Outland Spousal Sponsorship Canada
What is Outland Spousal Sponsorship?
Outland Spousal Sponsorship is a process through which a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor their spouse or partner who is residing outside of Canada for immigration to Canada. Unlike Inland Spousal Sponsorship, which is for spouses or partners already living in Canada, Outland Spousal Sponsorship is for couples where one person is living in Canada and the other is living abroad.
Here are some key points about Outland Spousal Sponsorship:
- The sponsor must be legally married to or in a common-law or conjugal relationship with the sponsored spouse or partner.
- The relationship must be genuine and not entered into primarily for immigration purposes.
- Evidence of the genuineness of the relationship, such as photographs together, correspondence, joint financial documents, etc., must be provided.
- The sponsored spouse or partner must be at least 18 years old.
- They must meet the eligibility criteria for immigration to Canada, including medical, security, and criminal admissibility requirements.
- They must be residing outside of Canada at the time of application.
- Outland Spousal Sponsorship applications are processed through a visa office outside of Canada.
- The processing times for Outland applications may vary depending on the visa office and other factors.
- The sponsored spouse or partner may need to complete medical exams and provide biometrics at a designated locati
- Once the sponsorship application is approved, the sponsored spouse or partner will receive a permanent resident visa or confirmation of permanent residence.
- They will need to travel to Canada to activate their permanent resident status.
- If the sponsored spouse or partner wants to visit Canada during the sponsorship process, they may need to apply for a temporary resident visa (visitor visa) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) if they are from a visa-exempt country.
Outland Spousal Sponsorship General Requirements
The Outland Spousal Sponsorship program allows a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to sponsor their spouse or common-law partner who is residing outside of Canada. Here are the general requirements for the Outland Spousal Sponsorship:
Sponsor Eligibility:
- You must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- If you are a Canadian citizen living outside of Canada, you must intend to return to Canada to reside with your sponsored spouse or partner.
Relationship Requirements:
- You must be legally married to your spouse or have a genuine and valid common-law relationship.
- For common-law relationships, you need to demonstrate that you have been living together continuously for at least one year.
Financial Responsibility:
- As a sponsor, you need to demonstrate that you can financially support your spouse or partner and any dependents.
- You must meet the minimum income requirements set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) based on your family size.
Medical and Criminal Inadmissibility:
- Both the sponsor and the sponsored spouse or partner must undergo medical examinations by approved panel physicians to ensure they meet the health requirements.
- Criminal and security background checks will be conducted for both parties to determine admissibility.
Proof of Genuine Relationship:
You must provide evidence to demonstrate the genuineness of your relationship. This may include documents such as marriage certificates, joint financial records, photographs together, communication records, and other supporting documents.
Application and Documentation:
- Complete the sponsorship application forms provided by IRCC accurately and thoroughly.
- Pay the sponsorship fee and provide all required supporting documents, including identity documents, relationship proof, financial documents, and other supporting evidence.
Processing Times:
The processing times for Outland Spousal Sponsorship applications may vary and can be longer compared to inland applications. It is important to check the current processing times on the IRCC website.
Outland Spousal Sponsorship Process: Step-by-Step
The Outland Spousal Sponsorship process involves several steps. Here is a step-by-step overview of the process:
Ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria as a sponsor (Canadian citizen or permanent resident) and that your spouse or partner meets the requirements for sponsorship.
Collect the required documents to support your sponsorship application and to demonstrate the genuineness of your relationship. This may include marriage certificates, joint financial documents, photographs, communication records, etc.
- Complete the sponsorship application forms provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accurately and thoroughly.
- Pay the sponsorship fee and submit the application package to the appropriate IRCC office outside of Canada.
Once your application is received and processed, you will be assigned a unique file number. This number will be used for future communication and tracking of your application.
IRCC will conduct background checks on both the sponsor and the sponsored spouse or partner. This includes security and criminality checks, as well as medical examinations for the sponsored person.
If IRCC requires further information or documents to assess your application, they will issue a request. Respond promptly and provide the requested information within the specified timeframe.
- Once all the necessary checks and assessments are completed, IRCC will make a decision on the sponsorship application.
- If approved, you will move to the next step. If there are concerns or issues, IRCC may request an interview or provide an opportunity to address the concerns.
- If the sponsorship is approved, your spouse or partner will be invited to submit their application for permanent residence.
- They will need to complete the required forms, provide supporting documents, and pay the applicable fees.
- The application will be submitted to the appropriate IRCC office for processing.
- The sponsored spouse or partner will need to undergo a medical examination by an approved panel physician.
- They may also need to provide biometric information (fingerprints and photograph) at a designated application support center.
- IRCC will review the permanent residence application and make a final decision.
- If approved, the sponsored spouse or partner will receive a permanent resident visa or confirmation of permanent residence.
- The sponsored spouse or partner will need to travel to Canada to activate their permanent resident status within the validity period of their visa.
- At the port of entry, they will present their passport, visa, and other required documents to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer.
- The officer will validate the documents and issue a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and the permanent resident card (if applicable).