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

What happens next?

What happens with your application at the Case Processing Centre?

The application you send to CPC is verified for completeness. If it is complete, an officer will assess whether you meet the sponsorship requirements or not and inform you by way of a letter of the results of the assessment. If you need to provide additional documents or pay additional fees, your application will be returned to you with a letter asking you to provide the missing information or fees.

If you live in Quebec, and you are found eligible to sponsor, you will receive a letter from CIC’s Case Processing Centre telling you how to proceed with the MICC.

If all of the sponsorship requirements are met, the application for immigration to Canada of the person you are sponsoring will be sent to a Canadian visa office for processing (see 6. at section C of the instructions on how to complete the form 1344A). If you are a Quebec resident, processing will begin when MICC informs us they have approved your undertaking.

If you fail to meet the sponsorship requirements, CPC-M will inform you of the results of the assessment and will refund part of the processing fees you paid, provided you have indicated as much on your application to sponsor (IMM 1344A). The application of the person you are sponsoring will not be sent abroad and, therefore, will not be processed. You will not have a right of appeal. If you are a Quebec resident and MICC refuses your undertaking, we will refund your processing fees, with the exception of the $75 sponsorship fee, provided you have indicated as much on your application to sponsor (IMM 1344A).

In the event you do not meet the sponsorship requirements, the application of the person you are sponsoring will be sent for processing at a Canadian visa office if you have not indicated on the IMM 1344A your choice for a partial refund,. You will not be entitled to a partial refund of the processing fees once processing of the application for permanent residence has begun.

What happens to the sponsorship and permanent residence applications if you submit an application for someone who is not sponsorable or is excluded as a member of the family class?

CPC-M will note that you fail to meet the requirements for a sponsorship as your sponsorship application has been submitted on behalf of someone who is not a member of the family class. If you have indicated that you wish to withdraw the sponsorship, all processing fees except the sponsorship fee ($75) will be returned to you. If you wish to have the application sent to a visa office, the visa office will refuse the family class application as there is no valid sponsorship and it was not submitted on behalf of someone who is a member of the family class. You will not be eligible for any refund of fees if the application is sent to the visa office.

If you choose to withdraw the sponsorship, you will not have appeal rights.

What happens with the application of the person you are sponsoring at the visa office?

The visa office will review the application and supporting documentation to assess the eligibility of the person you are sponsoring as a member of the family class and his or her admissibility as an immigrant to Canada. It will contact that person to let him or her know if additional supporting documents need to be provided or an interview is required. The visa office will make a final decision to either approve or refuse the application for permanent residence.

If the application is refused, both the person you are sponsoring and you will be informed in writing of the reasons for the refusal. You will be notified of your rights to appeal and be provided with the instructions to commence an appeal, should you decide to do so.

Processing times for an application and visa issuance

We are committed to issuing visas for routine cases of spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners and/or dependent children as quickly as possible. In order to ensure that we have the information we need to make a decision on your application, send the following:

• all forms the sponsor and the person being sponsored are required to provide, completed and signed. All information must be correct and truthful;
• all supporting documents, including police certificates; and
• evidence that the applicable fees have been paid.

If your case is not routine, we may not be able to process your application within the regular service standards for routine cases. Factors that can affect the processing of your application are listed hereinafter. Visit our website or phone our Call Centre for additional information on processing times.

What if you have a co-signer and he or she withdraws his or her financial support?

If your spouse or common-law partner withdraws support for the sponsorship application, you or your spouse or common-law partner must write a letter to CPC-M and the visa office before permanent resident visas are issued to the person you are sponsoring and his or her family members. You must include an amended copy of the sponsorship application and agreement, initialled by you and your co-signer, removing the co-signer’s support. We will assess your financial situation to see if you have enough money to support your family without a co-signer. If you do not meet the financial requirements on your own, the application for permanent residence will be refused.

What factors can slow down processing?

Here is a list of common factors that can slow the processing of your application.

• Incomplete or unsigned application forms
• Incorrect, incomplete address or failure to notify CPC-M of a change of address
• Missing documents
• Unclear photocopies of documents
• Documents not accompanied by a certified English or French translation
• Investigation of sponsors by CIC
• Verification of information and documents provided (e.g., there may be lengthy procedures for background checks in the countries where the applicant or his or her family members have lived or need for a second interview for additional background screening)
• A medical condition that may require additional tests or consultations
• A criminal or security problem (e.g., failure to declare family members or criminal charges pending)
• Family situations such as impending divorce, custody or maintenance issues
• Completion of legal adoption
• Consultation is required with other offices in Canada and abroad
• Inquiring about the status of your application before the standard processing time has elapsed
• The applicant is not a permanent resident of the country in which he/she currently lives
• The applicant or his or her family members require an interview and lives in an area not regularly visited by immigration officials
• Photos provided by the principal applicant and his or her family members do not comply with specifications set out in Appendix C accompanying The Immigrant’s Guide

Checking your application status

To find out the current status of your application, follow these steps:

If you do not want your information to be made available online, you can remove it by following these steps:

Current processing times are updated weekly on our website.

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