Whether you got married recently or have been married for years, there might be a reason why you may want to sponsor your spouse for Canada immigration. If your spouse is in Nigeria and you want to sponsor him/her, the first step is to make sure both of you are eligible.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to sponsor your spouse for Canada immigration, you need to be
- over the age of 18,
- a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and
- be able to financially support you and your family. This includes your spouse and any dependent children you have.
Please note that you can sponsor your spouse from outside Canada only if you are a Canadian citizen. If you are a permanent resident, you must sponsor your spouse from inside Canada.
To meet the income requirement, you must not be receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability. Also, other benefits such as employment insurance and federal training allowances are not eligible sources of income. However, you may be eligible if you are receiving maternity, parental, or sickness benefits.
What documents do you need to sponsor your spouse?
The documents required for foreign nationals will depend on your residency status, where you are applying from, and maybe even your travel history. For more details, go through the application guide.
In addition to the application guide, you can also check IRCC’s documents checklist. This checklist shows the forms and instructions you need for your application. Please note that this checklist also changes. So, it is important to double-check before submitting all the documents.
What happens after you submit the application?
IRCC will begin to process your application once they receive your complete application. If the officer finds that your application is incomplete, the officer will return the application package to you and you will have to submit again. The standard processing time for spousal sponsorship applications is 12 months. However, it may take longer.
During the processing period, IRCC will ask for your spouse’s biometrics and a medical exam. Your spouse will have 30 days to send them in. Also, IRCC may ask for more information or an in-person interview at any time.
While you wait for the decision on your spouse’s application, you can track and update your application status online until IRCC makes a decision on your application.
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