Guide 3900 – Before You Apply, Sponsor Spouse/Dependent Child
Note: If payments from the federal, provincial or municipal assistance program are made to your relative while the undertaking is in effect, you will be considered in default.
What will the person I want to sponsor have to do?
The person you want to sponsor (and their family members if applicable) will have to:
- sign the Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking (IMM 1344), except if Quebec will be the province of residence,
- complete the forms included with The Immigrant’s Guide (IMM 3999) and provide appropriate documentation in support of their application,
- undergo a medical examination prior to submitting the application (results are valid for 12 months),
- pass criminal and security verifications,
- obtain a passport and, in some countries, an exit visa
- attend an interview at a Canadian visa office, if required.
Note: The person you want to sponsor should not quit their job or sell their assets until they have received their permanent resident visa. All family members, whether or accompanying or not, will have to complete a medical examination.
Suspension of Process
If any of the proceedings listed below apply to you and you submit a sponsorship application to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga (CPC-M), your application will not be processed until a final decision on that proceeding is made.
- You have been charged with an offence that is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of at least 10 years.
- You are subject to a report that would render you inadmissible to Canada
- You are the subject of an application to revoke your citizenship
- You are the subject of a certificate signed by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the Solicitor General of Canada stating you are inadmissible on grounds of security, human or international rights violation, serious criminality or organized criminality
- You are appealing the loss of your permanent resident status
May I cancel my undertaking?
If you change your mind about sponsoring your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent children, you must inform CPC-M at CPCM-EXTCOM@cic.gc.ca of your decision to withdraw your undertaking before the visa office issues permanent resident visas. You must clearly state your name, date of birth and Universal Client Identification (UCI) /Client ID number, if know, in all correspondences.
Once permanent resident visas are issued, the promise you and your co-signer, if applicable, made to support your family is valid for the term of your undertaking.
Note: The undertaking is an unconditional promise of support. For example, the granting of Canadian citizenship, divorce, separation or relationship breakdown or moving to another province does not cancel the undertaking. It also remains in effect if your financial situation deteriorates.
What if I do not meet the sponsorship requirements?
If you do not qualify as a sponsor and chose to withdraw your sponsorship application, you will be refunded the fees for processing the application for a permanent resident visa and any Right of Permanent Residence Fees you have paid. There will be no decision on the application for permanent residence of the person you are sponsoring and you will not have a right of appeal. You could then resolve the situation leading to your ineligibility and reapply at a later date.
If you do not qualify as a sponsor and have not notified CPC-M of your intent to withdraw, the application of the person you are sponsoring will be processed. The visa office will likely refuse the application for permanent residence and inform you in writing of your right to appeal.
Note: You can notify CPC-M of your intent by checking the appropriate box on your Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking (IMM 1344). See instructions on how to complete the form for additional details.
Why might the application of the person I want to sponsor be refused?
CIC may refuse an application for permanent residence for the following reasons:
- the relationship between you and your family members is not genuine or has been entered into for immigration purposes only. For example, you married or entered into a common-law or conjugal partner relationship primarily to obtain permanent residence in Canada;
- you do not meet the financial requirements, if applicable;
- the person you want to sponsor and their family members have not provided the required documents, including proof that they have undergone a medical examination;
- the person you wish to sponsor is not a member of the family class;
- the person you wish to sponsor or their family members are inadmissible for having a criminal record or a serious illness.
What if the application of the person I want to sponsor is refused?
If the person you want to sponsor is not a member of the family class, his or her application for permanent residence will be refused.
If the person you want to sponsor does not meet the eligibility requirements or admissibility criteria for the family class, his or her application will be refused. The visa office will inform him or her of the reasons for the refusal and you will have the right to appeal the decision.
