Guide to Canada Family Sponsorship for Immigrating Relatives

Key Takeaways:

Family Sponsorship allows Canadian citizens or residents to sponsor spouses, children, parents, grandparents, or other relatives.
Sponsors must be financially stable, over 18, residing in Canada, and free of criminal records or debts.
Applications involve submitting forms, paying fees, and possibly providing biometrics, with guidelines on the official IRCC website.

Sponsoring Family Members to Canada: A Complete Guide

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and wish to bring a family member to Canada, you can do so through the Family Sponsorship program. This method allows you to help your loved ones with their immigration applications, making the process smoother for them. Here is a detailed guide on who you can sponsor, eligibility requirements, and the application process.

Guide to Canada Family Sponsorship for Immigrating Relatives

Who Can I Sponsor to Canada?

Through Canada’s Family Sponsorship program, you have the opportunity to sponsor:

Spouse, Common-Law Partner, or Child
Parent or Grandparent
Other Relatives (under specific conditions)

How Do I Become a Sponsor for My Family Members?

To be eligible as a sponsor, you must meet several criteria:

Age and Status: You must be an adult Canadian citizen or permanent resident, legally registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
Residency Plans: You must intend to continue living in Canada after those you sponsor become permanent residents.
Financial Stability: You need to demonstrate stable financial income to support the individuals you are sponsoring and should not be receiving social assistance (except for disability).
Criminal and Debt-Free Record: You should not have a criminal record, unpaid immigration loans, performance bonds, mandated family support payments, or a Removal Order. You also should not have declared bankruptcy.

Note: This criteria excludes those living in Quebec.

Family Sponsorship for a Spouse, Partner, or Child

You can sponsor the following individuals:

Spouse

To sponsor your spouse (husband/wife):

Both of you must be legally married and be over 18 years old.

Common-Law Partner

Criteria to sponsor your common-law partner include:

Both are over 18 years old.
You have been in a conjugal relationship and lived together for at least 12 consecutive months.
Any period of separation was brief and temporary.
Proof of relationship through shared property, joint leases, utility bills, or having the same address on crucial documents like driver’s licenses and insurance policies.

Conjugal Partner

Criteria to sponsor a conjugal partner:

Both must be over 18 years old.
The partner resides outside Canada.
You have a relationship lasting over a year.
Inability to live together or marry due to legal or immigration restrictions in your partner’s country, such as:
- Partner’s inability to get a divorce because of restrictive laws.
- Same-sex relationships being illegal in the partner’s country.
- Risk of prosecution due to religious or social constraints.

Dependent Children

You can sponsor your own child or the child of a spouse/partner if they are:

Under 22 years old and not married or in a common-law relationship.
Over 22 but dependent due to mental or physical conditions and financial reliance on you before they turned 22.

Family Sponsorship for Parents or Grandparents

You may sponsor:

Parents and Grandparents: Whether by blood or adoption.
Divorced Parents’ Spouses, Partners, or Conjugal Partners: Even if they are remarried, provided the new family members qualify as dependents.

To start this process, you must submit an “interest to sponsor” form, available at the beginning of the year. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) only reviews the first 27,000 submissions, so checking the IRCC website for form availability is essential. Successful submission may lead to an invitation to apply for sponsorship.

Family Sponsorship for Other Relatives

You can also sponsor:

Orphaned Relatives

Criteria include:

Under 18 years old.
Related to you by blood or adoption.
Having lost both parents (does not apply if parents are alive but unable to care for them due to abandonment, detention, or other reasons).

Other Relatives

To sponsor any other relative:

You must not have any other family members who could potentially be sponsored instead (e.g., spouse, child, parent, grandparent, orphaned relatives).
No other relatives (spouse, parent, etc.) are living in Canada as Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians under the Canadian Indian Act.

How to Apply for Family Sponsorship to Canada?

Steps to Sponsor Parents or Grandparents

Interest to Sponsor Form: Submit this first and wait for an invitation to apply.
Application Submission: If invited, submit your sponsorship application within 60 days.

Steps for Other Relatives

Dual Applications: Submit two applications simultaneously—one for you as the sponsor and another for your relative for permanent residency.

These applications should be sent together for processing.

Fees and Additional Requirements

To complete your sponsorship application:

Pay the required application and biometric fees.
Follow application guidelines available on the official IRCC page.

Conclusion

Sponsoring a family member to immigrate to Canada is an incredible opportunity to reunite and support your loved ones. Knowing the requirements and steps of Family Sponsorship is crucial for a successful application. With a dedicated approach, you can bring your family closer and help them enjoy the myriad benefits of living in Canada.

For detailed, authoritative information, please refer to the IRCC official website for the latest updates and application guidelines.

Learn Today:

Glossary of Terms

Family Sponsorship Program: A Canadian immigration initiative allowing permanent residents and citizens to sponsor eligible family members for permanent residency.
Common-Law Partner: An individual who has lived with their partner in a conjugal relationship for a minimum of 12 consecutive months, sharing and maintaining a household together.
Conjugal Partner: A person in a committed relationship with a Canadian sponsor who is unable to marry or live with them due to legal or immigration barriers in their home country.
Dependent Child: A child under 22 years old who is not married or in a common-law relationship, or a child over 22 who is reliant on their parent due to mental or physical conditions.
Interest to Sponsor Form: An initial form that Canadian citizens or permanent residents must submit to express their intent to sponsor a parent or grandparent for immigration to Canada.

This Article In A Nutshell:

Sponsor Family Members to Canada with the Family Sponsorship program. Criteria include being a Canadian citizen/PR and financial stability. Sponsor spouse, child, parent, or grandparent. Process entails submission, interest forms, and fees. Detailed guide on IRCC website. Reunite with loved ones in Canada. Follow steps for successful applications.
— By VisaVerge.com