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Being in love shouldn’t feel like a legal battle. You’ve found your person, but instead of planning your future together in Canada, you’re buried under paperwork and constantly worrying about being separated.
The Inland Spousal Sponsorship Canada process can be overwhelming, especially when all you want is to stay together. But here’s the good news: there is a structured path forward. If you are planning to bring your spouse to Canada, consult with our experienced Canadian Spousal Sponsorship lawyer.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their foreign spouses or partners who are currently in the country on a valid work, study, or visitor visa using the inland spousal sponsorship route. When their present status expires, these persons are required to leave Canada unless they are given permanent residency. However, candidates who are still waiting for a decision on their permanent residence petitions can apply for a spousal open work visa, which will allow them to stay in Canada and work until their application is approved.
The Inland Spousal Sponsorship program is managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It is the federal department in charge of handling immigration matters.
To be eligible to apply for the Inland Spousal Sponsorship program, both the Canadian sponsor and their spouse must meet the following requirements.
Are you still confused about your eligibility for Inland Spousal Sponsorship Canada? Contact our expert Canadian immigration Lawyers.
If you’re sponsoring your spouse, you’ll need the following proof of your relationship:
Moreover, two or more of the following papers:
You have the option to sponsor your dependent children, regardless of their nationality, so they can permanently reside in Canada with you. To qualify for sponsorship, dependent children must meet these criteria:
To qualify for this program, you:
Here are the two steps involved in Inland Spousal Sponsorship:
To qualify as a sponsor for Inland’s spousal sponsorship program, the sponsor must fulfill certain criteria. This requires a plethora of paperwork attesting to many points, such as the applicant’s status as a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, their financial stability, the absence of any criminal records, etc.
After getting the necessary documents together, they can apply to be a sponsor. Usually, this phase takes about four or five months.
If the sponsor’s sponsorship application is successful, their spouse may apply for permanent residence under the Inland Sponsorship route. This period takes 7–8 months.
Below is a summary of the stages of Inland Spousal Sponsorship.
It is the responsibility of the Canadian sponsor and their spouse to verify their eligibility for the program by reviewing the necessary requirements. Afterwards, they need to visit the Canadian government website to get the necessary application materials.
The next step is for the Canadian sponsor and their spouse to collect the necessary paperwork and fill out the necessary forms. It is recommended to begin this process early because it can take many weeks to finish.
After the sponsor has completed all of the necessary steps, including paying the application fees, they must send the application package to IRCC.
While their application is being processed, IRCC may request further documentation from the sponsor or their spouse.
You will be sent a letter of sponsorship approval after your application is approved. The sponsorship confirmation letter verifies your eligibility to sponsor your spouse or common-law partner for permanent residency in Canada.
Additionally, it shows that you’ve fulfilled all the other prerequisites to become a sponsor, including the financial qualifying requirements. Usually, the sponsorship approval letter is sent out within a year of the sponsorship application being submitted.
Your partner or spouse can apply for permanent residency once the sponsorship is approved. To do this, you need to fill out a different Inland Spousal PR application and send it in with the necessary fees and documents.
Your partner’s application will be reviewed by IRCC, which may ask for more information or documents.
The spouse is requested by IRCC to provide the outcomes of medical and background checks. Once the application has been reviewed, a decision will be made.
In order to finalize their permanent residency application, IRCC will request your partner’s passport once the medical and security checks are finished. After that, the sponsor and their spouse will find out if their application for permanent residency was approved or not.
Several factors affect how long it takes for Canadian Inland Spousal Sponsorship applications to be processed. The data presented here are only suggestions and might be subject to revision at any time.
According to the latest data, Inland Spousal Sponsorship applications typically take around 12 months to be processed. This Spousal Sponsorship Inland timeline is not guaranteed and may differ in specific instances, so please keep that in mind.
Some applications may be handled more quickly, while others may take longer, based on a variety of criteria such as the case’s complexity, application completeness, and the immigration authorities’ workload.
The application goes through numerous steps throughout processing, including an initial evaluation, background checks, and verification of the relationship’s validity. These stages entail analyzing the application forms and supporting documentation, as well as conducting any necessary interviews.
It’s worth mentioning that various circumstances can affect processing time. The immigration officials may ask for more paperwork or information, which could lengthen the processing time. Changes in immigration policies, resource availability, and unforeseen situations can all have an impact on the Canada Inland Spousal Sponsorship timeline.
During the processing phase, it is essential to remain patient and refrain from contacting the immigration officials or asking unnecessary questions unless specifically asked to do so. Most of the time, applicants will get updates or calls for more information by mail or through the IRCC’s online portal.
