Do you want your spouse together in Canada?

Do you intend to bring your spouse to Canada? The process of spousal sponsorship is available both abroad and within Canada to bring your spouse over. Spousal sponsorship enables your spouse to come to Canada based on your citizenship or permanent residency. Whether you’re a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen, you’re eligible to apply for spousal sponsorship. The experts at GreenTree Immigration can assist you with a spouse visa for Canada from India throughout the spousal sponsorship process to ensure a smooth transition for you and your spouse.

Approved Relationships that can be sponsored

Underneath are the relationships with an official Canadian citizen or permanent resident that are approved for obtaining Canada Spousal Sponsorship or Canada Dependent Visa.

• Common-law partner: A relationship shared between two individuals without being legally married is what constitutes a common-law partnership. This type of relationship can exist between people of any gender. To qualify as common-law partners, it is crucial to demonstrate that both the sponsor and the primary candidate have cohabitated in a marital-like relationship for a year or more.

• Spouse: To be recognized as a spouse, it is mandatory to have entered into a lawful and legitimate marriage with the sponsor. The marriage must be valid in the place where it took place and must be accepted under Canadian law, irrespective of your current place of residence.

• Conjugal Partner: In certain circumstances, individuals may not be able to live together for legitimate reasons. However, they have been engaged in a conjugal relationship for a minimum of 12 months. This type of relationship shares similarities with a common-law partner relationship, except that cohabitation is not a requirement. 

What makes Canadian Spouse Immigration so Beneficial to you?

Bringing your spouse to Canada along with you on dependent PR and cherishing together and making memories is so beneficial. The Canadian spouse visa comes with many other benefits, such as excellent benefits. Your spouse or common-law partner can work or study when they have their visas. The dependent PR has the same benefits as the general permanent resident.

Processing Time of Spousal Visa Canada

The processing time for a Canada Spouse visa is generally 10 to 12 months; however, the applicant can receive the visa earlier or later, depending on the circumstances.

• Spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada – 14 months
• Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada – 11 months

The processing time for Spousal Sponsorship Canada is quicker when applied from Canada than from abroad.

Also Read :How to sponsor your spouse from India for Canada PR

Process of Spouse Visa for Canada:

• Check if the sponsor and the applicant pass the eligibility check.

• All the necessary documents must be gathered.

• The sponsor and the principal applicant must complete the relevant forms.

• Pay the dependent PR fees.

• Check the application form for any errors and submit it.

Cost of a Canada Spouse Visa

The cost of a spousal sponsorship visa is $1080 CAD. 

1. Sponsor your spouse or partner – $1080 CAD

Which includes:

• Sponsorship fee ($75 CAD),
• Principal Applicant Processing Fee ($490 CAD), and 
• Right of Permanent Residence Fee ($515 CAD)

2. Include a dependent child along with your spouse or partner – $155 CAD (per child).

3. Independently sponsor a dependent child – $150 CAD (per child)

[Sponsorship Fee – $75 CAD, Processing Fee – $75 CAD]

New Rules for Spouse Visa in Canada 2024

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada have imposed new rules for spouse visa in Canada for 2024.

1. Speedy Processing times.
2. Now spousal applications have enhanced feasibility.
3. Non-complex and clear questionnaire.
4. The inland and outland sponsorships have general applications.
5. Real-time application tracker to know about the application status.
6. The sponsor must be able to support the applicant financially in Canada.
7. The sponsor should also support other necessities in Canada, such as shelter, healthcare, and food.

Documents Required for Canada Spouse Visa/Dependent Visa

Document submission plays a crucial role in the issuance of visas by the IRCC. The document checklist for the Canada Spouse Visa or the spouse visa Canada requirements is listed below. 

• Supporting Documents

The supporting documents must be submitted along with the Canada Spouse Visa application.

• Identity documents

The principal applicant can submit identity documents such as a valid, birth certificate, driver’s license, and/or voter ID.

• Travel documents

The principal applicant and the sponsor must submit their scanned passport pages. Also, the principal applicant must submit their previous travel history pages.

• Photos

The principal applicant must submit passport-sized photos for permanent residency.

• Civil Status Documents

In the case where the sponsor and principal applicant are married, they are required to furnish a copy of their marriage certificate.

