Family Sponsorship

1. Sponsor your spouse , partner or dependent child

As of October 25, 2012, sponsored spouses or partners must live with their sponsor in a legitimate relationship for two years from the day they get their permanent resident status in Canada.

This applies to you if:

• a permanent resident or Canadian citizen is sponsoring you,
• you and your sponsor have been in a relationship for two years or less,
• you have no children in common and
• we got your application on or after October 25, 2012

There are two steps to the application process for your spouse, partner or children to become permanent residents.

1. As a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, you must apply to sponsor your family member.
2. Your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent children must apply for permanent residence.
Sponsorship eligibility is a very subjective process and because of numerous cases of marriage fraud, CIC officers need to be convinced that the spousal sponsorship is a legitimate bond.
Mistakes can happen if you do not know the laws and an application is improperly completed; moreover correction of such mistakes can be a nightmare and can lead to shattered dreams of reuniting loved ones. We are Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants and have a plethora of knowledge to help guide you in this matter.

2. Sponsoring adopted children and other eligible relatives as follows:

• a child whom you adopted outside Canada and you were a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada at the time the adoption took place, or a child whom you intend to adopt in Canada;
• your brother or sister, nephew or niece, grandson or granddaughter, if he or she is an orphan, under 18 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship;
• any other person, regardless of age, with whom you have a family relationship if you do not have a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother, uncle, aunt, niece or nephew who is a Canadian citizen, a registered Indian, a permanent resident or whom you may sponsor as a member of the family class.

3. Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship

The pause on the acceptance of new application for the sponsorship of parents and grandparents ended on January 1, 2014. The program reopened on January 2, 2014. Only 5,000 completed applications will be accepted in 2014.
If you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, you may be able to sponsor your parent or grandparent to become a permanent resident under the Family Class (FC).
If you sponsor your parent or grandparent to come to Canada as a permanent resident, you must make every reasonable effort to provide for your own essential needs and those of your parent or grandparent. You are responsible for supporting your parent or grandparent financially when he or she arrives. As a sponsor, you must make sure your parent or grandparent does not need to seek social assistance from the government.
The main changes are with respect to the length of undertaking for sponsorship of parents, grandparents and their accompanying dependents are as follows:
• An extended undertaking period for sponsors of parents and grandparents and their accompanying dependents to 20 years;
• An increased Minimum Net Income (MNI) equivalent to the annual MNI plus 30%;
• Evidence of income limited exclusively to documents issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA);
• A lengthened period for demonstrating ability to meet the MNI from one year to three years.

4. Parent/Grandparent Super visa

Currently, most visitors to Canada may visit for up to six months when they first enter Canada. Visitors who wish to stay longer must apply for an extension, and pay a new fee.
With the parent and grandparent super visa, eligible parents and grandparents can visit family in Canada for up to two years without the need to renew their status.
The Super Visa is a multi-entry visa that provides multiple entries for a period up to 10 years. The key difference between the Super Visa and the multiple entry visa is that the Super Visa allows an individual to stay for up to two years on each entry into Canada, while a 10-year multiple entry visa would only have a status period for each entry of six months only.
There are also specific requirements that you must meet to be able to get a super visa.
Moreover, even if you are visa exempt, you may still benefit from the parent and grandparent super visa program.
We understand the challenges and obstacles that newly landed immigrants face and thus hope to transfer this knowledge to you.