In order to continue working in Canada while their application is being reviewed, the sponsored individual may be able to apply for an open work visa. But before you apply for an open work visa, be sure you meet all the requirements and adhere to all the rules.
Total: CAD $1,205
These are the mandatory government fees when sponsoring a spouse or common-law partner already living in Canada. Additional fees (like biometrics or an optional open work permit) may apply depending on your situation.
The applicant always has the burden of proof. Canadian immigration officials will base their decision on evidence they deem credible. Your application will be rejected if an assessing officer has any reservations about whether your marriage is solely for convenience.
Your application may be rejected for the following reasons:
If you or your spouse has a criminal record or is considered a risk to Canadian society, you will not be allowed to enter the country.
In Canada, it is often believed that once an application for permanent residency through inland sponsorship is filed, the sponsored individual is not allowed to leave the country. That is incorrect.
While an inland application is being processed, applicants are still allowed to enter and leave Canada. It is crucial to note that inland applicants cannot be found to be residing outside of Canada; hence, it is necessary that they do not leave the country for long periods of time.
An applicant may face entry restrictions to Canada, but this is more likely to happen if they leave the country for extended periods of time or make multiple trips outside of Canada while their application is being processed. Processing a distant application shouldn’t require travel more than twice a year, for a total of a few weeks each trip. Family emergencies are also considered.
For more details, you can call our Canadian immigration solicitors at (647) 614-2124.
An Inland Spousal Sponsorship is a viable option with many advantages. Among these are:
If the sponsored individual has a temporary visitor’s visa that does not allow them to work in Canada, the family may find it difficult to apply for spousal sponsorship within Canada due to financial concerns.
Submitting an application for sponsorship and a spousal open work visa together may alleviate some of the burden of lengthy processing waits for certain individuals. Applicants will be able to lawfully work for any employer in Canada after this.
In addition to completing all of the qualifying requirements mentioned above, a spousal open work permit applicant must also be in possession of a valid temporary visa and reside at the same address as their spouse or common-law partner.
An important perk of inland sponsorship is that it encourages couples to remain together emotionally and spiritually during the application process. There is a tempting option for couples who want to be together while applying for permanent residency in Canada.
The processing time is longer than the outland program, but they can be at each other’s side during this crucial time.
Provincial health insurance becomes available to spouses when a specific period of time has passed while they have held a work permit. While their application for permanent residence is being handled, they and their Canadian partner won’t have to worry about costly hospital bills.
If you need assistance navigating the application procedure, the immigration consultants at URK Immigration have extensive expertise in it. To further improve your chances of success, we will also give you helpful hints and insights. Get in touch with us immediately.
Additionally, if you want to hire a representative, be sure they are authorized form IRCC.
If you are unfamiliar with the application process, hiring a representative can be useful, but it is not essential. Make sure you find a solicitor you trust and are comfortable working with before you employ them.
When a spouse is already a permanent resident of Canada with a legitimate temporary resident status, this is called an inland spousal sponsorship. However, in the case of outland spousal sponsorship, the sponsored individual is not physically present in Canada when the application is being processed.
The sponsored individual can keep working until they get their spousal open work permit if they already have a valid work permit or are authorized to work without one. To begin working in Canada, they must first get a spousal open work permit.
There is a separate process for inland spousal sponsorship in Quebec. The following steps are required to take this route:
A new work permit is not necessary for them. They should try to stay legally in the country while their application is being processed, though. This is why, if their current work visa is about to expire, they need to apply for a new one.
No, you will not be able to start working in Canada once you apply for an Inland Spousal Sponsorship and an Open Work Permit (OWP). You can’t begin working in Canada until you get your work permit, which you won’t get until your OWP application is accepted.
Spousal sponsorship requires the sponsor to provide documentation of their Canadian citizenship or permanent residence, as well as proof of the relationship (such as a marriage or common-law partnership), as well as financial records, identification documents, police certifications, and medical examination outcomes. The specific paperwork needed could change based on each case.
Evidence of funds is not necessary for applications for spousal sponsorship. The sponsor, however, needs to show that they can afford to support the sponsored individual and any children they may have.
In order to verify information or assess the sincerity of the connection, an interview may be necessary for spousal sponsorship applications. Nevertheless, an interview is not necessary for every application.
A criminal past, security concerns, and possible inadmissibility to Canada are all part of a spousal sponsor’s background examination. The findings of medical exams, police records, and other official papers may be required as part of a background check.
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