Important Documents Needed for Spousal Sponsorship
When applying to sponsor your spouse to Canada as a permanent resident, it is very important to consider and recognize the important documents that you must provide Immigration Canada. These documents will be the supporting evidence to prove why your spouse should be able to gain entry into Canada and eventually become a permanent resident. If you are unable to provide specific documents, it is recommended to provide Immigration with an explanation why. You should make sure the explanation is reasonable and valid, if not Immigration does have the authorization to refuse the application. Therefore, in this article, I will explain the important documents needed for a spousal sponsorship application as well as other factors you should consider.
Before Submitting Documents Make Sure you’re Eligible
Before applying for a spousal sponsorship application and providing Immigration with the appropriate documentation, it is always advisable to first determine whether you are eligible to sponsor your spouse. You must prove to Immigration that you are eligible and financially capable to sponsor your spouse. Furthermore, there are certain eligibility requirements that need to be considered in order to sponsor your spouse. The eligibility requirements for a spousal sponsorship are that you are required to be at least 18 years of age; you are required to be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada; you are required to prove that you have not received any social assistance for reasons other than disability; you are required to prove that you have necessary income to provide the basic needs for your spouse; and lastly, you are required to sign an undertaking and should not have any active undertakings.
Another factor that you should consider is that if you are a Canadian citizen living outside of Canada and plan on sponsoring your spouse, you are required to indicate to Immigration that you intend to live in Canada with your spouse, should the application be approved. Moreover, if you are a permanent resident of Canada living outside of Canada and plan on sponsoring your spouse, unfortunately you will not be able to do so. If you are a permanent resident, you are required to live in Canada in order to sponsor your spouse.
Important Documents Needed for a Spousal Sponsorship
Much like any other immigration application, the spousal sponsorship application brings with it many requirements and documentation that you must provide to Immigration Canada. There are standard documents and forms that you must submit; however, there are also supplementary supporting documentation that you should provide in order to prove the genuineness of your relationship. The reason behind proving the genuineness of your relationship is because Immigration Canada has received many cases of fraudulent marriages and has strictly enforced applicants to prove the genuineness and realness of the relationship as a result. Keep in mind, the more documentation you can provide to Immigration, the better your chances will be for a successful application. Therefore, if you can provide most, if not all, of the required documents, then your chances will be higher.
The standard documents you must provide for a spousal sponsorship application are:
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Completed application forms;
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Photocopies of your Immigration documents, such as record of landing, permanent resident card, Canadian citizenship, and/or Canadian birth certificate;
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Photocopies of your marriage certificate;
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Photocopies of your sponsored spouse’s Immigration documents, such as record of landing, permanent resident card, Canadian citizenship, and/or Canadian birth certificate;
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If either you or your sponsored spouse have had previous relationships or marriages, the divorce or separation certificate;
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Taxation documents, such as a Notice of Assessment
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Employment documents, such as an employment letter
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Financial documents, such as bank statements, investments and assets
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Any proof that you intend on living in Canada, such as property, lease or rental agreements in Canada
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Medical examination
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Police certificates and clearances
Apart from the aforementioned standard documents, there are other documents and information that you should provide Immigration Canada. The rest of the documents mentioned below will be considered supporting documentation. These are especially submitting to prove the genuineness of your relationship to your sponsored spouse. Essentially, in order to make your application strong and provide sufficient evidence, you may provide these supporting documents:
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Any joint documents, such as bank accounts, bills, property documents, etc.
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Any correspondence between the spouses, such as love letters, e-mails, chat logs, etc.
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Photos of you & your spouse from your wedding ceremony
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Photos of you & your spouse with friends and family at different events
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Receipts of any events attended together
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Travel itineraries of any trips to one another
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Receipts of any gifts given to one another
Any Dependent Family Members
Please note that when submitting your spousal sponsorship application, the sponsored spouse and you may want to add a dependent family member, such as your children, to the application. When applying, there is also required documentation that you must provide on their behalf. The required documents would be identity documents, such as a passport; travel documents and stamped pages of their passports; proof of the relationship to the sponsor and applicant, such as the birth certificate; medical examination; and lastly, police certificates and clearances.
Contact Akrami & Associates
If you wish to sponsor your spouse to Canada, we can help you with this process. Much like any other immigration application, a spousal sponsorship application process can become overwhelming if done alone; therefore, it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to apply. Here, at Akrami & Associates, we work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients become reunited with their spouses in Canada. If you believe that you might be eligible, please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at our office at 416-477-2545 for more information or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advise.
With Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!