Document Checklist for Canada’s Outland Spousal Sponsorship

“Why is the List of Documents Required for Spouse Visa Canada never ending?”

Because you need these documents as proof of the relationship to support your application for Spousal Sponsorship Canada, many Canadian permanent residents and citizens successfully sponsor their non-Canadian spouses for Canadian permanent residence through the Spousal Sponsorship program each year.

This immigration program will remain open in the foreseeable future thanks to the Canadian government’s commitment to increasing its immigrant intake over the next three years.

If you plan to sponsor your spouse outside Canada for a Canada PR Visa through this program, you must complete various forms and submit multiple documents. Knowing which ones to fill out and include with the application can be confusing, so we have included the list of Documents Required for Spouse Visa Canada in this guide.

Please note that we will refer to you, a Canadian permanent resident or Canadian citizen, as the “sponsor” in this guide. We will also refer to your non-Canadian spouse who you wish to sponsor and currently residing outside Canada as the “principal applicant” in this guide.

Document Checklist for Canada’s Outland Spousal Sponsorship

Anyone applying for Canada’s outland spousal sponsorship must submit various forms and documents outlined in the IMM 5533 document checklist. This checklist contains many checkboxes which list mandatory documents and optional supporting ones. The sponsor and the principal applicant must check each checkbox that applies to them and submit the corresponding document listed.

Forms the Sponsor and the Principal Applicant Must Fill Out Together

The sponsor and the principal applicant must fill out both these forms together as they require information from each one.

Sponsorship Evaluation and Relationship Questionnaire (IMM 5532)

Form IMM 5532 includes multiple questions about the sponsor and the principal applicant’s relationship. By filling out this form, the couple provides Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) with a convincing and verifiable story about their relationship.

Use of Representative (IMM 5476)

The sponsor and principal applicant must fill out Form IMM 5476 if they intend to use a representative, such as an immigration lawyer or an unpaid helper, to complete their application on their behalf.

Forms the Sponsor Must Fill Out

The sponsor must fill out these forms themselves:

Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement, and Undertaking (IMM 1344)

IMM 1344 is the spousal sponsorship form. It includes sections where the sponsor expresses their intent to sponsor their spouse for Canadian permanent residence through the Spousal Sponsorship program. The sponsor must provide basic information about their background, status in Canada, and contact details.

Forms the Principal Applicant Must Fill Out

The principal applicant must fill out these forms themselves:

Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008)

This is a generic application form where the principal applicant declares their intent to be sponsored under the Spousal Sponsorship program.

Supplementary Information Your Travels (IMM 5562)

This is a country-specific form that people from certain countries, such as India, must fill out. The principal must detail their travel history in the last ten years in this application.

Additional Family Information (IMM 5406)

This form asks for information about the principal applicant’s immediate family, even if they aren’t coming to Canada with them. Immediate family includes parents and siblings.

Schedule A Background/Declaration (IMM 5669)

This form asks the principal applicant about their education, employment, and travel history for the last ten years. The applicant must fill out this form accurately and ensure they do not include any gaps or overlaps in the information they provide.

Supporting Documents

The supporting documents must also be included with the Spousal Sponsorship Application:

Identity Documents

The sponsor must provide identity documents such as their Canadian citizenship certificate or card. The principal applicant must provide their voter ID, driver’s license, and/or birth certificate.

Status Documents

The sponsor must include photocopies of documents that verify their status in Canada. This includes a permanent residence certificate, permanent residence card, Canadian passport, or birth certificate.

The sponsor should also include their Social Insurance Number (SIN).

Employment Documents

The sponsor must provide their employment documents if they are currently working in Canada. This includes:

• Their job offer letter
• An employment letter detailing their employment’s start date, weekly work hours, and salary
• Salary slips for up to six months, if applicable

If the sponsor has filed their taxes in the last year, they should provide their Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) documents. If the sponsor has begun working in Canada only recently and hasn’t filed their taxes yet, they should include a letter of explanation detailing this.

Financial Documents

The sponsor should show their current bank balance through bank statements. All these documents will demonstrate that the sponsor has a steady income source and funds to support their principal applicant spouse once they come to Canada.

The sponsor is required to demonstrate their savings only if they aren’t currently working in Canada. IRCC hasn’t explicitly specified how much money the sponsor should have. However, sponsors should aim to have at least the amount that covers a family of two under the Express Entry’s Proof of Funds requirement. The Express Entry’s Proof of Funds requirement for a family of two in 2024 is CAD 17,127.

Civil Status Documents

If the sponsor and principal applicant are married, they must provide a copy of their marriage certificate.

Travel Documents

Both the sponsor and the principal applicant must provide scanned copies of their passport’s ID pages. The principal applicant must also provide scanned copies of any stamped passport pages indicating their past travels.

Police Certificates

The principal applicant must provide a police clearance certificate for each country they have lived in for at least six months since they turned eighteen.

Photos

The principal applicant must include two permanent residence application-sized photos. Applicants should note that these photos differ from those they must provide in their “proof of relationship” documents.

Proof of Relationship Documents Canada

The sponsor and principal applicant must also provide various “proof of relationship” documents and those mentioned above. These “proof of relationship” documents show IRCC that the sponsor and principal applicant’s relationship is genuine.

These documents include the following:

Proof of Contact

Since the sponsor and principal applicant are currently residing in different countries, they must provide IRCC proof that they are in contact with each other. This includes:

• Letters
• Emails
• Text messages
• Conversations on social media

If the principal applicant has visited Canada before to meet with the sponsor, they must provide airline coupons, boarding passes, and copies of their passport showing their entry stamp into Canada.

Proof of Past Cohabitation

If the sponsor and principal applicant previously lived together, they must show proof of their cohabitation through the following:

• Proof they jointly owned residential property
• Rental agreements containing both their names
• Joint vehicle insurance documents

Proof of Children

If the sponsor and principal applicant have had children together, they must provide a copy of each child’s birth certificate.

Other Proof of Relationship

The sponsor and primary applicant must provide a minimum of two of the following documents to prove their relationship is genuine.

• Documents listing the sponsor and primary applicant as married. This includes insurance or employment benefit documents with both their names listed.
• Evidence of financial support of shared expenses. For example, the sponsor can provide bank statements showing them regularly transferring money to the principal applicant’s account.
• Statements from family and friends who attended the marriage ceremony.
• Photos of the marriage ceremony, honeymoon, and other photos showing the couple with their family and friends following their marriage.

How to Prove Genuineness of Relationship in Canada Spouse Visa?

Why Must You Hire Licensed Professionals?

As you can see, the sponsor and principal applicant must provide numerous forms and documents with the Spousal Sponsorship program application. Couples who fail to provide each of the documents IRCC listed above will likely have their applications rejected.

For this reason, it is vital to double-check and see that you have completed each document requirement listed in IMM 5533.

If you need assistance with your application and want to ensure your documents are complete, don’t hesitate to contact Elaar Immigration.

Our experienced Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants have helped numerous applicants apply for the Spousal Sponsorship program and understand what documents IRCC checks for. We can help you to reunite with your partner as a permanent resident in Canada.

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