Apply to Sponsor your Conjugal Partner
It is possible to sponsor your partner to Canada, even if you’re not already married, or do not yet legally qualify as common law partners. In fact, through this sponsorship route, you can sponsor your partner even if you do not currently live in the same country as one another. In fact, conjugal sponsorship is only available for couples who are unable to live in the same country as one another, but otherwise wish to live together as a married couple does. This is a unique opportunity to couple who wish to live together forever, but are having a tough time doing so for one reason or another. Though, it is also a difficult process to understand, therefore, it is very important to completely understand the process of applying for conjugal sponsorship, to ensure it is not done incorrectly.
What is a Conjugal Partner?
Well, as I briefly mentioned, conjugal partners are essentially the same as spouses, though, they are not married, and cannot live together as spouses typically do for one reason or another. Specifically, conjugal partners are defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada as a partnership in which one person is outside Canada, but has had a binding relationship with their partner for at least one year. Therefore, to apply for conjugal sponsorship, one individual must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Conjugal partners can be same-sex partners or otherwise, it does not matter.
Who is Eligible to Sponsor their Partner?
To be eligible to sponsor a partner, you must meet all of the following requirements. You must be:
- A Canadian citizen, a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or a permanent resident.
- At least 18 years old.
- Living in Canada:
- If you are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when your sponsored partner becomes a permanent resident.
- You cannot sponsor someone if you are a permanent resident living outside Canada
- Able to prove that you have enough income to provide basic needs for your partner and their dependent children.
Likewise, if any of these situations applies to you, you cannot sponsor your partner. If you:
- Were sponsored by a partner or partner and you became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago.
- Sponsored a previous partner or partner and three years have not passed since this person became a permanent resident.
- Are in default of a previous sponsorship undertaking, an immigration loan, a performance bond or family support payments.
- Are still going through the process of bankruptcy (undischarged bankruptcy).
- Receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability.
- Were convicted of a violent or sexual offence, an offence that caused bodily harm to a relative or you attempted or threatened to commit any of these offences.
- Are in a penitentiary, jail, reformatory or prison.
- Are under a removal order.
- Have already applied to sponsor your current partner, partner or child and a decision on your application has not been made yet.
What is Important to Include in my Application for Conjugal Sponsorship?
Regardless of the way you go about sponsoring your partner to become a permanent resident of Canada, it is important to be mindful of the specific type of application you are submitting, because there will be a specific way to submit a strong application, depending on the type of sponsorship stream you are applying for. In this case, for conjugal sponsorship, it is important to prove that you in fact meet the requirements of a conjugal partnership, and are engaged in a genuine, loving relationship. Specifically, these are the important things to include in an application for conjugal sponsorship:
- You must show an ongoing and genuine relationship for at least 1 year with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada.
- You must have combined documents, to the extent possible, with their Canadian partner.
- You must show that cohabitation was not possible due to reasons outside of your control.
- You must show that you intend to live in Canada once the application is successful.
How Can I Prove my Relationship is Genuine?
This is the most important aspect of the application. It is good if applicants meet all the application requirements, though, this does not mean the application will be approved. If the officer reviewing the application is not convinced the individuals are in a genuine and loving relationship, their application will be denied. Following are some documents the couple can include to prove their relationship is in fact genuine:
- Records of any correspondence between the couple, such as e-mails, internet chats, mailed letters, etc.
- Gifts and/or gift receipts of any gifts given to one another
- Travel itineraries from trips taken together
- Any photos of the couple together at different points in their lives with friends and family
- Reference letters from friends and family that can prove the genuineness of the conjugal relationship
- Personal statements from the couple confirming their relationship and the hardships of not being able to live together
Contact Akrami & Associates
It is essential that you have met all of the aforementioned requirements before you attempt to apply for Conjugal Sponsorship. Sponsorship applications are difficult applications to pursue on your own and it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to submit the application. Here, at Akrami & Associates, we work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients reunite with their partners and they are now extremely happy living in Canada. If you believe that you may be eligible to sponsor your partner, please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at our office at 416-477-2545 for more information or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advise.
With Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!
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