Canada Family Reunification Visa Application Process 2024
The Canadian family reunification visa is a sponsorship-based visa type that allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to bring their spouses or children living outside of Canada to live with them, and is granted under the Canadian family sponsorship programs. Canadian citizens or permanent residents living in Canada over the age of 18 can sponsor certain family members and enable these family members to obtain permanent residence in Canada with a family reunification visa.
Canadian permanent residents are granted the right to reside, study and work in Canada. Sponsors of family members for a Canadian family reunification visa are required to provide financial support to their family members after they arrive in Canada.
The Canadian government prioritizes family sponsorship applications and welcomes more than 100,000 immigrants each year through its family sponsorship programs. Of the more than 100,000 family sponsorship applications submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) each year, 80% are submitted for the Spouse/Partner and Child Sponsorship program and 20% for the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship program.
Who Can Be Sponsored for Family Reunification in Canada?
The following persons are eligible to be sponsored under Canadian family reunification:
- Officially married spouse
- Living together as a partner
- Dependent child
- Adopted child
- Parents
- Grandma and Grandpa
What is Canadian Spouse/Partner Sponsorship?
The Canadian spouse/partner sponsorship program is part of the family immigration program. Canadian spouse/partner sponsorship allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their spouses/partners who are seeking Canadian permanent residence.
In order for a sponsored person to be eligible for a Canadian visa based on their spouse status, the sponsor and the sponsored person must be approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada.
What is Child Sponsorship in Canada?
Permanent residents of Canada must provide for the basic needs of their dependent children, whether blood related or adopted. The Canadian child sponsorship program is part of the family immigration program.
People who want to get a visa through the Canadian family immigration program must prove their kinship with the children they will sponsor and are responsible for.
What is Parent Sponsorship in Canada?
The Canadian parent sponsorship program opens once a year and allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to invite their parents or grandparents to Canada.
People who invite their parents or grandparents to Canada through the Canadian parent sponsorship program must prove that they can financially support their family members during their stay in Canada. The person who invites their parents through the Canadian parent sponsorship program must demonstrate that they meet the financial eligibility requirement for sponsorship by documenting that they have the required Minimum Income Amount (MNI) for the total number of family members.
For those who want to visit their children or grandchildren living in Canada in 2024, the Canadian super visa program grants the right to stay in Canada for up to 2 years. Also known as the Canadian family visit visa, the Canadian super visa grants temporary residence permits to individuals, but these individuals cannot exercise their health rights and benefit from government assistance during their stay in Canada.
What are the Sponsorship Requirements for a Canadian Family Reunification Visa?
Sponsorship requirements for a Canadian family reunification visa are listed below.
- The sponsor must be over 18 years of age.
- A sponsorship agreement must be signed between the sponsor and the family members who will be sponsored, and the sponsor’s agreement must include a commitment that the sponsor will provide financial support to the family members who will come to Canada when necessary, and that the sponsored person will make an effort to cover his or her own expenses during his or her stay.
- The sponsor must provide financial support to the sponsored person for three years from the date on which the sponsored person receives permanent residence.
- The person who sponsors a dependent child must provide financial support to the child for 10 years or until the child turns 25. If 10 years have passed before the dependent child turns 25, or if 10 years have not yet passed but the child turns 25, the sponsorship obligation is waived.
Sponsorship for a Canadian family reunification visa is proven by the submission of a sponsorship letter and sponsorship agreement documents during the application process. The Canadian visa sponsorship letter must explain the kinship between the sponsor and the sponsored person and the sponsor’s financial situation.
What is the Minimum Income for Family Sponsorship in Canada?
In Canada, the minimum income requirement for family sponsorship is only set for parental, grandparental sponsorship and no income amount is given for spousal sponsorship. The minimum income amount for family sponsorship in Canada varies according to the number of family members and is adjusted each year.
The minimum income required for family sponsorship in Canada, based on the number of family members as of 2024, is given in the table below.
| Total number of family members | Minimum income amount |
|---|---|
| 2 | 32270 CAD |
| 3 | 39672 CAD |
| 4 | 48167 CAD |
| 5 | 54630 CAD |
| 6 | 61613 CAD |
| 7 | 68598 CAD |
| Amount required for each additional family member if more than 7 | 6985 CAD |
When calculating the minimum income required for family sponsorship in Canada, the total number of family members includes the number of family members the sponsor currently has in Canada and the number of family members the sponsor will sponsor. Bank account information for travel to Canada and a statement of account movements for the last 3 months can be requested during the application. The amount of money required in the account for a Canadian visa is determined by considering the basic needs per person in order to prove that the sponsor can provide financial support for family members who will come to Canada.
What are the Required Documents for Canada Family Visa Application?
The documents required for a Canadian family visa application are listed below.
- Canada family reunification visa application form : Must be filled out completely and signed. For applications made for children, the form must be signed by the parent.
- Sponsorship agreement : It is the document in which the sponsor declares that he/she will provide financial support and must be signed by the sponsor.
- Sponsorship evaluation and relationship form : This is a document that expresses the kinship relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored person and must be filled out by the sponsor.
- Financial sponsorship evaluation form : It is a document regarding the economic situation of the sponsor and must be filled out by the sponsor.
- Consultant document : If the sponsor has received support from a consultant for the application, the consultant’s IRCC reference number must be stated.
