When you fall in love it doesn’t always abide by the boundaries of a country. This means that if you decide to get married or live together indefinitely, there are extra steps to follow to navigate the immigration process. The immigration process has many variables and steps that require great attention to detail and knowledge of how to sponsor a spouse. Below are guidelines for successfully navigating spousal sponsorship to Canada.
Research Eligibility
There are certain requirements you, as the Canadian citizen or permanent resident, must meet to be eligible to sponsor a spouse or partner; and there are certain requirements the person you’re sponsoring must also meet. For example, the sponsor must make a certain income to show they’re able to financially support the person they’re sponsoring. If the person you want to sponsor has a criminal conviction, they may not be allowed to immigrate to Canada. However, there may be some instances in which it is possible for them to immigrate even with a conviction. Researching your and your partner’s eligibility is an important first step in the immigration process.
Accurately and Thoroughly Complete the Application
In nearly any immigration process, there is an abundance of paperwork to complete. Your case for spousal sponsorship Canada is more likely to be approved if all applications and associated paperwork are properly completed with no inaccuracies or blank spaces. It is recommended to work with an immigration professional, such as a consultant or lawyer, to ensure it is completed correctly. If you have questions about the forms and applications, be sure to ask the consultant or lawyer you hired. If you are completing the process without representation and have questions, contact the immigration help centre.
Pay All Fees
When you complete your application, you must pay certain fees towards application processing. The fees you pay go towards fingerprints and a photo of your partner, a permanent residence fee and processing fees. You may also need to pay for a medical exam and police certificate, depending on which country your partner is immigrating from. If you don’t pay the fees on time it may delay the processing of your immigration case, which is undoubtedly an unwanted effect when the process already takes up to a year without delays.
Although it can seem daunting to embark on the immigration process, the reward is surely worth it. You get to be together in person without a screen and thousands of miles between you.