Do I qualify to sponsor my fiancée?

In order to sponsor a foreign national, a person must fulfill these criteria:

• be at least 18 years old.
• be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident
• sign an agreement to support a sponsored person (foreign national), and
  have sufficient income to provide for a sponsored person.
• not be receiving social assistance
• not be bankrupt.
• not have been convicted of a sexual offense or an offense involving family violence
• not be under a removal order.
• not be detained in a prison.
• not have been convicted of a serious criminal offense
• not have provided false information on the sponsorship form

Can I marry my Chinese girlfriend in China who is 19 years old?

The legal age for marriage in China is 20The Chinese government is very strict about marriage to foreigners and there are no loop holes to get round this. The alternative would be to look at bringing her to Canada under a different visa, however, visa processing takes time and you will have to wait until she is 20 anyway.

How can I marry my Vietnamese girlfriend and bring her to Canada?

You will have to go through the marriage sponsorship process. Read above about being eligible to sponsor a foreign national to Canada.

I want to marry my Cuban girlfriend but I am on social assistance through the government. Do I qualify to sponsor her?

You are not eligible to sponsor your Cuban bride because you are on Social Assistance (read eligibility criteria above)

I have overstayed my visa or visitor record or if I have been working or studying without a permit, can I apply for permanent residence under the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class? If yes, how do I apply?

Yes. If you are still in Canada, you can apply for permanent residence with your fiancé as the sponsor.

Can I bring over my Cuban girlfriend without first marrying her?

If you have lived together with your Cuban girlfriend for more than a year, she can be sponsored as a common-law partner even though you are not married. You will have to prove two things: A) You have indeed lived together for a year; B) Your relationship is a genuine relationship and not one for immigration purposes. While your application is submitted you may decide to marry provided that you notify Citizenship and Immigration Canada. If you haven’t lived together for a year, you need to wait to get married and then submit the application.

I broke up with my Russian spouse. Can I cancel my sponsorship application?

If you change your mind about sponsoring spouse, you must write a letter to the Case Processing Centre of Citizenship and Immigration Canada in Mississauga, Ontario, before her permanent resident visa is issued. Once it is issued, you have to support her financially for the term in the application.

I married my Thai bride in Thailand and I want to sponsor her to Canada. Is it faster to do it from inside or outside Canada?

It is usually faster to apply to sponsor a spouse from outside Canada. The process takes about 6-12 months and you have a right of appeal if the outcome is negative. If you choose to apply for sponsorship from within Canada, your application will be processed in 12-18 months and you will have no right of appeal.

I have sponsored my ex-wife two years ago, now we are divorced and I want to sponsor my current Dominican spouse. Can I do it?

You have to wait three years from the date your ex-wife obtained permanent residence status in order to be able to sponsor your spouse.

I want to sponsor my Chinese wife and her two sons to Canada, who are 19 and 17. Do I have to support them for 10 years?

You have to sponsor your wife’s children for 10 years OR until they are 25, whichever comes first. In your case you will have support the older child for 6 years and the younger one for 8 years.

I want to marry my Cuban fiancé who is a refugee so that he can become a permanent resident. Is this possible?

If you marry him, this does not mean that he will become a permanent resident automatically. What your marriage means is that you can file a sponsorship application under the family class. However, the most important thing when sponsoring a spouse is to prove that your relationship is genuine and not one of convenience (meaning, that your boyfriend is not using you to gain resident status in Canada). If you can prove it, then the application will be successful.

I want to marry my Filipino spouse in Canada but I am divorced. What do I need to do?

In order to get married you have to show that neither of you have any impediments to marriage. In his case, he should bring a copy of the divorce judgment and should have it notarized. If necessary, he must provide a certified translation of the divorce judgment.

How do I prove my relationship with my foreign girlfriend is genuine?

Here is a list of documents that you can use:

• pictures of the two of you together
• letters from your family and friends stating the relationship,
• proof of taking trips together such as boarding passes,
• phone records,
• Emails

My Korean wife is HIV-positive. Can I still sponsor her to Canada?

Yes, you are allowed to sponsor your HIV-positive wife under Family Class. This is because she is not medically inadmissible for conditions considered to cause excess demand in health and social services, or, in other words, you are taking financial responsibility of her medical treatment

The sponsorship application package says my Brazil bride needs to present a police clearance document. Where does she get it from?

Your wife must submit police clearance (a criminal record check) from every country she has lived in for more than six months since the age of 18. Visa offices only accept the original police clearance and it must be submitted as part of your application package.

I am still legally married to someone else and I want to sponsor my foreign spouse.

A person who is still married to somebody else may be considered as a common-law/conjugal partner providing that their marriage has been broken down and they have lived away from their spouse for more than one year. A common-law/conjugal partner relationship cannot be established if one or both parties continue their marital relationship.

How much are the processing fee and the Permanent Residence Fee?

The processing fees for family class sponsorship is $550 and it is non-refundable. The fee for a dependent child is under 22 years old is $150. The Permanent Residence Fee is $490 for each applicant. The fee is refundable if your case is unsuccessful.