- Passport : A photocopy of the sponsored person’s passport, which is not older than 10 years, has at least 2 blank pages and has at least 1 year of validity remaining, must be submitted; the passport photocopy must show the passport number, passport issuance and expiry dates, photograph, name and surname, and date of birth.
- Biometric photo : Two biometric photos of the sponsored person, no older than 6 months, must be submitted. The name, surname, date of birth of the person in the photo and the date the photo was taken must be written on the back of one of the two photos submitted.
- Population registration copy : It must be obtained from e-government or the population directorate by the sponsored person, must be fully certified, barcoded or stamped and have a wet signature.
- Application fee payment receipt : The receipt showing that the Canada family reunification visa application fee has been paid must include the sponsored person’s name, surname and passport number.
Each of the forms required for the Canada family reunification visa application must be filled out separately for each family member. When filling out the Canada family information form, it is necessary to ensure that the requested information is written completely and accurately. If the documents submitted for the Canada family reunification visa application are found insufficient during the evaluation process, the family members may be interviewed or additional documents may be requested.
What is the Canadian Family Sponsorship Agreement?
A Canadian family sponsorship agreement is an agreement between a sponsor and the family members to be sponsored, under which the sponsor promises to provide financial support for the basic needs of the family members (food, clothing, shelter and health services not covered by public health services).
The Canadian family sponsorship agreement remains valid for a certain period of time depending on the sponsored person and cannot be cancelled even if the conditions change (the sponsored person obtains Canadian citizenship, there is a divorce or separation between the spouses, the sponsor is experiencing financial difficulties, etc.). The validity period of the family sponsorship agreement that the sponsoring person must sign for a Canadian family reunification visa varies according to the sponsored family member and the age of the child if the sponsored person is a child.
How to Get a Population Registration Copy for Family Reunification in Canada?
For Canadian family reunification, a population record copy is obtained via e-government or from the population directorate. In Canadian family reunification applications, a population record copy must be declared to provide evidence of the kinship relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored person.
The civil registration copy to be submitted in the application for family reunification in Canada must be fully certified and must have a barcode or stamp and a wet signature.
How to Apply for a Family Reunification Visa in Canada?
In order to apply for a family reunification visa in Canada, the person living in Canada must apply for family sponsorship, and the family members who will come to Canada must apply for permanent residence, and these two applications must be made at the same time. Family members who will come to Canada can apply for permanent residence online through the Permanent Residence Application Portal located at https://prson-srpel.apps.cic.gc.ca/en/login .
By following the guidelines of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the application package appropriate for the applicant and the sponsored person must be selected, the necessary forms must be filled out and digitally signed, other requested documents must be uploaded to the system and the visa application fee must be paid online. It is also possible to apply for a Canadian family reunification visa by sending the required documents to the Case Processing Center Sydney PO Box 9500 Sydney, NS B1P 0H5 by post or courier. During the evaluation process of the Canadian family reunification visa application, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requests a health report, criminal record and biometric record from the sponsored person(s).
Biometric procedures for a Canadian family reunification visa must be carried out by making an appointment at the Ankara or Istanbul office of the authorized visa centre.
In Canada family reunification visa applications made with rsscanadaimmigration.com the entire process from the preparation of the necessary documents to the application follow-up is carried out by IRCC certified experts.
How Much Are Family Sponsorship Fees for Canada?
Family sponsorship fees for Canada are a minimum of CAD 1050 for spouse or partner sponsorship applications and CAD 150 for child sponsorship applications.
Is There an Interview for a Canadian Family Visa?
If the documents declared regarding the kinship relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored persons for the Canadian family visa are not found sufficient, an interview may be requested by IRCC.
The documents requested for the Canadian family visa are intended to explain and prove the kinship between the sponsor and the sponsored person. During the Canadian visa interview, missing information that was not submitted with the documents is requested.
How Long Does Family Reunification Take in Canada?
The Canadian family reunification visa takes approximately 12 months for spouse or partner sponsorship applications, and for child sponsorship applications, this period varies depending on the sponsor’s situation.
What to Do If Your Canada Family Reunification Visa Is Rejected?
If your Canadian family reunification visa is rejected, an appeal can be made to the Immigration Adjudication Unit (IAD) within 30 days.
Is It Difficult to Get a Family Sponsorship Visa to Canada?
No, it is not difficult to get a family sponsorship visa to Canada. The Canadian government prioritizes family visa applications, but if the documents are not fully submitted, your application may be rejected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about Canadian family reunification and sponsorship procedures are provided below.
Can I Get a Family Reunification Visa with Asylum in Canada?
In Canada, a family reunification visa can be obtained for people whose asylum application has been approved.
Asylum applications to Canada can be made through offices at border gates or authorized offices within Canada. Depending on where the application is made, the Canadian asylum application is reviewed by Canada Border Security Services (CSBA) or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officials. If the reasons for seeking asylum in Canada are found to be justified, the application is referred to the Refugee Protection Branch (RPD) for a hearing.
Can Canadian Family Sponsorship Be Done for Second Degree Burns?
No, Canada family sponsorship is not available for second degree relatives (uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.).
Are There Companies in Canada That Provide Services to Find Sponsors?
There are no official companies in Canada that provide services to find sponsors, and malicious websites and fee requests should not be trusted.
