Language selection

Search

Sponsoring your spouse, partner or dependent child

 Get help to open an application form or to fill one out in the Help Centre.

Get ready to apply

We won’t ask you for original supporting documents anymore. We now accept copies. You should still have your originals in case we ask you for them during processing.

You must now apply online

As of September 23, 2022, you must now apply online for this program. 

If you can’t apply online, and require accommodations, including for a disability, you can ask for the application in another format (paper, braille or large print).

The Complete Guide (IMM 5289) has important information about:

If you’re sponsoring your adopted child or a child you will adopt in Canada, use the application kit to sponsor adopted children and other relatives instead.

Get your checklist, forms and instructions

Who are you sponsoring?

  • My spouse (and dependent children, if this applies)
  • My common-law partner (and dependent children, if this applies)
  • My conjugal partner (and dependent children, if this applies)
  • My dependent child only

What country does the person being sponsored live in? Help text

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Ascencion
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bermuda
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bonaire
  • Bora Bora
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burma (Myanmar)
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China (People's Republic of)
  • Colombia
  • Comoros Island
  • Congo
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Denmark
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Estonia
  • Eswatini
  • Ethiopia
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Holy See
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong SAR
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Ivory Coast
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Korea (Republic of)
  • Kosovo
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macao SAR
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mali
  • Malta
  • Marie-Galante
  • Marshall Islands
  • Martinique
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia (Federated States of)
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Montserrat
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • Netherlands
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Niue Island
  • Norfolk Island
  • North Macedonia (Republic of)
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Palestinian Authority (Gaza)
  • Palestinian Authority (West Bank)
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Rwanda
  • Saba
  • Saint-Barthélemy
  • St. Eustatius
  • Saint Helena
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Sint Maarten
  • Saint Martin
  • Saint Pierre et Miquelon
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa (American)
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Soloman Islands
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Spain
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Syria
  • Tahiti
  • Taiwan
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Timor-Leste (Timor oriental)
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tristan da Cunha
  • Tunisia
  • Türkiye
  • Turkmenistan
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America
  • Uruguay
  • US Virgin Islands
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican and Holy See
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Wallis and Futuna
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

What other countries has the person you’re sponsoring lived in? Help text

Choose a country or territory to get country-specific instructions for documents such as:

  • passports
  • birth certificates
  • marriage or divorce certificates
  • national identification cards
  • military service documents (for example, military booklets)
  • other civil documents

Country:

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Ascencion
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bermuda
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bonaire
  • Bora Bora
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burma (Myanmar)
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China (People's Republic of)
  • Colombia
  • Comoros Island
  • Congo
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Denmark
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Estonia
  • Eswatini
  • Ethiopia
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Holy See
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong SAR
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Ivory Coast
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Korea (Republic of)
  • Kosovo
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macao SAR
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mali
  • Malta
  • Marie-Galante
  • Marshall Islands
  • Martinique
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia (Federated States of)
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Montserrat
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • Netherlands
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Niue Island
  • Norfolk Island
  • North Macedonia (Republic of)
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Palestinian Authority (Gaza)
  • Palestinian Authority (West Bank)
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Rwanda
  • Saba
  • Saint-Barthélemy
  • St. Eustatius
  • Saint Helena
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Sint Maarten
  • Saint Martin
  • Saint Pierre et Miquelon
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa (American)
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Soloman Islands
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Spain
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Syria
  • Tahiti
  • Taiwan
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Timor-Leste (Timor oriental)
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tristan da Cunha
  • Tunisia
  • Türkiye
  • Turkmenistan
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America
  • Uruguay
  • US Virgin Islands
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican and Holy See
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Wallis and Futuna
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
Add another country

Second country:

