- Methods could include computer analytics, automation and others.
- This could include research, statistics, evaluating programs and policy, internal audits, compliance, risk management, developing computer analytics, strategy development and reporting.
We’ll review your sponsorship application and return it to you if
- it’s incomplete
- fees are missing
If we begin to process your application, we’ll
- send you an
- application number
- acknowledgment of receipt
Your spouse or partner may be able to join you in Canada sooner
After you submit a permanent residence (PR) application to sponsor your spouse or partner, they could benefit from faster processing for a visitor visa.
Your spouse or partner may be eligible for faster processing if you
- submitted an application to sponsor your spouse or partner
- received an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) that confirms the application is in progress
Applications that need more information, for example custody documents for a child, will take longer to process.
When you receive the AOR for your spousal sponsorship application, your spouse or partner can apply for a visitor visa. If they’re eligible, their application will automatically receive faster processing. You don’t need to request it.
Your spouse or partner must still meet all of the requirements to be eligible for a visitor visa.
If your spouse or partner is approved for a visitor visa, they can apply for an open work permit when they arrive in Canada.
- How to apply for a visitor visa
- How to apply for an open work permit
If we refuse you as a sponsor
If we refuse you as a sponsor, you can choose to have us continue processing the application for permanent residence for your family members.
- If you choose to withdraw your application, you won’t get the CAN Error loading fee. Check the fee list. sponsorship fee back. You’ll get all other fees back.
- If you want us to continue processing, you won’t get any fees back.
If you’re approved as a sponsor
We’ll assess the eligibility of the person(s) you want to sponsor.
Your family members can link their application to their online account
When we start processing their application, we’ll send your family members a letter with their application number.
After they get this letter, they can link their application to their online account. This way, they can communicate with us quickly and securely and get updates and messages about their application online.
You (the sponsor) can link their application for them if you’re handling your family members’ application and you’re designated as their representative.
The people you’re sponsoring must send us supporting documents
Your fingerprints and photo (biometrics)
Book your biometrics collection appointment as soon as you can to avoid processing delays. Find out how to give biometrics.
During processing, we’ll ask the people you’re sponsoring to submit their:
- medical exams
- police certificates
- biometrics
- When the biometrics fee is paid, we’ll send your family members a letter asking them to give their biometrics.
- Your family members must show this letter when they give their biometrics.
- They have 30 days to give their biometrics in person at their closest collection point.
We’ll send instructions and let your family members know how much time they have to send us this information.
You must tell us of any change in circumstances, such as:
- birth or adoption of children
- marriage or divorce or separation
- death of an applicant or dependant
If you live in Quebec
You must do the following steps before we assess the eligibility of your family members:
- The person you’re sponsoring must complete and sign the form Demande de sélection permanente – Catégorie du regroupement familial (PDF, 269 KB) (in French only) and return it to you promptly.
- You must enclose this form with your undertaking application to the Government of Quebec.
If the Government of Quebec approves your undertaking application, they’ll send us the information we need to process your family members’ permanent resident application.
If we approve your family members’ permanent residence application
To finish processing their application, your spouse, partner and child, and their dependants who are immigrating to Canada with them (if applicable), will have to send us:
- their passports, or photocopies of their passports (we’ll let you know which one they should send)
- 2 photos
- proof of payment for the right of permanent residence fee, if you haven’t sent it to us already.
We’ll let them know where to send this information.
Documents your family members will get
If your family members are outside Canada
We’ll send them these documents once we finish processing their application:
- a document confirming they have been approved to become Canadian permanent residents
- We call this document the Confirmation of Permanent Residence.
- If the persons you’re sponsoring are from countries whose citizens need a visa to travel to Canada, we’ll give them a permanent resident visa in their passport. We’ll do this even if they’re already in Canada.
Once your family members receive these documents, they can travel to Canada. Make sure to check the expiry dates on the permanent resident visa and Confirmation of Permanent Residence. Your family members must meet an officer at a Canadian port of entry before their documents expire. The officer will make the final decision to allow your family members to enter Canada as permanent residents.
Find out more about how your family members can prepare for arrival.
If your family members are inside Canada
They have to meet an immigration officer to receive their Confirmation of Permanent Residence.
