Should we apply inland or outland?

It depends on where the sponsored partner lives, whether they hold status in Canada, travel needs, and appeal rights — outland refusals carry an appeal to the IAD while inland refusals generally do not. We weigh those trade-offs against your actual circumstances rather than defaulting to either.

Is there an income requirement to sponsor my spouse?

There is no minimum income for spousal or dependent-child sponsorship, though you must not be on social assistance (other than for disability) and must sign an undertaking. Parent and grandparent sponsorship is different: it requires meeting the minimum necessary income plus 30% for three consecutive tax years, proven by notices of assessment.

Can my spouse work in Canada while we wait?

Inland applicants can generally apply for an open work permit once the sponsorship application is in process, letting them work while waiting for PR. Outland applicants abroad cannot — they wait for the visa. This difference is often decisive in choosing the route.

How long does spousal sponsorship take?

IRCC's service standard for spousal files has generally been around twelve months, but actual times vary with visa office, completeness, and interview requirements. A well-documented file avoids the most common delays: requests for more relationship evidence and returned incomplete packages.

What if the officer doubts our relationship is genuine?

You may receive a procedural fairness letter or be convoked to an interview. Both are answerable with evidence and preparation — but the best defence is a file that documented genuineness thoroughly from day one. If concerns do arise, respond within the deadline with substance, not indignation.

Bring family home

Family Sponsorship

Sponsorship files are decided on evidence of a genuine relationship and a sponsor who qualifies — and refused when either is assumed rather than proven. We prepare spousal, child, and parent files that document the relationship the way officers actually assess it. The decision is always the officer's; the preparation is ours.

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Who it's for

Canadian citizens and permanent residents sponsoring a spouse or common-law partner, inland or outland
Couples with a shorter relationship history, age gap, or previous marriages who expect extra scrutiny
Parents sponsoring dependent children, including adopted children
Sponsors invited under the Parents and Grandparents Program who must file within the window
Sponsors unsure whether they meet income or eligibility requirements after past events
Couples whose sponsorship was refused or who face a genuineness interview

Common scenarios

Spouse abroad, life on hold

You married abroad and processing feels opaque. We choose outland versus inland deliberately, document the relationship's full arc, and manage the file so avoidable delays don't add months.

Partner already in Canada

Your partner is here on a temporary permit. We assess inland sponsorship with an open work permit application alongside, and what happens to status while the file processes.

Parents and grandparents

You received an invitation under the PGP — or didn't, and need a super visa bridge. We confirm the three-year income requirement and build the financial evidence properly.

Evidence checklist

Proof of sponsor status: citizenship or PR documents
Marriage certificate, or cohabitation evidence for common-law partners (leases, joint bills spanning 12+ months)
Relationship chronology: how you met, visits, communication logs, photos across time with family and friends
Joint finances: accounts, beneficiary designations, insurance, remittances
Sponsor's income evidence — notices of assessment, especially for parent and grandparent files
Statutory declarations from family and friends who know the relationship
Divorce or death certificates ending any previous marriages
Police certificates and medical exams for the sponsored person

Exact requirements vary by program and profile — treat this as a planning baseline, not advice on your specific file.

Process overview

Eligibility screening

We confirm the sponsor qualifies — status, residency, income where required, and no disqualifying history — before any promise is made to family.

Relationship evidence build

We assemble a documented narrative of the relationship, targeted at the genuineness factors officers are trained to test.

Application preparation

We complete both the sponsorship and the permanent residence sides, with explanations for anything unusual — gaps, prior refusals, immigration history.

Processing and interview readiness

We respond to requests, track status, and if an interview is convoked, prepare you both for the questions genuineness interviews actually involve.

Risks & common mistakes

Submitting thin relationship evidence because 'the marriage certificate proves it'.

A certificate proves a ceremony, not a genuine relationship. Officers weigh development, cohabitation, interdependence, and family knowledge — document all of it.

Choosing inland sponsorship without understanding the travel constraints.

Inland applicants who leave Canada mid-process risk being unable to return and abandoning the application. We match the route to how you actually live.

Ignoring a previous refusal or immigration history in the new file.

Officers see the full history in GCMS. Address prior refusals, overstays, or misrepresentation findings directly — silence reads as concealment.

Missing that the sponsored spouse's inland open work permit has its own conditions.

The SOWP tied to inland sponsorship requires the PR application to be at the right stage and status to be maintained. Sequence the filings correctly.

Related pathways

Super Visa Spousal Open Work Permit Permanent Residence

Frequently asked questions

Next step

Document your relationship the way officers assess it.

Every file starts with an honest assessment: what you qualify for, what the evidence needs to show, and what the realistic timeline looks like. We prepare the strongest possible application — and we're direct with you about risk, because the final decision on every application rests with the officer, never with us.

Tell us about your situation

We review every enquiry and reply within one business day.