Navigating Spouse Visa Requirements in Canada

For Canadians with spouses working to apply for permanent residence, spouse sponsorship is the official pathway to help people sponsor their partners to come to Canada and live there permanently. When it comes to sponsoring spouses, the application process is especially complicated, as the status of your spouse, their current location, employment status for both members, and other factors can play highly into the success of the overall application.

If you’re trying to navigate the requirements for spousal sponsorship in Canada for your spouse, we’re here to provide a brief overview to simplify the process as much as possible so you can be reunited with your loved one.

What Are The Visa Requirements For You and Your Spouse?

Spouse sponsorship allows one partner to be the sponsor for their current spouse, and applying for sponsorship can help their spouse become a permanent resident of Canada. Spouse visas are official government documents that allow a legally married spouse from a foreign country to live, work, and study in Canada for a specific period. These visas are obtained through sponsorship, and the sponsorship process has a specific set of requirements that both sponsor and spouse should meet before applying.

To qualify for eligibility for spousal sponsorship in Canada requires:

• Both partners must be above the age of 18.
• The sponsor must be either a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
• For sponsors living abroad, they must apply for permanent residence and intend to return to Canada.
• The sponsor must show financial capability to support the spouse for up to three years.
• The sponsor must not receive income support or be in bankruptcy proceedings.
• The sponsor must not have any criminal records of violent or sexual offenses, must not have offenses related to bodily harm to a family member, and must not have any attempt or threat to commit those offenses.
• Both partners must have met in person and have a genuine relationship.
• The marriage should have either been legally performed in Canada, or performed outside of Canada where both countries legally recognize the marriage.

Alongside these requirements, the sponsor would need to apply under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada class if their spouse either:

• Lives with them in Canada
• Has an official, temporary resident status in Canada or doesn’t need this status under specific public policies.

These requirements are outlined in the spouse sponsorship application, and the sponsor would need to provide documents, proof of relationship, and demonstrate financial support to apply. Some examples of proof needed for the sponsorship application include:

• Photographs: Photographs should be provided as evidence that the relationship is genuine and that both partners have met in person.
• Joint Bank Account Statements: Joint bank account statements should be provided to demonstrate both relationship status and financial capability.
• Lease Contracts: Lease contracts provide proof of living scenarios, financial capability, and genuine relationships.
• Receipts From Purchases: Receipts offer additional proof of financial stability, living situations, and relationship status.

Sponsor Your Spouse with Immigration Pros Inc. Today!

If you’re struggling to gather documents, our immigration experts at Immigration Pros Inc. can help you through the process and offer expert guidance to help your loved one become a permanent resident. Through our experts, we can help you organize and gather documents and handle the application process through fast, reliable service and resolve problems along the way.