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If all sponsorship requirements are met, we will:

assess your spouse or common-law partner’s application
send your spouse or common-law partner a letter stating whether he or she has been approved or more information is required
complete medical, security and background checks
contact your spouse or common-law partner for a permanent residence interview, at which time the final decision on permanent resident status will be made.

Consult the flow chart in the next section for details on the application process.

What happens if my application is refused?

If:	Then:
You ticked the “proceed with the application for permanent residence”, in box 1 of Section A on your Application to Sponsor and Undertaking (IMM 1344A)	Your spouse or common-law partner’s application will be refused The processing fees paid for the sponsorship and permanent residence applications will not be refunded If paid, the Right of Permanent Residence Fee will be refunded
You ticked the “withdraw your sponsorship” in box 1 of Section A at the top of the Application to Sponsor and Undertaking (IMM 1344A)	Your spouse or common-law partner’s application will not be processed You will receive a refund for all fees paid, with the exception of the $75 sponsorship fee If paid, the permanent residence fees would be refunded

Other useful information

If:	Then:
Your spouse or common-law partner is refused	Your spouse or common-law partner must leave Canada at the end of their period of temporary stay.
You resolve the situation that made you ineligible to sponsor (e.g., you receive a pardon or repay a debt)	You may re-apply by submitting a new application and fees
Your spouse or common-law partner leaves Canada while the application is being processed	There is no guarantee that they will be allowed to re-enter Canada. This is especially true if they require a visitor visa. Refer to the Warning in Part 2, Applicant’s Guide

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

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

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

Step	Action
1	Log on to our website.
2	Select “I Need To…” on the right hand side of the page.
3	Click on Check My Application Status.
4	Click on Client Application Status.
5	Access your account.
6	Select the check box next to the message Please don't show my application status on the Internet.

Current processing times are updated weekly on our website.

This diagram is available in pdf only.