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Family Sponsorship

Bring your spouse, partner,
and children to Canada.

Spousal, common-law, and dependent children sponsorship reunite families in Canada — but genuineness scrutiny means the strength of your application matters as much as your eligibility.

Check Your Eligibility
Program Overview

Family reunification, with real documentation demands.

Family class sponsorship allows a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to sponsor their spouse, common-law partner, or dependent children for permanent residence. On paper, the eligibility bar is lower than most economic pathways — there's no points system, no CRS score, no labor market test.

In practice, the entire application turns on one question an IRCC officer must answer: is this relationship genuine? Officers are trained to look for consistency across the relationship timeline, shared life evidence, and credible personal statements. Thin files — even from real couples — get flagged.

Mahyar works with US-based sponsors and applicants to build a complete, well-organized evidence package from the start, rather than reacting to a procedural fairness letter after the fact.

Inland Sponsorship
The sponsored spouse or partner lives in Canada, typically on valid temporary status, while the application is processed. Spouses and partners physically present in Canada with valid temporary status — whether applying inland or outland — can qualify for an open work permit while waiting.
Outland Sponsorship
The sponsored spouse or partner applies from outside Canada, whether or not they are currently living together. Outland applicants who are physically present in Canada with valid temporary status (or who obtain a temporary resident visa to join their sponsor here) can also qualify for an open work permit, and outland applications generally allow more flexibility to travel during processing.
Common-Law Partners
Couples who are not married but have cohabited continuously for at least one year can qualify for sponsorship under the same general framework as spousal sponsorship, provided cohabitation and the genuineness of the relationship are well documented.
Dependent Children
Biological or adopted dependent children can be included in a sponsorship application, or sponsored separately. Age and dependency criteria apply and are worth confirming, since definitions of "dependent child" have shifted over past IRCC policy updates.
How It Works

From relationship documentation to a decision.

01
Confirm eligibility and relationship category
Mahyar reviews your relationship type — married, common-law, or conjugal — along with sponsor eligibility (income is generally not required for spousal sponsorship, unlike parent/grandparent sponsorship, but other bars such as certain criminal or immigration history issues can apply to the sponsor).
02
Choose inland or outland
The choice affects work authorization, travel flexibility, and in some cases processing approach. This decision should be made deliberately, not by default — Mahyar walks through the tradeoffs based on where the couple currently lives and their plans during processing.
03
Build the relationship evidence package
This is where sponsorship applications are won or lost. IRCC officers are trained to assess genuineness — meaning the relationship must be shown to be real and not entered into primarily for immigration purposes. Photos, communication records, joint finances, and personal statements all matter.
04
Submit, respond, and monitor
Once submitted, applications may receive requests for additional information or be referred for an interview. Mahyar tracks the file, prepares clients for any interview, and responds to procedural fairness letters if IRCC raises concerns.
Fees & Costs

Government fees, plus the cost of getting it right.

A standard spousal application totals roughly $1,205 CAD: the $85 CAD sponsorship fee, $545 CAD principal applicant fee, and $575 CAD Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF). Each dependent child adds about $170 CAD, and biometrics run $85 CAD where applicable. These figures are updated periodically by IRCC, and Mahyar will confirm your current numbers during assessment.

Timeline

Processing times shift with volume and completeness.

IRCC publishes service standards for spousal sponsorship, but real-world processing has fluctuated in recent years based on application volume and file completeness. A well-documented, complete application at submission tends to move faster than one that generates follow-up requests. Mahyar will walk through realistic current timelines during your assessment.

Common Pitfalls

Where sponsorship applications run into trouble.

  • Thin or inconsistent relationship evidence — genuineness concerns are the single most common reason for refusal
  • Confusing common-law eligibility with simple dating history; the one-year continuous cohabitation requirement is specific and must be documented
  • Choosing inland sponsorship without understanding that leaving Canada during processing can complicate or interrupt the application
  • Missing or incomplete dependent children documentation, especially for children from a previous relationship or a different household
  • Assuming a prior refusal (e.g., a previous visitor visa denial) automatically disqualifies a sponsorship application — it does not, but it does need to be addressed directly
Common Questions

What sponsors and applicants ask.

What is the difference between inland and outland sponsorship?
Inland means the sponsored partner applies while living in Canada, often with eligibility for an open work permit during processing. Outland means applying from outside Canada, which generally offers more flexibility to travel while the application is in process. The right choice depends on your circumstances, and Mahyar will walk through both.
Do common-law partners qualify the same way as married spouses?
Largely yes, but common-law status requires demonstrating at least one year of continuous cohabitation, which married couples do not need to prove in the same way. The evidence bar for common-law relationships tends to be higher because the relationship status itself isn't backed by a marriage certificate.
Can I work in Canada while my spousal sponsorship is processing?
Spouses and partners physically present in Canada with valid temporary status can qualify for an open work permit while their application is processed — whether they applied inland or outland — though this depends on maintaining valid status and other eligibility factors. Mahyar will confirm whether this applies to your situation.
How long does spousal sponsorship take?
Processing times for spousal sponsorship have varied significantly over recent years depending on application volume. Figures change with each IRCC update — Mahyar will confirm current processing time estimates during your assessment rather than quote a number that may already be outdated.
What if my spouse was previously refused a visitor visa to the US or Canada?
A prior refusal does not automatically disqualify a sponsorship application, but it needs to be disclosed and addressed directly in the application. Ignoring it or hoping it goes unnoticed is a common and avoidable mistake.
Can dependent children from a previous relationship be included?
Yes, in most cases, provided they meet the dependent child definition and proper documentation of the relationship and custody arrangements is provided. This is an area where incomplete paperwork causes unnecessary delays.
What happens if my sponsorship application is refused?
A refusal isn't necessarily final — reconsideration and reapplication are both potential paths forward, and in some cases genuine relationships have succeeded on a second, better-documented attempt. See Mahyar's guidance on responding to refusals for more detail.
What to do if a sponsorship application is refused →
Get Started

Ready to sponsor your spouse or family?

Book a free assessment and Mahyar will review your relationship, eligibility, and the strongest way to document your case from the start.

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