Sponsor Visa In Canada
Sponsor visa in Canada is called a “Family Class” immigration. This visa mainly allows the applicant to join their spouse who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Canada. The main purpose of this visa is for common-law partners, and anyone that is related by blood to the sponsor who is a Canadian resident and has the legal authority over them.
The sponsor visa Canada allows foreign nationals who are working in Canada to apply for a visa to bring over their spouse or de facto partner and children.
Canada’s husband and wife team of Tarek and Christina Abdel-Razek are well-known throughout Canada’s sponsorship industry. No matter what questions you have about the permanent residency process for your spouse or partner, the Abdel-Razeks will provide an honest response based on Canada’s current immigration policies and regulations. The Abdel-Razeks represent clients from all over the world, and have helped more than two thousand families unite in Canada. They have also written five books on sponsorship law and is currently working on two more.
Sponsor Visa In Canada
Once you are sponsoring someone, you need to file the paperwork to become a sponsor. You will have to prepare and file an application for a permanent resident visa for your spouse or partner. A visa allows them to come to Canada and live here on a permanent basis.
There are two stages in the process for your eligible relatives to become permanent residents.
- You apply to sponsor your relatives.
- Your family members must apply for permanent residence.
You must send both your sponsorship application and the permanent residence application for your relatives at the same time.
To apply as a sponsor, you must be at least 18 years of age and a:
- Canadian citizen or
- person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or
- permanent resident of Canada
We’ll process your application to sponsor and write you to tell you if we approve your application.
How to apply
To apply to sponsor your eligible relatives you must:
1. Get the application package
The application package includes the:
- instruction guide
- forms you need to fill out
- document checklist (PDF, 822KB)
Read the guide before you fill in the forms. Make sure you’re eligible to sponsor a relative before you apply. We won’t refund the sponsorship application fee.
When submitting applications:
- you’ll have to provide proof of income
- your relatives must state they will try to support themselves
- you must agree in writing to support your relatives for a set amount of time (3 to 20 years)
- include all your relative’s dependent children (if any) on your relative’s application
- include all the documents listed in the document checklist
- missing information or documents can delay your application
All information in your application must be true. You must tell the truth about:
- your family members (include them all on your application)
- your marital status
- any change in your case
The people you sponsor must also tell us about each of their close family members. These family members must have a security and criminality check and a medical exam. If they don’t, the sponsored person won’t be able to sponsor them in the future.
Helping your relative with their application?
If you want to:
- prepare your relative’s application for them
- This would mean that you’d be acting as their representative.
- check on their application status
You have to request permission and provide the right forms with your application.
Find out how to act as a representative or access your family member’s information.
2. Pay your application fees
Our permanent residence fees have increased
The fees for all permanent residence applications increased on April 30, 2022. Learn more about why fees increased.
In most cases, your fees will include:
- processing fees for you, the people you’re sponsoring and their dependants
- the right of permanent residence fee
- the biometrics fee
You have to pay your fees online (opens in a new tab).
Biometrics fee
In most cases, you must pay a biometrics fee when you submit your application. Otherwise you may experience delays. The biometrics fee covers the cost of collecting fingerprints and a digital photo.
After you pay the biometrics fee with a complete application, we’ll send your family members a letter confirming that they need to give their biometrics and where they can go. Your family members must show this letter when they give their biometrics.
They must give their biometrics in person. They should book an appointment if this service is offered. Find a collection point.
Third-party fees
Depending on your situation, you may need to pay third parties for:
- medical exams
- police certificates
- You need to include police certificates when you apply.
- You need a police certificate for the people being sponsored and each family member 18 or older (who isn’t already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident).
- Police certificates are generally valid for 1 year from the date they’re issued.
- Depending on processing time, we may ask you for new certificates.
The instruction guide can help you understand which fees apply to you.
3. Submit your application
The mailing address is in the instruction guide.
Find out how long it will take to process your application.