Immigration Services

FAMILY CLASS

Spouses, common-law partners and conjugal partners

You can sponsor a person as your spouse if that person is married to you and the marriage is a legally valid civil marriage. If your spouse is of the

opposite sex and your marriage took place outside Canada, the marriage must be valid both under the laws of the jurisdiction where it took place and under Canadian law;
same sex, you marriage must have taken place in Canada and be recognized by the authorities of the province where it took place.

You can sponsor a person as your common-law partner if

that person is of the opposite or same sex,
you and that other person have cohabited in a conjugal relationship for a period of at least one year, and
your relationship with that person is continuing, even though you are temporarily living apart.

Reasons that will slow down the application process:
Here are some reasons that can slow down the processing of your application:

incomplete or unsigned application forms
incorrect address
missing documents
unclear photocopies of documents
documents not accompanied by a certified translation
investigation of sponsors by government
verification of information and documents provided
medical problems
criminal or security problem
family situations such as impending divorce, custody or maintenance issues
consultation is required with other offices in Canada and abroad
inquiring about the status of your application before the standard processing time has elapsed

If your case is not routine, you may definitely need extra care and professional guidance to ensure that your application is processed smoothly.

Reasons for refusal:

There are many possible reasons why an application for permanent residence might be refused. Some examples are:

you do not meet the financial requirements;
you have not provided the required documents;
the relationship between you and the person you want to sponsor is not genuine;
the applicant has a criminal record or serious illness.

What if the application of the person you want to sponsor is refused?

If the person you want to sponsor is not a member of the family class, his or her application for permanent residence will be refused.

If the person you want to sponsor does not meet the eligibility requirements or admissibility criteria for the family class, his or her application will be refused. The visa office will inform him or her of the reasons for the refusal and you will have the right to appeal the decision. Contact us for further advice.