Do you intend to bring your spouse to Canada? The spousal sponsorship process is available abroad and in Canada to bring your spouse. Spousal sponsorship allows your spouse to come to Canada based on your citizenship or permanent residence. Whether you are a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen, you can apply for spousal sponsorship. The experts of Immigration of green trees can help you with a spouse visa to Canada from India through the spousal sponsorship process to ensure a smooth transition for you and your spouse.
Approved relationships that can be sponsored
Below are relationships with an official Canadian citizen or permanent resident that are approved for Canadian spousal sponsorship or Canada dependent visa.
- Common-law partner: A shared relationship between two people without being legally married is what constitutes a common-law relationship. This type of relationship can exist between people of any gender. To be eligible as a common-law partner, it is essential to demonstrate that the sponsor and the principal candidate have been cohabiting in a marital-type relationship for a year or more.
- Spouse: To be recognized as a spouse, it is mandatory to have entered into a legal and legitimate marriage with the sponsor. The marriage must be valid in the place where it took place and must be accepted under Canadian law, regardless of your current place of residence.
- Marital partner: In some circumstances, individuals may not be able to live together for legitimate reasons. However, they have been engaged in a marital relationship for at least 12 months. This type of relationship has similarities to a common-law relationship, except that cohabitation is not a requirement.
What makes Canadian spouse immigration so beneficial for you?
Bringing your spouse to Canada with you through dependent PR, cherishing together and creating memories is very beneficial. The Canadian spouse visa comes with many other benefits, such as excellent benefits. Your spouse or common-law partner can work or study if they have their visa. The dependent PR benefits from the same advantages as the general permanent resident.
Canada Spouse Visa Processing Time
The processing time for a Canadian spouse visa is generally 10 to 12 months; however, the applicant may receive the visa earlier or later, depending on the circumstances.
- Spouse or common-law partner living in Canada – 14 months
- Spouse or common-law partner living outside of Canada – 11 months
The processing time for spousal sponsorship Canada is faster when applying from Canada than from abroad.
Read also:How to Sponsor Your Spouse from India for Canada PR
Spouse visa process for Canada:
- Check if the sponsor and applicant pass the eligibility check.
- All necessary documents must be collected.
- The promoter and lead applicant must complete the relevant forms.
- Pay the dependents’ public relations costs.
- Check the application form for any errors and submit it.
Cost of a Canadian Spouse Visa
The cost of a spousal sponsorship visa is CA$1,080.
1. Sponsor your spouse or partner – CA$1,080
Including:
- Sponsorship fees ($75CAN),
- Principal Applicant Processing Fee ($490CAN)And
- Right of permanent residence fees ($515CAN)
2. Include a dependent child with your spouse or partner – $155 CAD (per child).
3. Independently sponsor a dependent child – $150 CAD (per child)
(Sponsorship fees – 75$CANProcessing fee – 75$CAN)
New rules for Canada spouse visa 2023
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has imposed new rules for spouse visa in Canada for 2023.
- Fast processing times.
- Requests in favor of spouses are now more feasible.
- Non-complex and clear questionnaire.
- Both domestic and external sponsorships have general applications.
- Real-time application tracking to know the status of the application.
- The sponsor must be able to financially support the applicant in Canada.
- The sponsor must also support other necessities in Canada, such as housing, health care and food.
Documents Required for Canadian Spouse Visa/Dependent Visa
Submission of documents plays a crucial role in the issuance of visas by IRCC. The document checklist for Canada spouse visa or Canada spouse visa requirements is listed below.
Supporting documents must be submitted with the Canadian spouse visa application.
The main applicant may submit identity documents such as a valid birth certificate, driving license and/or voter registration card.
The principal applicant and sponsor must submit scanned pages of their passport. Additionally, the principal applicant must submit their previous travel history pages.
The principal applicant must submit passport-sized photos for permanent residence.
In case the sponsor and the main applicant are married, they are required to provide a copy of their marriage certificate.
