4 Tips for Spousal Sponsorship/Permanent Residency Applications

Many people are now hoping to make a new life in Canada. The immigrant-friendly country has long been welcoming towards foreigners both in culture and in the application process. If you’ve been considering Canada as your new home country, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the application processes.

The spousal sponsorship application in particular means making sure you fulfil a number of eligibility requirements. These include either being married, in a common-law relationship, or in a conjugal relationship with a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada currently residing in the country. 

Here are four tips to keep in mind when starting a spousal sponsorship or permanent residency application:

Prepare Your Forms

Immigration applications typically involve a lot of paperwork, so preparing your forms is a crucial first step to making sure the process goes smoothly. There are several forms that are required, especially for a spousal sponsorship application, so make sure you fill these in as completely and accurately as possible. This will prevent delays in the processing of your application that can be caused by incorrectly filled forms.

If you want to make sure that you’ve properly filled out the forms, seek the help of a trusted immigration advisor. They’ll review your forms to make sure they’re correctly answered.

Organize Supporting Documents

Your application will also request several supporting documents for it to be processed. It’s important to make sure you have all of these with you, or else your application will be sent back and further delay your move. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) actually provides a checklist of required documents, which is sure to help you organize them. These include identity documents and proof of your relationship with the Canadian citizen or permanent resident. 

Although it may not be required, supporting documents can consist of additional papers that prove the authenticity of your relationship to your spouse. This can come in the form of letters of support from close friends and family. These must be in either French or English; if the original documents are in any other language, you’ll have to have them officially translated. 

Some required documents, like police or security clearance from foreign governments, may take a while to obtain. Be sure to request for these several months in advance before starting your application. 

Include a Written Statement

Another way to bolster your application is to provide a written statement, statutory declaration, or affidavit that details the development of your relationship with your spouse. This includes how you met, if you lived together, when you got engaged, and the details of your wedding (if applicable). This will also discuss your plans for the future and detail how the sponsor intends to support you during the application process. You can also use this document to provide more context to the information in your other forms.

Practicing for the Interview

Being well-prepared for your interview is essential in getting your application approved. You will be interviewed by an CIC immigration officer and you will be asked questions about your relationship in order to establish its sincerity and genuineness. They want to determine whether or not it was established solely out of mutual adoration or if it was for immigration purposes only.

The best way to prepare is by consulting a lawyer, who will meet with you beforehand to practice your answers.

Spousal Sponsorship
Spousal Sponsorship

Conclusion

Keeping these tips in mind will help make sure your application process goes as smoothly and quickly as possible. Seeking the advice of immigration consultants in Canada will definitely help prepare you for your big move to start a new future for you and your family. 

If you’re looking for professional help from a trusted firm please contact us at info@brightimmigration.com or call 1-888-404-8472.

4 Red Flags to Look Out for in Trying to Secure Spousal Sponsorships

While not entirely perfect or without controversy, Canada’s immigration policies have always been hailed for its openness to admit migrants to its fold. There are several Canadian immigration services that can get you a permanent residency, each with their own requirements. However, one of the fastest ways to immigrate to Canada is via marriage, provided that you can prove that your marriage is legitimate. 

Proving the legitimacy of your marriage to an immigration officer is a necessary and often crucial step to securing a permanent residency in Canada via spousal sponsorship. Not only will there be a considerable number of requirements, but you will also have to provide a logical progression of your relationship and history to the officer. While this shouldn’t be a huge problem for legitimate couples, there are a few potential issues that one should be aware of when trying to enter Canada using this method. 

Here are four potential issues that you should watch out for: 

1. Previous Divorces in a Foreign Country

If you or your current spouse were previously married, then it’s best to do your due diligence and determine that there are no pending processes that could render your present marriage illegal. You must ensure that the previous marriages have been divorced or annulled completely in the country where the marriage license was issued and that you are both legally allowed to remarry. 

Under Canadian laws, simply being granted a new marriage license is not enough proof of a legal marriage. Instead, you must unequivocally show that there are no underlying complexities that could render it invalid in the countries where the previous marriages were granted.

2. Significant Age Differences Between Spouses 

One of the more controversial reasons spousal sponsorships can get rejected is because of significant age gaps between the sponsor and the foreign spouse. This is because immigration officers are trained to spot and probe common signs of what they see as fraudulent marriages, such as 30 to 40 years in age difference. 

While decisions based on these grounds can be appealed, it could take you and your spouse years to even reach a decision that may or may not be favourable, not to mention cost a small fortune in legal fees. If you find yourself in a situation similar to this, it’s best to consult an immigration consultant to determine your best approach. 

3. Cultural Inconsistencies

The level of scrutiny applied to marriages can vary greatly, but immigration officers will pay close attention to the conduct of your marriage regarding your cultural backgrounds. For example, weddings in India are generally well-attended affairs. If an application involving a marriage done in India was rather intimate, then it could raise questions. 

4. Sponsor’s Unstable Financial Situation

One of the requirements of a successful spousal sponsorship is that the sponsor must demonstrate that they are capable of supporting a spouse without relying on government aid. This is particularly applicable if your or your partner is also going to sponsor a dependent child who is also supporting dependent children of their own. 

Spousal Sponsorships
Spousal Sponsorships

Conclusion

Proving the legitimacy of your marriage by disclosing otherwise private and intimate information to an immigration officer might be an uncomfortable thought to you. However, doing so can mean the difference between approval and rejection. While the issues presented here will not automatically disqualify your application, it can significantly increase the time and costs of getting your application approved. This is where it’s worth hiring an immigration adviser to make sure that your application progresses as quickly as possible. 