• Status Documents

The sponsor status document is photocopied, such as a permanent residence card, permanent resident certificate, birth certificate, or Canadian passport, to verify the status in Canada. It is also mandatory to provide their Social Insurance Number (SIN). 

• Employment Documents

If the sponsor is currently employed in Canada, he or she must submit employment documents such as a job offer letter, salary slips, and an employment letter with details like the salary, start date, and weekly work hours.

If any of the sponsors have filed their taxes in previous years, they must provide Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) documents. If a newcomer to Canada has not filed any taxes, they should provide an explanation letter concerning this.

• Financial Documents

The sponsor must provide bank statements displaying their up-to-date bank balance. These documents will serve as evidence of the sponsor’s consistent income source and sufficient funds to support their principal applicant spouse upon their arrival in Canada. If the sponsor is not presently employed in Canada, they are obligated to showcase their savings.

The IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) has not provided a specific monetary figure. Still, sponsors should have a minimum amount equivalent to the Express Entry’s Proof of Funds requirement for a family of two, which stands at CAD  $17,127 (1,065,095.59 INR approx.) in the year 2023.

• Character Documents

The principal applicant must submit a police clearance certificate (PCC) for each country in which they have resided for at least six months since reaching the age of 18. 

• Proof of Relationship Documents

The applicant must submit the relationship documents to prove the relationship between the sponsor and the principal applicant, which will help the IRCC understand that the relationship is genuine and sincere.

• Proof of Children

If the primary applicant and the sponsor are parents, they must submit copies of the birth certificates of the children.

• Proof of Conduct

To prove their communication despite residing in separate countries, the sponsor and principal applicant are required to submit evidence to IRCC. 

The interactions between the principal applicant can be shown as proof through the following ways:

1. Text messages
2. Communication on social media 
3. Emails & Letters

• Proof of Past Cohabitation

The principal applicant and the sponsor must show proof that they have lived together previously. The proof of cohabitation can be shown in the following ways:

1. Rental or Lease agreements containing both the names
2. Own Residential Property together
3. Joint vehicle insurance documents

• Other documents related to the Relationship

You must submit any two of the following documents as evidence of your relationship:

1. The couple’s marriage ceremony, honeymoon adventures, family unions, and cherished memories are captured through snapshots taken alongside loved ones such as friends and family after the wedding.
2. Documents providing Financial support to the principal applicant, i.e., banking statements that show the transfer of funds to the principal applicant’s account
3. Declaration from family members and friends who have witnessed the tying of the wedding knot.
4. Any document with their names, such as an employment benefit or insurance.

The principal applicant must complete and submit the relevant forms along with the other documents.

Tips to Minimize the Processing Time of a Canada Spousal Visa

Both inland and outland sponsorships for spousal sponsorship in Canada are currently taking approximately 10 – 12 months to process. The estimation for the processing time of a spouse visa is subjective, as diverse factors impact it. The time it takes to process a task is dependent on every factor included in the documentation, all of which will play a critical role in the outcome. 

Before applying for a spouse visa in Canada, it is important to consider some key points. Here are some essential tips to guide you and make the spousal visa process smoother:

• Strong and Committed Relationship proof:

One of the most important factors is that the relationship should be stable and sound, which will aid in the earlier issuance of the visa.

• Proof of sufficient funds:

The sponsor must hold a good amount of funds to showcase to the visa officers that you have adequate money to aid your spouse financially.

• Age Criteria:

Ensure that you meet the age requirements for the dependent PR visa, which are 18 years of age. The visa officers are keen on the age requirement factor, which aids in the faster issuance of visas.

• Proof of Documents:

The documents play an essential role in the grant of the visa. All the necessary documentation must be submitted in the requested format and on time, along with the application form. All the documents must be authentic and submitted before the deadline.

• Error-free documentation:

The documents have to be submitted along with the application without any errors, as the spouse visa is liable to be rejected even for minute errors.

How can GreenTree Immigration assist you in obtaining your Canada Spouse Visa?

GTI is a CICC-registered premium visa consultancy firm that has been providing excellent and legit immigration services related to Canada. We provide one-on-one consultation with our industry’s best immigration experts, from checking eligibility to launching your application with the Canadian government.

GreenTree Immigration assists you in obtaining a Canada Spouse Visa efficiently and effortlessly by keeping in mind the above points