How to apply for Canada Spouse Visa?

The Canada spouse visa encourages family reunification, enabling couples to live together in Canada. The sponsor of this visa required to fulfil certain eligibility requirements, including financial responsibilities. Once approved, the sponsored spouse can acquire permanent residency and enjoy the benefits of living and working in Canada. The Canada spouse visa is a vibrant pathway for families to build a life together in the friendly and diverse maple leaf country, fostering unity and shared experiences.

What is Canada Spouse/Dependent Visa?

The Canada Spouse/Dependent Visa, also known as the Dependent Visa Canada is part of the Family Sponsorship Program in Canada. It empowers Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children, facilitating their journey towards permanent residency in Canada. For the Canada Spouse Visa (or Dependent Visa Canada), approval from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is essential. This endorsement by Canadian permanent residents and citizens streamlines the visa allocation process, ensuring a smoother transition for the sponsored individuals to become permanent residents of Canada.

Who is a dependent?

A dependent can be the spouse, common-law partner or dependent child of a permanent resident or principal applicant.

Dependent child- A child who is under the maximum age limit and is not married to anyone or in a common law relationship. Usually, to qualify as dependants, children must

• be under 22 years old
• not have a spouse or common-law partner

Note: a child’s age is usually “locked in” when the IRCC get a complete application.

Who can be a sponsor?

To sponsor the Canadian Spouse visa, make sure you are related to the sponsored person as a,

• Spouse
• Common-law Partner
• Conjugal Partner

Processing time of Canadian Spouse/Dependent visa

Find below the Canada spouse visa processing time for both spouse and dependent visa application:

• The estimated processing time of the spousal visa is nearly 12 months.
• For the dependent child sponsorship application, the processing time is approximately 9 months. This processing time comprises the following:
  • the time you need to give your biometrics
  • the assessment of the sponsor: 25 days

This processing time indicates how long it took the Canadian immigration department to process most complete applications in the past 12 months. However, the IRCC can delay or even return the application in case it is not complete.

Country of Residence role in Spouse visa processing time

The processing time of the Canadian Spousal visa also depends on the country from where you are applying the same. For example if someone is sponsoring the Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada, i.e. India, the application may take the processing time of 12 months as per the recent changes rule changes in this regard.

Earlier the average processing time for spouses/common-law partners of Canadian citizens & permanent residents in Canada was about 26 months.

(Note: The visa processing times explains as to long Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) usually takes to process applications in the past after receiving a complete application from the applicants. However, the processing times may vary, based on how many applications IRCC receives. Your application may also be delayed if it is not complete.)

Eligibility Criteria to be a Sponsor of Spouse/Dependent visa

Find below the key Canada spouse visa requirements for the sponsors of this particular visa:

• 18 years or above
• A permanent resident or citizen of Canada
• Living in Canada (You cannot sponsor someone, if you are a permanent resident living outside of Canada). If you are outside Canada, confirm that, you will live in Canada after sponsoring the spouse.
• Able to demonstrate that you are not getting any social assistance (apart from disability if any)
• Able to demonstrate that you can provide basic needs to the sponsored person, i.e. your spouse or partner
• If you are residing in Canada's Quebec province, you need to fulfil Quebec's conditions for sponsorship.

Eligibility of Spouse:-

• Should be above 18 years of age
• Should be legally married or in a common law relationship.
• Should have a marriage certificate issued by the state, territory or provincial government if the
• Marriage has taken place in Canada.
  • If the marriage has taken place outside Canada then it should be valid as per the country law
• Where the ceremony has taken place and the Canadian law. However, If the marriage ceremony
• has taken place in the embassy or Consulate then it should be valid as per the law of the country
• Where ceremony has conducted rather than the country represented by Embassy or Consulate.
  • Should not have any Criminal convictions, offences or suffer from any critical health condition.

Eligibility of Dependent Child

• Should be less than 22 years of age and do not have any spouse and common-law partner.
• Over 22 years of Age but should satisfy either of two conditions Mention below

• Should be engaged full-time ongoing study
• Should be financially dependent on parents since before 22 yrs of age

• If a child has a spouse or common-law partner before turning 22, then he should:-
  • . Should be engaged full-time ongoing study

• Should be financially dependent on parents since they become a spouse and common-law partner.

• If the child is over 22 years of age, he should be financially dependent on parents due to physical or mental conditions.

Eligibility of other sponsored relative

You can sponsor:

• brothers or sisters, nephews or nieces, granddaughters or grandsons who are orphaned, under18 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship
• another relative of any age or relationship but only under specific conditions
• Accompanying relatives of the above (for example, spouse, partner and dependent children).

What are the documents required to apply for Canadian spouse visa?

Here is the list of Canada Spouse visa documents requirement:

• Relationship Proof- As an applicant of this visa, you must provide Proof of your relationship to person sponsoring you
• Documents of Translation- You need to Provide certified translations if your documents are not in English or French.
• Need of Police certificates- As an applicant, you need to submit the police certificate from the country your presently live. Submit only when asked.
• Medical Exam- The medical exams are not required up front with the application; rather, the applicants receive the instructions about submitting the same.
• Photographs- While applying for this particular visa, you also need to provide 2 photographs with accompanying family member
• Submit as per the Country- You first need to check your country requirements and according submit the documents required

IELTS Requirement for Canadian Spouse visa

There is no need to provide the IELTS test result to apply for a Spouse visa in Canada. However, suppose the primary applicant wishes to include his/her spouse while submitting the Canada PR application. In that case, he/she can get valuable immigration points for the English proficiency (confirmed through IELTS Test result) of the spouse.

How to apply for Canadian Spouse/dependent visa?

The sponsorship application process can be divided in two steps:

• The Canadian citizen or permanent resident applies to sponsor his or her spouse or common-law partner
• The spouse or common-law partner applies for permanent residence.

Fees for Family-Sponsored Visa (Spouse/Partner/Children)

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their Spouse, partner or Children to get permanent residency in Canada. Find below the fees applicable to family-sponsored visas, i.e. Children, Spouse or Partner visa.

Are you applying for Spouse Visa/Dependent Visa in Canada this year? Contact Visas Avenue for complete assistance

Visas Avenue is the leading and accredited Visa and Immigration consultancy Agency in India. If you need assistance or support to apply for Canadian Spouse visa, you may contact the certified and highly experienced Canada migration experts at Visas Avenue Immigration by calling on our Toll-Free No. – 78-18-000-777.

Alternatively, fill the free assessment form to confirm your eligibility for the Canadian Spousal Sponsorship Program and start the proceedings in the guidance of an expert.