Spousal Sponsorship Canada: Sponsor Your Spouse or Partner

Both partners must be at least 18 years old. Proxy, telephone, fax, internet and similar marriages where one person was not physically present are not accepted in most cases.

You can sponsor if you:

• Are 18 or older
• Are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Indian Act
• Live in Canada (permanent residents must live in Canada; citizens living abroad must show they will return to Canada when the spouse becomes a PR)
• Are not receiving social assistance, except for disability
• Can support your spouse's basic needs and sign a 3-year undertaking

You may not be able to sponsor if you:

• Were sponsored as a spouse or partner and became a PR less than 5 years ago
• Sponsored a previous spouse and the undertaking period has not ended
• Are in default of an immigration loan, support payments or a past sponsorship undertaking
• Are bankrupt and not discharged
• Were convicted of a violent or sexual offence, or an offence against a family member, unless pardoned or rehabilitated
• Are under a removal order or in prison

Which should you choose? If your spouse lives with you in Canada and wants to work, inland is usually best. If your spouse lives abroad, or there is a risk of refusal and you want appeal rights, outland is often safer. We help you choose based on your situation.

Most spousal sponsorship refusals happen because of weak or unclear relationship evidence. IRCC wants to see a real, ongoing relationship. Good evidence includes:

For married couples

• Marriage certificate and registration
• Wedding photos with family and friends, invitations, guest lists
• Proof of how you met and how the relationship developed
• Proof of communication over time (chat logs, call history)
• Trips together (tickets, boarding passes, hotel bookings)

For common-law couples

• Joint lease or mortgage
• Mail to both of you at the same address
• Joint bank account, credit card or bills
• Shared insurance policies, beneficiary designations
• Statutory declaration of common-law union (IMM 5409)
• Identity documents showing the same address

For everyone

• Photos together over time (with dates and descriptions)
• Letters from family and friends who know the relationship
• Proof of financial support
• Children's birth certificates (if you have children together)

Quality over quantity. IRCC has page and file limits. A well-organized, labeled set of evidence is better than hundreds of random photos.

Sponsor

• Proof of citizenship or PR status
• Sponsorship agreement and undertaking forms
• Proof of income (tax documents, if requested)
• Proof you will return to Canada (citizens living abroad)

Spouse or partner

• Passport
• Birth certificate
• Police certificates from each country lived in 6+ months since age 18
• Immigration medical exam
• Digital photos
• Divorce or death certificates from previous marriages
• Children's documents, if included

Relationship

• Marriage certificate or common-law proof
• Relationship questionnaire and history
• Photos, communication and joint documents (see above)

1. Check eligibility for both the sponsor and spouse.
2. Choose inland or outland.
3. Gather documents, including police certificates and a medical exam.
4. Prepare relationship evidence and write a clear relationship history.
5. Complete forms in the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal.
6. Pay fees: sponsorship, processing and Right of Permanent Residence Fee.
7. Submit online. Inland applicants can also apply for a spousal open work permit.
8. Biometrics after the instruction letter.
9. Possible interview if the officer has questions about the relationship.
10. Decision and PR confirmation.

Yes, if you apply inland. Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for a spousal open work permit at the same time as the sponsorship (or after). They must live with you in Canada and have valid temporary status, or be eligible to restore it.

If you apply outland and your spouse is in Canada, they need their own valid status (work permit, study permit or visitor status).

Refused? Outland refusals can usually be appealed to the IAD within 30 days. Inland refusals can be challenged by judicial review at the Federal Court within 15 days. Get advice quickly.

1. Eligibility review for sponsor and spouse
2. Inland vs outland strategy
3. Relationship evidence plan: what to collect and how to present it
4. Forms and letters: every form completed and checked
5. Interview preparation, if IRCC asks
6. Spousal open work permit for inland applicants
7. Refusal support: appeals and reapplications

Book a sponsorship consultation