We’ll send them a letter to schedule their appointment and we’ll let them know what documents to bring. The officer will make the final decision to allow your family members to stay in Canada as permanent residents.
If we refuse your family members’ permanent residence application
If we refuse their permanent residence application, we’ll let you know:
- Why we refused it.
- How to appeal the decision, if you’re sponsoring a spouse, partner or child from outside Canada.
- You can’t appeal our decision if you’re sponsoring a spouse or partner who’s inside Canada.
Track and update your application
During processing, track your application and make sure it’s up to date by:
- checking the status of your application
- updating your address or other information, if necessary
- adding or changing your representative or getting access to your family’s information, if necessary
- withdrawing your application, if desired
- paying the right of permanent residence fee or requesting a refund
Check the status of your application
If you’re a sponsor
- to find out where we are with your application
- only after you get an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter or email
- You’ll get an AOR after we receive your application and check that it’s complete.
Due to COVID-19, it’s taking us longer to
- check that your application is complete
- send you an AOR letter or email with your application number
As the sponsor, if you want to check on the application status for your spouse, partner or child, you must first request to get access to their information.
If you’re being sponsored
You can check your application in 2 ways:
In your online account
Follow these steps:
- Get the application number. You’ll receive this by mail when we’ve started processing your application.
- Create an online account.
- Link your application to the account.
In the Application Status Tracker
If your processing time has passed
If your application is complex, it may take us longer than normal processing times to process it.
Do not contact us about your application status if you don’t have an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter.
Keep your information up to date
To avoid delays in processing, make sure your contact information and your application details are up to date.
- marriage or divorce or separation
- birth or adoption of a child
- death of an applicant or dependant
- contact information updates, including
- phone number
- mailing address
Don’t mail us changes for your contact or application information. If you do, we won’t acknowledge your request and we won’t update your application. This could lead to a delay in processing your application.
If you change your contact information, make sure you check your old contact information until we update your application.
Add or change a representative or get access to your family member’s information
Even as the sponsor, you don’t automatically get access to your family members’ information. You have to request it.
If you want to handle your spouse’s, partner’s or child’s application for them
You’ll be acting as a representative if you want to
- fill out and submit your family member’s application for them
- communicate with us on their behalf
To become a representative for your spouse, partner or child, complete, sign and save the form to appoint or change a representative. The person(s) you’re sponsoring must also sign the form, unless they’re under 18. Include the form with your application.
If you’ve already submitted your application, send it to us through our web form.
In your request, include your
- full name
- date of birth
- country of birth
- application number (if you know it)
- relative’s client ID number (UCI) (if you know it)
Upload the form after you’ve completed all the required fields.
If you want to check on your spouse’s, partner’s or child’s application status
As the sponsor, you may want to access your family members’ information without being in charge of their application. For example, you may want to check their application status on their behalf, but not act as their representative.
To protect their privacy, they need to give us their written consent before we’ll share any of their personal information with you or give anyone access to their application information.
Find out how the persons you’re sponsoring can give you access to their information.
Withdraw your sponsorship application
You can withdraw your sponsorship application any time before the person you’re sponsoring becomes a permanent resident of Canada.
You may be able to get a refund if we haven’t started processing your application.
Use our Web form to request the withdrawal of your sponsorship application.
In your request, include your
- full name
- date of birth
- country of birth
- application number (if you know it)
- relative’s client ID number (UCI) (if you know it)
- signed withdrawal request letter
Submit your right of permanent residence fee or request a refund
The right of permanent residence fee must be paid before the people you’re sponsoring can become permanent residents. If it wasn’t paid, we’ll contact them to explain how they can pay the right of permanent residence fee online.
You can request a refund for the right of permanent residence fee if:
- you’re withdrawing your sponsorship
- your family member was refused
- We can only issue refunds once you decline your right of appeal.
Sending proof of payment or requesting a refund
Use our web form. In your request, include the following:
- full name
- date of birth
- country of birth
- application number (if you know it)
- relative’s client ID number (UCI) (if you know it)
- copy of the official receipt
- copy of signed right of appeal letter (if you have one)
- letter of explanation (if you’re requesting a refund)
Don’t send the same request more than once. It’ll delay the processing of your application.
Need help?
If you need help, you can find answers to your questions in the Help Centre.
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