The spouse visa category is designed for couples that have entered into a marriage that is legally sanctioned and recognized by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The spouse of the sponsor may be currently living in Canada, or the sponsor may be married to a foreign national residing overseas. In addition to meeting all of the basic eligibility requirements, sponsors and foreign applicants must meet all of the following additional requirements to be eligible for a Canadian spousal visa:
Conjugal Relationships
Outland Spousal Sponsorship
Inland Spousal Sponsorship
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SPONSOR YOUR SPOUSE IN CANADA?
Sponsorship applications take approximately 12 months to process from start to finish. They are typically not processed much faster than 12 months but they can take longer, depending on the nature of your case.
If you have a complicated case, or the visa office requires additional proof of your relationship, this will delay the processing of your case and it will take longer.
The best way to ensure your sponsorship application is processed as quickly as possible is to make sure it is done right the first time. The lawyers and legal professionals at Canadim have helped thousands of spousal sponsorship applications. Find out how Canadim can help bring your loved ones to Canada by taking our free online assessment.
CAN MY SPOUSE COME TO CANADA WHILE WAITING FOR APPROVAL?
Your spouse can come to Canada while you are waiting for approval but there is no special visa for applicants awaiting a decision on their sponsorship application. Some spousal sponsorship applicants may encounter difficulties applying for a temporary visa if they have an application for permanent residence already in process.
Applicants applying for a temporary residence visa must satisfy the visa officer assigned to their case they will leave at the end of the validity of the visa. Having an application for permanent residence can create doubt in the visa officer’s mind that the applicant intends to leave at the end of their visa. For this reason, applicants may want to apply for a temporary visa and then once together in Canada, submit under the inland sponsorship category. The spouse being sponsored can then transition from their temporary status in Canada to an open work permit that would allow them to work for any employer while their application is processing.
