Sponsor Conjugal Partner to Canada
Yes you read that right! You can sponsor your Conjugal Partner to Canada under the Family Class Sponsorship for permanent residency. To help you sponsor conjugal partner to Canada then keep reading below for eligibility criteria and understanding sponsorships better.
What is a Conjugal Partner?
Conjugal Partners are defined in the CIC website as “a person outside Canada who has had a binding relationship with a sponsor for at least one year but could not live with their partner”. This can be applied to same-sex and opposite-sex relationships equally.
Who can Become a Sponsor?
You can sponsor your partner if you are a citizen of permanent resident of Canada, are at least 18 years old and live inside Canada. You may be eligible to sponsor your partner while you live outside of Canada; however you have to prove to the government that once your partner arrives you will live in Canada. Keep in mind this only applies to Canadian citizens living outside Canada not permanent residents. In this application, the Canadian or permanent resident of Canada is the sponsor and the person who wants to migrate to Canada is the applicant.
Remember, if you want to sponsor from Quebec the rules and regulations differ as they have their own immigration rules. Find out how to sponsor from Quebec before submitting an application under the family class.
Canadian immigration strongly believes in family reunification and so applications under the family class category are given the highest priorities.
The Canadian government introduced new spousal sponsorship packages effective December 15, 2016. There were many reasons to do so and some of them are:
- Combat backlogs
- Fairness and equality for all Canadians
- Tackle conditional permanent residency
When you Sponsor under the Family Class Category
When you sponsor someone under the Family Class, you are automatically taking their responsibility. In simple terms, depending on the type of sponsorship under the family class category, you will sign an undertaking promising to provide financial support for basic necessities. The length of the undertaking depends on your sponsorship and if during the undertaking period the applicant decides to receive social assistance, you will have to repay that amount to the government or you will not be allowed to sponsor anyone else. It is recommended that you evaluate whether or not your sponsored person will need social assistance or not because this could really damage your record as a Canadian citizen. Basic needs in this area can be translated into food, clothing, shelter, any healthcare not covered by the government such as eye care and dental care. Once you have promised to take financial responsibility for someone you cannot cancel the undertaking even if your circumstances change.
Before you Submit an Application Sponsorship Application
One of the keys in submitting a successful application is to submit a complete and strong package to immigration Canada. Family Class Sponsorships are very important not only to sponsors but also to the government as they believe in family reunification. It is highly recommended that you gather all relevant documents pertaining to your situation before submission is done. An incomplete submission could be returned, refused or delayed for very long. Let’s take a look at the main portions of this application.
- First of all any documents that is not in English or French must be accompanied by a verified translation including the original document in its original language.
- Applicants from certain countries may have to submit extra documentation. For example Afghan nationals have to submit country specific documents along their application. This does not apply to all countries.
- It is very important to submit exactly what the conjugal sponsorship requires. If immigration asks for a certificate of a certain type, you cannot submit a license for the same document.
- Employment letters, contracts and references are compulsory
- If your sponsored person has dependent children- their documents must be submitted as well
- Identity and travel documents are crucial to this application- make sure all of them are up to date
- Civil status documents must be certified
- Police certificates- depending on your situation and where you have lived since the age of 18 years, you will need to submit clearances
- Medical clearances – rules for submitting medical clearances have changed and so submission timings differ for each case
- Passport sized photos must be submitted – depending on your situation and country of residence the numbers vary
- Proof of conjugal relationship- this is one of the most important aspects of conjugal sponsorships. As you are not married nor in a common-law relationship so proving this could be very challenging, there are certain criteria that you must fall under. It is highly recommended to consult with an immigration professional to ensure you fall under conjugal sponsorship prior to starting the application. For example, to be eligible under conjugal sponsorship you must have reasons that is beyond your control to be with your partner for instance immigration barrier, religious reasons or sexual orientation.
- The officer assessing your application must be satisfied that you indeed have a bona fide relationship with the applicant.
- The order of the documents must follow the order accepted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
- Immigration forms – there are forms drafted by immigration Canada specifically for such application that must be filled out properly by the sponsor and the applicant. The information on the forms and the documents provided must match. Discrepancies will delay the processing time of your application. Form must be signed at the appropriate boxes and they must be validated before submission.
- Fees – there are a few fees associated with your application – this is important because if you submit an incomplete application it will be returned to you and can delay the application or potentially result in refusal for missing deadline.
Remember, immigration only requires relevant documents. There is no point in preparing a hefty submission with irrelevant papers.
Once you submit your application, it will go through stages of assessment by IRCC. Immigration may request further documentation depending on your country of residence and your situation. Be prompt in your answers with immigration; take note of deadlines and all communications received from CIC.
Is everyone Eligible to Sponsor their Conjugal Partner?
No, this sponsorship is not meant for everyone, especially if you:
- If you were sponsored under the same category less than five years ago
- Sufficient time has not passed since you sponsored someone under this category
- Have to pay a loan, family support or receive social assistance
- Claimed bankruptcy
- Convicted offender for a serious crime under the criminal code of Canada
- Are under a removal order
There are exemptions to the above scenarios. See an immigration professional to assess your situation and pick the right category under the family class sponsorships.
Looking to Apply for Conjugal Sponsorship? Contact Akrami & Associates
Are you separated from your loved one due to an immigration barrier and unable to be in common-law relationship or marry your partner? If you find yourself in sticky situation as such you may be eligible for conjugal sponsorship. Contact Akrami & Associates at 416-477-2545 to determine if you fall under conjugal sponsorship. Remember, conjugal sponsorship is only for unique cases. So prior to starting your application consult with an immigration professional such as Akrami & Associates to ensure you fall under the category rather than wasting your time and money for something you are not eligible under.
With Akrami & Associates there is always a way!!