The sponsor status document is photocopied, such as a permanent residence card, permanent resident certificate, birth certificate or Canadian passport, to verify status in Canada. It is also mandatory to provide your social insurance number (SIN).
If the sponsor is currently employed in Canada, he or she must submit employment documents such as a job offer letter, salary slips and employment letter containing details such as salary, date of start and weekly working hours.
If any of the promoters filed their taxes in previous years, they must provide documents from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). If a newcomer to Canada has not filed any income tax returns, they must provide a letter of explanation on this subject.
Sponsor must provide bank statements showing current bank balance. These documents will serve as proof of the sponsor’s consistent source of income and sufficient funds to support their principal applicant spouse upon arrival in Canada. If the sponsor is not currently employed in Canada, they are required to submit their savings.
The IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) did not provide a precise monetary figure. However, sponsors should have a minimum amount equivalent to the Express Entry proof of funds requirement for a family of two, which amounts to CA$17,127 (approximately INR 1,065,095.59) in 2023.
The main applicant must submit a criminal record certificate (PCC) for each country in which he or she has resided for at least six months since reaching the age of 18.
- Proof of Relationship Documents
The applicant must submit the relationship documents to prove the relationship between the sponsor and the principal applicant, which will help IRCC understand that the relationship is genuine and sincere.
If the principal applicant and sponsor are parents, they must submit copies of the children’s birth certificates.
To prove their communication even if they reside in different countries, the sponsor and principal applicant must submit evidence to IRCC.
Interactions between the lead applicant may be demonstrated as evidence in the following ways:
- Text messages
- Communication on social networks
- Emails and letters
- Proof of past cohabitation
The principal applicant and the sponsor must prove that they have previously lived together. Proof of cohabitation can be presented in the following ways:
- Rental or lease contracts containing both names
- Owning residential property together
- Common auto insurance documents
- Other documents related to the Relationship
You must submit two of the following documents as proof of your relationship:
- The couple’s wedding ceremony, honeymoon adventures, family unions and cherished memories are captured through snaps taken alongside their loved ones, such as friends and family, after the wedding.
- Documents providing financial support to the principal applicant, i.e. bank statements demonstrating the transfer of funds to the principal applicant’s account.
- Statement from family members and friends who witnessed the making of the wedding knot.
- Any document bearing their name, such as an employment allowance or insurance.
The principal applicant must complete and submit the relevant forms and other documents.
Tips to Minimize Canadian Spouse Visa Processing Time
Domestic and foreign sponsorships for spousal sponsorship in Canada currently take approximately 10-12 months to process. Estimating the processing time for a spouse visa is subjective, as various factors influence it. The time it takes to process a task depends on all the factors included in the documentation, all of which will play a vital role in the outcome.
Before applying for a spouse visa in Canada, it is important to consider some key points. Here are some essential tips to guide you and make the spousal visa process easier:
- Proof of strong and committed relationship:
One of the most important factors is that the relationship is stable and strong, which will facilitate faster issuance of the visa.
- Proof of sufficient funds:
The sponsor must hold a good amount of money to demonstrate to visa officers that you have enough money to help your spouse financially.
Make sure you meet the age requirements for the PR visa for dependents, which is 18 years old. Visa officers are interested in the age factor, which facilitates faster issuance of visas.
Documents play an essential role in granting the visa. All necessary documents must be submitted in the requested format and on time, accompanied by the application form. All documents must be authentic and submitted by the deadline.
- Error-free documentation:
The documents must be submitted with the application without any errors, as the spouse’s visa is likely to be rejected even in case of minute errors.
How can GreenTree Immigration help you obtain your Canadian spouse visa?
GTI is a Premium visa consultancy registered with CICC company that provides excellent and legitimate immigration services related to Canada. We offer one-on-one consultation with the best immigration experts in our industry, from verifying eligibility to initiating your application with the Canadian government.
GreenTree Immigration helps you get a Canadian spouse visa efficiently and effortlessly keeping the above points in mind.