How to Bring Your Spouse to Canada Fast?

Author: Anamika Sharma

Canadian spousal sponsorship is how a permanent resident or citizen of Canada can bring their spouse to Canada and live permanently. Family reunification is one of the significant pillars of Canadian immigration. But before we get further into eligibility requirements, it is important to understand who can you sponsor under a Canada Spouse Visa.

  • Spouse: You can bring your spouse to Canada to whom you married legally.

  • Common-law partner: To bring your partner, you need to have lived with them in a conjugal relationship continuously for at least one year.

  • Conjugal partner: Lastly, you must have been in a real and continuing relationship with someone whom you are not married to and also have not ever lived with for at least a year.

What makes you eligible to bring your spouse to Canada?

You must each of the following listed eligibility requirements for a Canada Spouse Visa to sponsor your spouse:

  • Age requirements: 18 years or older

  • Status: PR holder or citizenship

  • Funds: No need to show a minimum amount but sign an undertaking stating you will financially take care of your spouse when they arrive in Canada.

  • Income: Low-income threshold. Not be getting any help from the government, except if disabled.

  • Relationship status: At least one year old.

  • Place of Residence: Canada. If living in Quebec specifically, you must be following their laws and rules.

Canada Spouse Visa Document Checklist

This list can be extensive. You need to provide all the important documents with your application fee if you do not want any delays in your sponsorship application processing.

Here are some common documents you must submit:

  • Application forms filled out completely.

  • Proof of your current status in Canada.

  • ID proof

  • Marriage certificates

  • Medical certificate of your spouse

  • Police Certificate and Clearances from all countries your spouse has stayed in for six months or longer past the age of 18

  • Wedding invitations and photographs

  • Payment proof for applicable government fees

  • Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation Questionnaire

  • If you have any children, their birth certificates or adoption papers

  • Marriage registration proof with a government authority

To provide proof that your relationship is genuine, submit any of these documents:

  • Joint bank accounts

  • Car insurance

  • Proof of any property you own together

  • Utility bills stating both your names

  • Government-issued ID copies

  • Pay stubs or tax forms that display you stay at the same house

If you want to bring your common-law partner to Canada, you need to submit these:

  • Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation Questionnaire

  • Evidence that proves you have lived together for a year at least

  • Adoption papers or birth certificates if you have kids together

  • Photographs to show you are in a conjugal relationship

Submit at least two of the below-listed documents:

  • Proof of financial support or expenses you shared with your partner

  • Papers that indicate you are known as each other’s common-law partner like employment or insurance benefits

  • Letters, emails, or social media that prove your family and friends know about your relationship

There can be chances that you are not able to provide the given documents. In that case, you have to get creative and show your relationship is genuine. Provide the authorities letters of explanation or sworn declarations from family or friends who can attest to your common-law relationship. Of course, the decision is in the hands of the visa officer, but providing more proof can improve your chances of getting that sponsorship.

If you want to sponsor your conjugal partner, submit these documents:

  • Shared place of stay

  • Economic support like joint financial arrangements, bank accounts, and more.

  • Proof that your family and friends know you are together.

There are no legal documents or points in time that back your commitment to your partner. The immigration officers will expect from you proof of emotional and interpersonal ties which you need to provide to show you are committed and have intentions to be that way in the long run.

How long time will it take to get spousal sponsorship application approval?

Spousal Sponsorship applications submitted outside of Canada (outside Quebec), take about 12 months to process. But you have to remember that we cannot provide the exact time as it depends on the volume of applications, the completeness of your application, and other factors.

The process of applying for a Canada Spouse Visa is pretty straightforward but if you are applying for the first time or are in a common-law relationship, you may be wondering "How to immigrate to Canada from India?". If you are, seek help from leading immigration consultants in India, Nationwide Visas. With expertise in handling thousands of spousal sponsorship cases, their qualified team of immigration experts will assess your case accurately and help you make an informed decision. So why wait any longer? Start your process today!