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Spousal Sponsorship Overview and Common Reasons for Refusal

Updated: May 15

Spousal sponsorship is a complex application. Hiring a consultant to help you with your application can ensure that you provide the right supporting documents and explanations for a strong spousal sponsorship application.


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Spousal Sponsorship Overview and Common Reasons for Refusal

Have you ever thought about immigrating to Canada with your loved ones and have no idea how to go about it? Have you heard of spousal sponsorship?


Spousal sponsorship is a Canadian program for immigrants. It was created to keep loved ones together. This program entails sponsorship for permanent residency application, that is, if you are married or in a common-law relationship with a permanent resident in Canada or a Canadian citizen, he/she can sponsor your permanent residency application to Canada if you meet certain requirements.


So, What Are the Requirements for Spousal Sponsorship?

For a Sponsor


These requirements to be met for spousal sponsorship include:

  1. Your spouse must be a permanent resident in Canada or a Canadian citizen.

  2. Your spouse is 18 or above.

  3. Your spouse must not be a prisoner or convicted of any crime in Canada.

  4. Your spouse must be able to provide financial assistance for you.

  5. Your spouse must not be assisted financially by the Canadian government.


For a Spouse


Spouses and partners who apply for permanent residence as a member of the family class must be at least 18 years of age and must not be inadmissible to Canada. Additionally:

  1. Spouses must be legally married to the sponsor

  2. Common law partners must have been living with the sponsor for at least 12 consecutive months in a marriage-like relationship

  3. Conjugal partners must have been in a relationship with the sponsor for at least 1 year and must be unable to either live with or marry their sponsor because of significant legal and immigration reasons (i.e.: where same-sex relationships are illegal, conjugal partners would be unable to marry or live together).


Defining a common-law relationship or a conjugal relationship:


  1. You can sponsor the person as your common-law partner (same or opposite gender) if you have been living or have lived with your partner for at least 12 consecutive months in a marriage-like relationship (must provide proof showing the relationship is genuine and you are cohabiting i.e. living together, such as joint utility bill, bank accounts, vehicle registration with both the names etc.).


A conjugal partner is:


  1. a person who is living outside Canada,

  2. in a conjugal relationship with the sponsor for at least one year, and

  3. could not live with the sponsor as a couple because of reasons beyond their control (e.g. immigration barrier, religious reasons, or sexual orientation).


This term applies to both opposite and same-gender couples.


Reasons why your application might be Refused


There are so many reasons why your spousal sponsorship application may be denied. These reasons range from as little as a mistake in your application form to using incorrect information. The list of refusals for sponsorship applications is endless, but they include:

  1. Deliberate or unintentional misinterpretation of the application form shall lead to denial of spousal sponsorship. You must interpret all details correctly in your application form and make sure all parties involved in the application provide accurate information.

  2. Canadian citizens and permanent residents in Canada can be a sponsor of a spousal sponsorship application. If otherwise, say, the sponsor is a Canadian citizen living outside Canada. This can lead to an automatic refusal of the application.

  3. A sponsor living in Canada does not mean they are eligible to sponsor your application; you must meet the requirements for you to be a sponsor. This includes being an adult (18 years and above), having no criminal record, no financial debt, etc. All these can lead to a refusal of your application if your sponsor does not meet the requirements.

  4. As a prospective immigrant, you must be eligible for sponsorship. This means officially married or in a common-law relationship to a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident in Canada. This also includes having a clean criminal record, good health, etc. These reasons can make you ineligible for sponsorship leading to a refusal of the spousal sponsorship application.


All these are reasons why you would need to hire an expert.


Why You Need A Consultant for Spousal Sponsorship Application


The application process is very stressful and can take lots of time. You must give detailed attention to every document needed and make sure you fill them correctly and thoroughly. An infinitesimal error can make your application process null and void. Spousal application form ranges from 120 to 150 pages, including both government forms and evidence documents, and could be as many as 200 pages when the documents are translated.

There have been cases of illegal applications from immigrants, and this has made the Canadian government very strict when it comes to reviewing and granting approvals to these applications.


The immigration requirements and procedure can be quite overwhelming, and that is why you need a consultant who is tested and trusted when processing your application.  Hiring a consultant for your visa application eases the stress for you and makes the process straightforward and comfortable. It helps you to save time, energy, and money especially, most consultants especially Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs), are well informed and educated about the process and therefore provide thorough information for you regarding your application process. Also, if you need help translating documents or filling out the required forms and do not know how to go about it, consultants can guide you through this situation. Before you hire any consultant, you are free to do the necessary research and review about the consultant you would like to hire.


Why Choose Us?


These requirements and the immigration application process can be hectic and stressful. But that is why you need an immigration expert to assist you. We are regulated by the Canadian government and well-informed about the rules and requirements to follow when applying for any immigration sponsorship. Most importantly, we save your money, time, and energy and our clients are always satisfied with our services.


We have experience in complex spousal sponsorship applications. We provide services for LGBTQ+ spousal sponsorship applications as well. 



Our Services


We are a leading professional immigration expert in Canada located in British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. We assist in all kinds of visa and immigration applications.


Get in touch today and get started on your spousal sponsorship application!

A Cautionary Note: The foregoing provides only an overview and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this material alone. Rather, specific legal advice should be obtained, and the readers are asked to refer to the government website for the most updated information.

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