Suppose you’re already living with your significant other in the beautiful country of Canada. Chances are, you’d want to help them get permanent residency status in the country. Since Canada believes in keeping families together, they offer the chance to do just that with the Inland Spousal/Common-Law Partner Sponsorship.
How Does Inland Spousal/Common-Law Partner Sponsorship Work?
If the couple had been living together in Canada, the inland spousal/common-law partner sponsorship program permits any Canadian citizen or permanent resident to sponsor their spouse or common-law partner to receive Canadian permanent residency status.
However, it’s important to note that the inland spousal/common-law partner sponsorship program is not a stand-alone immigration program. Rather it is classified under and is part of the Spousal Sponsorship Program.
If you, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, have been living together with your spouse or common-law partner (which must hold temporary residency status) by the time your application was completed, you may sponsor them to get permanent residency status in Canada.
It’s also important to remember that both you and the person you’re sponsoring must be approved by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for your sponsored person to receive a permanent residence visa.
Who Is Qualified for Inland Spousal Sponsorship?
You, as the sponsor, must be able to prove that you are:
- a legal Canadian citizen or permanent residency status holder in Canada;
- at least 18 years of age;
- can provide the basic needs for you and your family, which includes food, clothing, and shelter;
- can financially support your spouse/common-law partner; and
- ensure that your spouse/common-law partner does not need to ask for financial aid from the Canadian government
In turn, your spouse/common-law partner must:
- be at least 18 years of age;
- cleared through medical, criminal, and background checks
Both of you will have to provide sufficient and undeniable proof that a genuine relationship exists between the two of you.
What are the steps to apply for Inland sponsorship?
It takes a few steps to apply to sponsor a foreign spouse or partner. Here is an outline of the many application stages:
Step 1. Get the Application Package which includes a document checklist, the forms you’ll need to fill out, and a step-by-step guide
Step 2. Pay the Online Application Fees. This includes the processing fees, right of permanent residence fee (RPRF), biometrics fee, and any other third-party fees
Step 3. Submit your application by following the submission steps in the application guide
Step 4. If prompted, your child will be asked to provide biometrics, pass a medical test or obtain a police certificate
Inland Spousal Sponsorship in Quebec
Quebec has its unique immigration processes. If you reside here and desire to sponsor your spouse/common-law partner, you will need to meet additional requirements.
The sponsored person must also:
- hold a temporary residency status in Canada, regardless of if they are a visitor, worker, or student;
- at least 18 years old; and
- not be a close blood relative of the sponsor
The relationship between you and your spouse/common-law partner that you want to sponsor must also be proven to be a legal marriage, or a common-law partnership as defined and acknowledged by the IRCC.
In order for your marriage to be legally valid, the marriage must either be legally completed in the country. If your marriage took place outside of Canada, it must be legally acknowledged by both countries.
To wit, same sex marriages. Even when same sex marriages are completely legal in Canada, it is not in some countries. Same sex marriages must be completed in a country where it is legal for the said marriage to be legally valid for sponsorship purposes.
However, in the case that the marriage happened in a country where it is illegal, you can still apply for sponsorship as long as you can prove with sufficient and undeniable evidence that there is a common-law or conjugal relationship.
Sponsoring your spouse/common-law partner while you reside in Quebec will also require you to commit to financially supporting whoever you’re sponsoring. This is called an undertaking, and the period it lasts depends on the nature of your relationship. In the case of spousal/common-law partners, this undertaking usually lasts for a duration of three (3) years.
What Is The Spousal Open Work Permit?
The application process for the spousal sponsorship can take a toll on your finances if the person you’re sponsoring only has a temporary visitor’s visa, which bars them from working in Canada.
To help alleviate some of the stresses, you may be able to apply for a spousal open work permit along with your sponsorship application. This will allow whoever you’re sponsoring to legally work for any Canadian employer.
Remember that in order to qualify, the spouse/common-law partner you’re sponsoring must hold a valid- temporary visa with the same address as you on top of all the other requirements mentioned above.
Here Are Related Topics You Can Read Now
Sponsor your family to Immigrate to Canada
Canada Spousal/Common-Law Partner Sponsorship
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