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Ascencion
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bermuda
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bonaire
  • Bora Bora
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burma (Myanmar)
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China (People's Republic of)
  • Colombia
  • Comoros Island
  • Congo
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Denmark
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Estonia
  • Eswatini
  • Ethiopia
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Holy See
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong SAR
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Ivory Coast
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Korea (Republic of)
  • Kosovo
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macao SAR
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mali
  • Malta
  • Marie-Galante
  • Marshall Islands
  • Martinique
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia (Federated States of)
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Montserrat
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • Netherlands
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Niue Island
  • Norfolk Island
  • North Macedonia (Republic of)
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Palestinian Authority (Gaza)
  • Palestinian Authority (West Bank)
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Rwanda
  • Saba
  • Saint-Barthélemy
  • St. Eustatius
  • Saint Helena
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Sint Maarten
  • Saint Martin
  • Saint Pierre et Miquelon
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa (American)
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Soloman Islands
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Spain
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Syria
  • Tahiti
  • Taiwan
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Timor-Leste (Timor oriental)
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tristan da Cunha
  • Tunisia
  • Türkiye
  • Turkmenistan
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America
  • Uruguay
  • US Virgin Islands
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican and Holy See
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Wallis and Futuna
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Third country:

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Ascencion
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bermuda
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bonaire
  • Bora Bora
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burma (Myanmar)
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China (People's Republic of)
  • Colombia
  • Comoros Island
  • Congo
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Denmark
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Estonia
  • Eswatini
  • Ethiopia
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Holy See
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong SAR
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Ivory Coast
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Korea (Republic of)
  • Kosovo
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macao SAR
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mali
  • Malta
  • Marie-Galante
  • Marshall Islands
  • Martinique
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia (Federated States of)
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Montserrat
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • Netherlands
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Niue Island
  • Norfolk Island
  • North Macedonia (Republic of)
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Palestinian Authority (Gaza)
  • Palestinian Authority (West Bank)
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Rwanda
  • Saba
  • Saint-Barthélemy
  • St. Eustatius
  • Saint Helena
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Sint Maarten
  • Saint Martin
  • Saint Pierre et Miquelon
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa (American)
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Soloman Islands
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Spain
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Syria
  • Tahiti
  • Taiwan
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Timor-Leste (Timor oriental)
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tristan da Cunha
  • Tunisia
  • Türkiye
  • Turkmenistan
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America
  • Uruguay
  • US Virgin Islands
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican and Holy See
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Wallis and Futuna
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Photo specifications

You need one photo for each person on your application.

Follow the instructions in the online application to scan and upload both sides of your photo.

Using an immigration representative

If you’re a representative, find out how you can create an account and submit applications on behalf of your clients.

If you want to appoint someone to do business with us on your behalf, you must

An immigration representative (an immigration consultant or lawyer) can give you advice and help you with your application for a fee. But they can’t

A representative can fill out forms and communicate with us on your behalf through their own account. They can also

After you read the declaration, you must be the one who types your name. This is the legal requirement for your application to be considered “signed,” according to Canada’s immigration law.

Details for the person being sponsored

Sign in or create a Permanent residence online application portal account.

Get your fingerprints and photo taken

If you’re between 14 and 79 years old, you may need to give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics).

Find out if you need to give your biometrics

Temporary changes to biometrics

Book your biometric appointment as soon as you can to avoid processing delays.

If you can’t book an appointment by the deadline on your biometric instruction letter, there may be temporary measures in place to help you.

Technical issues

If you’re having technical issues applying, contact us using the web form

If you need to upload a number of images, find out how to combine them into 1 document.

Pay your fees online

Find out how to pay your fees.

Working in Canada

If you already have a work permit, you can keep working as long as the permit is valid.

If you’re living in Canada with the person sponsoring you, you can also apply for an open work permit when you apply for permanent residence. Find out more about how to apply for an open work permit online.

Submit your online application

Before you submit your application, make sure you:

If your application is incomplete, we’ll reject it. You’ll have to fix any errors and then re-submit it.

Get updates about your application online

If you and the person you are sponsoring meet the eligibility requirements, we will mail or email you a request to link your application to an online account.

Find out how to link your application to your account after you create an account or sign in.

Having trouble? See the top questions about linking your application in the Help Centre.

Features

Date modified: