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Canada Spousal Sponsorship — Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Hi everyone! đź‘‹
If you’re planning to sponsor your husband, wife, or partner for Canadian permanent residency, this post will help you understand where to start and what to expect. The process can look confusing at first, but once you break it down, it’s quite manageable.
1. Choose the Right Relationship Class
There are three types of sponsorship applications:
✅ Married: You’ll need to provide your marriage certificate and proof of relationship (photos, communication, etc.).
✅ Common-law: You must show you’ve lived together for at least 12 continuous months — think shared lease, bills, and joint accounts.
✅ Conjugal: This one’s the toughest. It’s for couples who’ve combined their lives as much as possible but can’t live together or marry due to real immigration or legal barriers.
Example: if your partner keeps getting refused a Canadian visit visa, that’s an immigration barrier. But if they could get a 6-month visitor visa, that usually isn’t enough reason to claim “conjugal.”
Most people avoid the conjugal route unless absolutely necessary, as it’s hard to prove.
2. Inland or Outland Application — Which to Choose?
Next, decide if you’ll apply inland or outland.
Outland Application:
If speed and freedom to travel are your priorities, outland is generally better.
If your spouse prefers to stay in Canada during the process and avoid traveling for interviews, inland might make more sense.
đź“„ Inland application forms
đź“„ Outland application forms
​ 3. Avoiding Common Problems
The #1 reason for delays or interviews?
👉 Doubt about the genuineness of the relationship.
Be ready to provide solid proof:
​ 4. Including Dependent Children
If your spouse has children, they must be included in the PR application — even if they’re not moving to Canada yet.
They’ll need to complete a medical exam to keep future sponsorship options open.
If the children’s other parent refuses to allow medicals, your spouse will need to sign a declaration acknowledging that those children can never be sponsored later.
Definition of a dependent child:
You’ll need to show proof of income, but don’t worry — there’s no minimum income requirement to sponsor your spouse and dependent children.
IRCC just wants to know you can reasonably support yourselves.
Also, spouses and dependent children are exempt from medical inadmissibility due to “excessive demand,” so they won’t be refused on those grounds.
​ 6. Sponsoring While Living Outside Canada
If you’re a Canadian citizen, you can sponsor your spouse even while living abroad — but you must show you plan to move back to Canada once your spouse’s PR is approved.
Examples of proof:
Short trips abroad are fine, but if IRCC discovers you’re residing outside Canada, your application could be refused.
​ Final Thoughts
Sponsoring a spouse can be emotional and stressful, but it’s definitely doable if you stay organized and send complete, genuine information. Always double-check processing times on IRCC’s website because they can change frequently.
Have you gone through the spousal sponsorship process yourself — inland or outland?
Share your experience or any tips below 👇 — it might really help someone just starting their journey!
​
If you’re planning to sponsor your husband, wife, or partner for Canadian permanent residency, this post will help you understand where to start and what to expect. The process can look confusing at first, but once you break it down, it’s quite manageable.
1. Choose the Right Relationship Class
There are three types of sponsorship applications:
- Married
- Common-law
- Conjugal partners
✅ Married: You’ll need to provide your marriage certificate and proof of relationship (photos, communication, etc.).
✅ Common-law: You must show you’ve lived together for at least 12 continuous months — think shared lease, bills, and joint accounts.
✅ Conjugal: This one’s the toughest. It’s for couples who’ve combined their lives as much as possible but can’t live together or marry due to real immigration or legal barriers.
Example: if your partner keeps getting refused a Canadian visit visa, that’s an immigration barrier. But if they could get a 6-month visitor visa, that usually isn’t enough reason to claim “conjugal.”
Most people avoid the conjugal route unless absolutely necessary, as it’s hard to prove.
2. Inland or Outland Application — Which to Choose?
Next, decide if you’ll apply inland or outland.
Outland Application:
- For spouses outside Canada (or those who can’t get a visa to enter).
- Application goes first to the IRCC office in Mississauga, which checks and approves you as the sponsor (usually within 1–2 months).
- Then it’s sent to the visa office responsible for your spouse’s country.
- If your spouse lives in a different country from their nationality, you can choose which visa office will handle the case.
đź“„ Check current outland processing times here.
- For spouses already in Canada on a visitor or other valid visa.
- You can still apply outland, but inland means they must stay in Canada during processing.
- If they leave and are refused re-entry, the application is cancelled.
- Inland processing starts in Vegreville, and first-stage approval usually takes 6–8 months, followed by local CIC processing for landing.
- Total time: around 12–18 months.
- Once first-stage approval is granted, your spouse can apply for health coverage and an open work permit.
If speed and freedom to travel are your priorities, outland is generally better.
If your spouse prefers to stay in Canada during the process and avoid traveling for interviews, inland might make more sense.
đź“„ Inland application forms
đź“„ Outland application forms
​ 3. Avoiding Common Problems
The #1 reason for delays or interviews?
👉 Doubt about the genuineness of the relationship.
Be ready to provide solid proof:
- Photos together
- Chat and call logs
- Emails and letters
- Travel tickets
- Joint financial or housing documents
- The sponsor is on social assistance
- The sponsor is bankrupt
- The sponsor has a criminal record (especially involving violence or family members)
​ 4. Including Dependent Children
If your spouse has children, they must be included in the PR application — even if they’re not moving to Canada yet.
They’ll need to complete a medical exam to keep future sponsorship options open.
If the children’s other parent refuses to allow medicals, your spouse will need to sign a declaration acknowledging that those children can never be sponsored later.
Definition of a dependent child:
- Under 22 and single, OR
- Over 22 and has been a full-time student since before age 22, OR
- Over 22 and dependent due to a medical condition.
You’ll need to show proof of income, but don’t worry — there’s no minimum income requirement to sponsor your spouse and dependent children.
IRCC just wants to know you can reasonably support yourselves.
Also, spouses and dependent children are exempt from medical inadmissibility due to “excessive demand,” so they won’t be refused on those grounds.
​ 6. Sponsoring While Living Outside Canada
If you’re a Canadian citizen, you can sponsor your spouse even while living abroad — but you must show you plan to move back to Canada once your spouse’s PR is approved.
Examples of proof:
- Job offer or school acceptance in Canada
- Lease or home purchase agreement
- Letters from family/friends confirming you’ll stay with them
Short trips abroad are fine, but if IRCC discovers you’re residing outside Canada, your application could be refused.
​ Final Thoughts
Sponsoring a spouse can be emotional and stressful, but it’s definitely doable if you stay organized and send complete, genuine information. Always double-check processing times on IRCC’s website because they can change frequently.
Have you gone through the spousal sponsorship process yourself — inland or outland?
Share your experience or any tips below 👇 — it might really help someone just starting their journey!
​