring your loved one to Canada, you are able to start your life together rather than living your lives countries apart.

It is important to understand your responsibilities when you sponsor your loved ones. It is a commitment that must be thoroughly reviewed and understood. I will begin by explaining what an undertaking is.

An undertaking is a formal promise, in this case, a promise to be accountable for the support of the person you wish to sponsor. This means making reasonable efforts to provide them with the basic necessities of life.

There are two ways to sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner, as a permanent resident; inland or outland. The main differences between the two, whether your partner is already in Canada (inland) or if they are outside of Canada (outland) while you sponsor them, is the processing times and the forms you are required to complete.

Before making an application, you should read about the sponsorship class that you have elected, in this case, sponsoring your spouse living outside of Canada. Once you have read and continue to choose this path, there are three main components of the process, which includes,

If you wish to come to Canada through the Spousal Sponsorship program, you can either do so inland or outland. An inland application means that you will be staying inside of Canada while the application is being processed. Outland means that you will be making an application from outside of Canada.

Why Inside Canada Spousal Sponsorship?

There are several reasons why a couple would choose to make an application for Spousal Sponsorship from inside of Canada, including,