Family Visas (Canada)

The Family sponsorship program has different streams specifically for sponsoring various categories of relatives, such as:

• Spouse, partner, or dependent children
• Parents and grandparents
• Adopted children and other eligible relatives.

As a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you have the opportunity to sponsor a family member for immigration to Canada if they are your spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child (under 19 years old).
To sponsor family members, you need to demonstrate that you can:

• Fulfill basic living requirements for yourself and your family, including food, shelter, and clothing.
• Provide financial support to the relative.
• Moreover, you must ensure that your sponsored spouse or relative does not rely on financial aid from the Canadian government. Any future requests for government financial assistance by the relative could lead to the rejection of your sponsorship application.

Sponsoring relatives is a significant responsibility that should be approached with caution and seriousness:

• As a sponsor, you must provide a written agreement confirming your commitment to providing financial support to your relative if necessary. In addition, the sponsored relatives must agree to try to support themselves independently.
• For a spouse or common-law partner, financial support is required for 3 years after they become permanent residents.
• For a minor child, financial support is needed for 10 years after they become permanent residents or until they reach 25 years old, whichever comes first.

You are not able to sponsor if you answer yes to any of the following criteria:

• Have violated sponsorship terms in the past.
• Did not meet child support obligations or provide financial assistance to a minor child as required by a court order.
• Received financial assistance from the government.
• Have a criminal record for offenses like sexual crimes, violent acts, or physical harm to family members.
• Have been sponsored as a spouse or civil partner in the last 5 years.
• Have unpaid amounts on an immigration loan or have not paid as agreed.
• Currently in jail.
  -Declared bankruptcy with unresolved issues.

Definition of Spouses:

• The marriage relationship between a sponsor and an immigrant must be officially and legally documented.
• For marriages that take place in Canada, a marriage certificate from the province or territory where the marriage occurred is necessary.
• Marriages that occur outside of Canada must be recognized as valid according to the laws of the country where the marriage took place, and should not violate Canadian legal standards.
• If marriages are conducted in an embassy or consulate, the legality of the marriage must comply with the laws of the country where the embassy or consulate is located, rather than the country it represents.
• Same-sex marriages will be considered valid if they are legally acknowledged according to the laws of the country where the marriage was registered.

Definition of Conjugal Partner:

This classification includes relationships where partners depend on each other, have a sense of lasting commitment in the relationship, and share a level of dedication similar to that of a marriage or civil union. Conjugal partnerships are those relationships that, for various reasons, do not meet the criteria of a marital or civil relationship.

You are eligible to apply for sponsorship under the conjugal relationship category if:

• You have been in a relationship for 12 months or longer resembling a marital relationship, but were unable to live together due to:
  – Immigration obstacles;
  – Family circumstances (e.g., if one partner is married and living in a country where divorce is not possible for certain reasons);
• You can provide evidence for why living together was not possible (e.g., denial of the ability to stay together long-term in the same country).

You are not eligible to apply for sponsorship under the conjugal relationship category if:

• Living together with your partner was possible but you chose not to, showing a lack of commitment as seen in marital or civil relationships. For example, if one partner decided not to leave their job or university studies.
• You are unable to justify the reasons for why cohabitation was prevented.

Definition of Dependent (Minor) Children

A child is considered dependent on their parents if: They are under 19 years old and not married or in a civil partnership. If they are over 19 years old, but still rely on a parent for financial support because of a physical or mental condition.

Definition of Dependent (Minor) Children:

A child is considered dependent on their parents if: They are under the age of 19 and not married or in a civil partnership.
If they are over 19 years old but depend on a parent for financial support due to a physical or mental condition.

Please note that the required documentation may vary for each applicant based on their specific circumstances. The list provided is meant to serve as a guideline and should not be considered as legal advice; it is intended to show common scenarios for submitting an application:

• The necessary forms include IMM 0008, IMM 0008DEP (if there are more than 5 children), IMM5669, IMM5469, IMM5406, IMM5562.
• Copies of passport/biographical pages, as well as all pages with stamps, seals, or visas for all family members, are required.
• Additionally, a notarized Declaration confirming family relationships (IMM0191) from a Canadian citizen who is at least 18 years old and residing in Canada is necessary.
• Recent photographs of each family member taken within the last 6 months, with the person’s name and the date of the photo written on the back, are also required.
• Work permits, study permits, and criminal records for all family members must be included, as well as birth certificates for all family members (including the sponsor), children’s birth certificates, marriage certificates or evidence of common-law marriage, divorce certificates, and police clearance certificates from countries where individuals have resided for over 6 months.
• All documents must be translated into English or French by a certified translator or notarized. A copy of the payment receipt, a document
• checklist (IMM 0190), and a letter explaining the familial ties of the sponsor and principal applicant to the visa officer are also required.
• Any additional relevant documents to support the application should also be included.