How to sponsor your spouse from India for Canada immigration

Here is a guide on how to sponsor your spouse or common-law partner from India for Canadian immigration.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their spouses, common-law partners, dependent children, and conjugal partners from abroad. Canadian citizens or permanent residents can sponsor a spouse or common-law partner for permanent residence (PR) in Canada. Obtaining a PR in Canada gives your spouse from Indian the chance to live and work in Canada. As well, they will have access to health care and social services here.

There are many requirements that you and your spouse will need to meet to be eligible for family sponsorship in Canada.

You must be at least eighteen (18) years old. You must show that you are able to financially support your family, ie. you, the sponsored person, any dependent children. To do this, you must show that you have sufficient income, savings, or assets to support your family. Individuals receiving social assistance are not eligible for sponsorship unless it is because of a disability.

Your Indian spouse or partner will be evaluated for possible inadmissibility and criminal convictions.

One step that is particularly important in this process, is that you must prove that your relationship with the sponsored person is genuine. If you are married, you must provide a marriage certificate and any other mandatory documents. Most marriages that are legally performed in India are valid in Canada. If you are in a common-law relationship, you must provide documented evidence of your twelve (12) month period of living together.

All documents that are submitted must be in English. If you have certifications or documents from Indian in the native language, they must be translated. All translated documents must be certified and meet IRCC requirements.

An officer will review your submitted documents. The officer has the right to request additional documents, information, or even schedule an interview with you. All applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.