At a glance
Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor particular family members for permanent residence. Each category carries its own conditions, and both parties are assessed.
Strong files usually show a relationship that is well documented and forms that tell one consistent story. We review both people's sections together before anything is filed.
Who it is for
- Spouses and common-law or conjugal partners
- Dependent sons and daughters
- Parents and grandparents, while an intake round is open
Papers to collect
- Evidence of the sponsor's citizenship or permanent residence
- Marriage, birth or partnership certificates
- Photographs, correspondence and travel records over time
- Identity papers for the applicant, plus police certificates
How the work unfolds
Test the category
We check the sponsor and the applicant against the rules of the category you have in mind.
Complete both halves
The sponsor's and the applicant's forms are written side by side so they line up.
File and follow up
We submit the package and help you answer any later request.
If a decision goes the other way
Together we study the decision and look at the options that may be open, which can include an appeal.
Asked about this route
You commit in writing to support the sponsored person financially for a set number of years. Its length and meaning are discussed before you sign.
The answer turns on your status. A citizen who lives abroad may sponsor a spouse, a partner or a dependent child, provided the family will make its home in Canada once that person has become a permanent resident. A permanent resident who sponsors must live in Canada.
In some cases a refused sponsorship may be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board, where a consultant licensed for it (an RCIC-IRB) may represent you. We explain whether an appeal is open in your situation. We cannot promise how an appeal will end.
No consultant can promise an outcome. Final decisions on applications are made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This practice is independent and does not speak for any government body.