Sponsorship of a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child living outside Canada — Part 1: The sponsor’s guide (IMM 3900)

How to apply to sponsor

You must send your sponsorship application together with the application for immigration of the person you wish to sponsor along with all required documentation to CPC-M (see Mailing your application), and pay the applicable fees. If the forms and supporting documents received at CPC-M are incomplete, they will be returned to you. If they are complete, CPC-M will begin assessing your application (see What happens next >> for more information). If you think you are eligible to sponsor and wish to support the immigration application of your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, dependent child and their family members, carefully read the following instructions.

If you are sponsoring your dependent children who are not accompanying your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner, you will have to complete a separate application and pay applicable fees for each of these children.

STEP 1. Make enough copies of the blank forms for your needs.

Forms for the sponsorship application

If you live in a province or territory other than Quebec or are living exclusively outside Canada and intend to live in a province or territory other than Quebec upon your return, you must complete the following forms:

• the Application to Sponsor and Undertaking (IMM 1344A);
• the Sponsorship Agreement (IMM 1344B; must also be signed by the person you want to sponsor). See instructions on how to complete the Sponsorship Agreement for more details;
• the Sponsorship Evaluation (IMM 5481);
  If the person you are sponsoring is: a) your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner and he or she has dependent children who have children of their own; or b) your dependent child and he or she has dependent children, you will have to complete the Financial Evaluation form instead. To obtain this form, contact our Call Centre and ask for kit IMM 5482 or download it from our website.
• the Sponsor Questionnaire (IMM 5540), if you are sponsoring your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner;
• the Medical Condition Statement, for every dependent child included in your application who is your adoptive son or daughter;
• the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409), to be completed only if you have a co-signer and he or she is your common-law partner;
• the Receipt (IMM 5401 - see section on Fees);
• the Document Checklist (IMM 5491); and
• the Use of a Representative form IMM 5476), if you choose to have a representative.

If you live in Quebec or are living exclusively outside Canada and intend to live in Quebec upon your return, you need only complete:

• the Application to Sponsor and Undertaking (IMM 1344A);

CPC-Mwill send a copy of your IMM 1344A to the MICC in Quebec, who will send you additional documents to complete, including a Formulaire d’engagement (a separate undertaking form). The MICC will provide you with all necessary instructions (for more information, see Sponsors living in Quebec).

• the Sponsor Questionnaire (IMM 5540), if you are sponsoring your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner);
• the Receipt (IMM 5401 - see section on Fees);
• the Document Checklist (IMM 5491); and
• the Use of a Representative form (IMM 5476), if you choose to have a representative.

Forms for the immigration application

The person you want to sponsor and his or her family members must complete the following forms and return them to you:

Forms to be completed by the person you wish to sponsor only:

• the Application for Permanent Residence (IMM 0008 Generic);
• the Spouse / Partner questionnaire, if applicable (IMM 5490);
• the Use of a Representative form (IMM 5476), if that person chooses to have a representative.

Forms to be completed by the person you wish to sponsor and, if applicable, each of his or her family members 18 years of age or older:

• the Schedule 1 (Background / Declaration form);
• the Additional Family Information form (IMM 5406)

STEP 2. Send to the person you want to sponsor Part 2: The Immigrant’s guide with all the related forms. If you live in a province or territory other than Quebec, include the Sponsorship Agreement (IMM 1344B) signed by you and, if applicable, your co-signer (see instructions on how to complete the Agreement). The person you want to sponsor and his or her family members will complete the forms and return them to you with the supporting documents. Make sure you inform them of the address where you live.

STEP 3. Complete the forms as instructed in the following pages.

STEP 4. Collect the documents you need to support your application. The Checklist will tell you which supporting documents must be originals and which should be photocopies. It will also tell you which require translation and/or certification (notarization).

Use the Checklist to make sure that you have included all of the required documents. CPC-M or visa office may request more information at any time during the process, even if the requested information is not listed on the Checklist.

Sponsors must pay all processing and Right of Permanent Residence Fees associated with their case. See section on fees. In addition to these fees, Quebec residents will have to pay the provincial government the fees it charges to process the undertaking they submit to the MICC.

All information and documents are required to assess applications correctly and quickly. If the documents received by CPC-M are incomplete, applications will be returned to sponsors to be re-submitted with missing documentation.

<< contents | previous | next >>