Sponsorship of parents, grandparents, adopted children and other relatives — The sponsor’s guide (IMM 5196)

How to apply to sponsor

You must complete separate applications for each person you want to sponsor. Each application may include that person’s family members. A family member, in relation to the person being sponsored, means the spouse or common-law partner of that person and the dependent child or grandchild of that person or of his or her spouse or common-law partner. For example, if you want to sponsor your two orphan brothers, you must complete a separate application for each of your brothers; if you want to sponsor your parents and your grandmother, you must complete one application for your parents and another for your grandmother. The application for your parents would identify one of your parents as the person being sponsored (principal applicant) and the other parent as his or her family member. The application for your grandmother or the application for each of your brothers would show each individual as the person being sponsored.

You must send your sponsorship application along with all required documentation to CPC-M (see Mailing your application), and pay the applicable fees. If the forms and supporting documents received are incomplete, they will be returned to you. If they are complete, we will assess your eligibility to sponsor and notify you of the results. We will also send you an application kit with forms to be completed by the person you want to sponsor and his or her family members. See What happens next? for more information.

If you think you are eligible to sponsor and wish to support the immigration application of your parent, grandparent, adopted child or of a relative who is a member of the family class, carefully read the following instructions.

STEP 1. There is only one copy of each of the forms included for the sponsorship application. Make enough photocopies of the blank forms for your needs.

If you live in a province or territory other than Quebec, 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 Financial Evaluation (IMM 1283);
• 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 Checklist (IMM 5287); and
• the Use of a Representative form (IMM 5476), if you choose to have a representative.

If you live in Quebec, you need only complete:

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

We will 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 Receipt (IMM 5401 - see section on fees);
• the Checklist (IMM 5287); and
• the Use of a Representative form (IMM 5476), if you choose to have a representative.

STEP 2. If you live in a province or territory other than Quebec, send to the person you want to sponsor the Sponsorship Agreement (IMM 1344B) signed by you and, if applicable, your co-signer (see instructions on how to complete the Agreement). That person must read the form, sign it and return it to you.

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 certification (notarization).

Use the Checklist to make sure that you have included all of the required documents. We 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 fees associated with their case to submit an application. See section on fees.

All information and documents are required to assess applications correctly and quickly. If the documents received are incomplete, applications will be returned to sponsors to be resubmitted with missing documentation.

<< contents | previous | next >>