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

Fees

What fees are required?

A. The processing fees, which must be paid when you submit your sponsorship application, consist of the following:

• $75 for the sponsor;
• $475 for a principal applicant (the person being sponsored) who is 22 years of age or older, or who is married or in a common-law or conjugal relationship, regardless of age;
• $75 for a principal applicant who is a under 22 years of age and not married or in a common-law or conjugal relationship;
• $550 for each accompanying family member who is 22 years of age or older, or who is married or in a common-law relationship, regardless of age; and
• $150 for each accompanying family member who is under 22 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship.

B. The Right of Permanent Residence Fee, which may be paid at the same time as the processing fees or afterwards, but before the application for permanent residence of the person you want to sponsor can be finalized, is:

• $490 for a principal applicant and accompanying family members who are not exempted (see Table 3 — Immigration Fees).

If you pay the Right of Permanent Residence Fee at the same time you pay the processing fees, it will facilitate processing as we will not have to contact you later. If you do not do so, you will be asked to pay this fee when we are ready to issue the permanent resident visa. Failure to pay the fee at the time of submission of the application will result in a minimum additional two-month delay in the finalization of the application.

Are fees refundable?

Processing fees

Processing fees are fully refundable only if, before an officer starts assessing your eligibility to sponsor, you notify CPC-M in writing not to assess your sponsorship application. Processing fees are partially refundable if CPC-M determines you are ineligible to sponsor and you have notified CPC-M not to process the application for permanent residence of the person you want to sponsor (see What if I do not meet sponsorship requirements?). The amount refunded will be equal to the amount you have paid less $75. Once processing has started on the permanent residence application by the visa office, you will not be entitled to any refund of the processing fees.

After reading this guide, you should be able to decide whether you are eligible to sponsor a member of the family class and what information and documentation is required for the application to be approved. Make sure that you are eligible before you pay your fees and that you provide all the information requested before you send the applications to CPC-M for processing.

Right of Permanent Residence Fee

If you have paid the Right of Permanent Residence Fee, it will be refunded to you if the application for permanent residence of the person you want to sponsor is refused (by the processing centre, visa office, Appeals, or upon receipt of a written request to withdraw) or if the person you are sponsoring is not granted permanent resident status. If you are entitled to a refund, you should receive it four to six weeks after the refund request has been processed by CPC-M.

Do not send cash, personal cheques, bank drafts or money orders to CPC-M unless instructed otherwise.

Table 3 — Immigration Fees

Fees	Number of Persons	Amount per Person	Amount Due
PROCESSING FEES
Sponsor, per application			$75
Principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older, or who is a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner, regardless of his or her age. Number of persons: 0 or 1.		x $475
Principal applicant who is under 22 years of age and not a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner. Number of persons: 0 or 1.		x $75
Accompanying family member who is 22 years of age or older or a spouse or common-law partner, regardless of his/her age		x $550
Accompanying family member who is under 22 years of age and not a spouse or common-law partner		x $150
Right of Permanent Residence Fee*
Principal applicant or accompanying family member who is not a. a dependent child of the sponsor or principal applicant, b. a child to be adopted by the sponsor, or c. an orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild of the sponsor.		x $490
Total Right Column			$

*Complete the Right of permanent residence Fee portion if you have decided to pay this fee with your application. The Right of permanent residence fee must be paid before permanent residence will be granted. If this fee is paid with the application we will not have to contact you later. This could reduce your processing time by two months.

How to pay your fees if you live in Canada

You have the option of paying your fees through the Internet or at a financial institution.

Option 1. Payment of fees on our website

To use this option, you need:

• a credit card;
• access to a computer with a printer;
• a valid email address; and
• follow these steps below.

Step	Action
1	Log on to our website.
2	Select “I Need To…” on the right hand side of the page.
3	Click on Pay My Application Fees.
4	Click on Pay fees online.

Once you have paid the fees you must:

• print the official receipt;
• fill out by hand the “Payer Information” section;
• attach the bottom portion (copy 2) of this receipt to your completed application.

Option 2. Payment of fees at a financial institution

STEP 1. Use Table 3 to calculate the fees required.

STEP 2. Fill in the total

Enter the “Amount payable” you have calculated at the bottom of the Receipt (IMM 5401).

Photocopies of the receipt are not accepted. If you need an original receipt, order it from our website or contact the Call Centre.

STEP 3. Complete the “Payer Information” sections on the back of the receipt

If you already know the Client ID assigned to you, enter the number in the box provided. If you do not know your Client ID, leave that box empty.

STEP 4. Go to a financial institution and make the payment

Bring the receipt with you. A financial institution representative will tell you which forms of payment are acceptable. There is no charge for the service.

STEP 5. Send your receipt

Attach the middle portion (Copy 2) of the receipt to your completed sponsorship application. Keep the top portion (Copy 1) for your files.

Do not include any other type of payment with your application.

How to pay your fees if you live exclusively outside Canada

You have the option of paying your fees through the Internet or with an international bank draft or money order.

Option 1. Payment of fees on our website

To use this option, you need:

• a credit card;
• access to a computer with a printer;
• a valid email address; and
• follow these steps below.

Step	Action
1	Log on to our website
2	Select “I Need To…” on the right hand side of the page.
3	Click on Pay My Application Fees.
4	Click on Pay fees online.

Once you have paid the fees you must:

• print the official receipt;
• fill out by hand the “Payer Information” section;
• attach the bottom portion (copy 2) of this receipt to your completed application.

Option 2. Payment of fees with an international bank draft or money order

STEP 1. Use Table 3 to calculate the fees required.

STEP 2. Obtain an international bank draft or money order.

The bank draft or money order must be made payable to the Receiver General for Canada and be in Canadian funds for the required amount. You should ensure that the bank draft or money order can be cashed through a Canadian financial institution and clearly indicates on its face the name and complete address (must not be a post office box number) and/or the transit and account numbers of the financial institution in Canada where it may be cashed. Incomplete or improper identification of the financial institution may result in processing delays and even in the return of your application.

STEP 3. Include the bank draft or money order with your completed sponsorship application.

What if you make an incorrect payment?

If you are required to pay additional fees and you live in Canada, CPC-M will send your application back to you and inform you of the amount outstanding. Pay the fees as instructed above and return the whole application to CPC-M.

The processing of your application will not begin before you have paid all applicable fees.

If the amount you have paid is greater than what you owe, your application will be processed and the overpayment will be refunded to you. If you are entitled to a refund, you should receive it four to six weeks after CPC-M has completed the refund request.

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