Introduction to Family Sponsorship Program (Spouse) Qualifications of the sponsor: 1. Must be a Canadian citizen of a Canadian permanent resident 2. Must be 18 or older 3. Agree in writing to financially support your spouse for 3 years from the date they become a permanent resident 4. Guarantee that your sponsored spouse won’t be seeking government financial help Qualifications of the sponsored spouse: 1. Age over 16 2. Try to support yourself 3. You are not married to someone else (other than your sponsor) 4. If you are sponsored by your spouse to become a Canadian citizen or a Canadian permanent resident, you cannot sponsor other people within 5 years 5. If you live with your spouse in Canada, you don’t need a legal status to be sponsored by your spouse 6. Pass medical and background checks 7. Pass criminal checks If the following conditions apply to you, you cannot be a sponsor: 1. You didn’t meet the terms of a sponsorship agreement in the past 2. You didn’t pay alimony or child support that is ordered by a court 3. You get government financial help for reasons other than being disabled 4. You have committed a crime 5. You have sponsored your previous spouse to become a Canadian permanent resident, and he/she has become a Canadian permanent resident for less than 3 years (application received by CIC before Mar 2nd, 2012)/ 5 years (application received by CIC on or after Mar 2nd, 2012) 6. You were sponsored by your spouse and became a permanent resident of Canada for less than 5 years 7. You didn’t pay back an immigration loan, made late payments or missed payments 8. You are in prison 9. You have declared bankruptcy and haven’t been released from it yet Additional information: 1. The sponsored spouse will have to live with the sponsor in a legal relationship for at least 2 years after becoming a Canadian permanent resident 2. You need sufficient evidence to prove your relationship *Information resources: CIC official website
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 23:42:49 +0000