If you’re looking for professional help from an immigration firm in Toronto, please contact us at info@brightimmigration.com or call 1-888-404-8472.

4 Spousal Sponsorship Woes You Can Avoid – What to Know

The Canadian spousal sponsorship process has a lot of potential woes that could jeopardize your application, but there are ways to avoid it. Remember that when your application gets rejected after review, you lessen the chances of your spouse getting permanent residency in the country. With that said, you must know the four spousal sponsorship challenges to increase your chances of an accepted application.

1) Common Inadmissibility Reasons

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts a comprehensive background check on your spouse for any grounds of rejection that could imperil your application. This government agency is responsible for ensuring the safety of current residents of Canada, which is why it is strict in enforcing the guidelines on admission.

For example, if you have a record of being in jail for at least ten years, drunk driving, or driving while under the influence of drugs—these are grounds for refusing your spousal sponsorship application. Aside from the three mentioned above, there are also war crimes, humanitarian crime, health issues, terrorism involvement, and more.

Once you’ve identified all of these, it is best to talk to an immigration consultant in Canada to help you address these concerns.

2) Denied Spousal Sponsorship Experience

If you have a refused sponsorship application in the past, the law states that you should wait for five years before being eligible to file again for another applicant. That is an attempt to minimize the chances and occurrence of fraud. If you’ve attempted to sponsor a different spouse before, you need to file for the dissolution of your relationship with help from an immigration agency. If you don’t, authorities can question the validity of your relationship with your current spouse.

  3) Problems With Documents

Like any other government transactions, the sponsorship program relies on the information stated in paperwork and documents. A problem with the information in the paperwork is subject to disapproval by the CIC because they need accurate and factual data to verify your credentials for the sponsorship.

For cross-country document submission, your paperwork should be recognized by Canadian authorities as legal and valid. Otherwise, the lack of verification endangers your application processing eligibility. So, it is critical to triple check any errors or misspellings on all documents. Any small mistakes can slow down the process of approval, or your application gets denied immediately in the worst-case scenario.

4) New Sponsorship Laws and Policies

There are newer legislations that cater to immigration policies, and you should watch out for them whenever they take effect. Let’s take the recent change in the qualifications for your spouse’s children’s application. The new legislation needs the children to be under the age of 19 to qualify for the sponsorship, which is three years younger than the previously required age of 22. Changes like these pose a risk on your application, so you should always study the new legislation if they could help or degrade your chances of getting approved.

Spousal Sponsorship
Spousal Sponsorship

Conclusion

There are four spousal sponsorship woes that you should watch out for: common inadmissibility reasons, experience with denied spousal sponsorship, paperwork problems, and new legislation. With a ton of things at stake, it is best to consult with a reliable immigration consultant in Toronto to help you increase your chances of approval for your application. Reach out to us today to see how we can help with your spousal sponsorship application.

How To Immigrate To Canada

Are you wondering how to immigrate to Canada? Canadian immigration can be a complicated process, and many people aren’t quite sure how to do it. Whether you want to move temporarily or permanently, there are plenty of legal ways to do it. We’ve broken Canadian immigration down into three categories to give you an idea of how to proceed.

1. Study Permits Canada

If you’re a student or want to be one, you can take advantage of Canada’s offerings for a world-class education. According to ThePieNews, the number of international students entering Canada increased by 22 percent from 2016 to 2017. According to report Canada, tuition fees for Canadian educational institutions tend to be lower than in other countries, which makes the country an enticing draw for people wishing to further their education.

As an international student in Canada, you can bring your spouse or partner with you. Your children can attend a public school without the need to obtain their own permit. Moreover, the government has clear pathways for earning permanent residency after you graduate.

You can get a study permit whether you decide to enroll at a Canadian school full-time or part-time. However, you will only be allowed to work in Canada (on or off-campus) if you are attending school full-time.

Find A Study Program At A Canadian College Or University

If you’re considering staying in Canada as a student for longer than six months, the first step is to find a program of study that you’d like to enroll in at a designated learning institution, or DLI. These institutions are approved by the government to host international students. Once you have found a program in which you’d like to enroll, you can check whether the school is a DLI using this online tool.

Apply To A DLI

Before requesting a study permit, you need to be accepted to the DLI of your choice. Every school has a distinct application process. Make sure that you follow instructions and meet all of the deadlines.

Be careful if you’re considering a program that involves a great deal of distance learning. Because you don’t have to be physically in Canada to study via distance learning, a study permit can’t be issued for that type of course. If a distance course requires you to be present in Canada for examinations or certain classes, a study permit can be issued for a specific length of time.

Apply For A Study Permit

Once you’re accepted, you’ll need to get a letter of acceptance from the DLI. Along with that, you’ll need to show proof of identity and proof that you can support yourself and your family financially while you’re in Canada. You’ll also need to draft a letter of explanation that explains why you want to study in Canada and that you recognize your responsibilities as a student.

You can apply for a study permit here.

2. Work Permits

There are different types of work permits that allow you to come to Canada temporarily or permanently. We’ll discuss those that are appropriate for permanent residency in the next section of this article.

Post-Graduation Work Permit

If you’ve graduated from a post-secondary Canadian school, you can start to create a long-term life in the country with a post-graduate work permit. This open work permit lets you stay and work in Canada for up to three years. The length of the post-graduate work permit depends on the length of study that you completed.

Because the work permit is open, you can be employed in any field and by any company. If you’re working toward one of the permanent residency programs, which we describe in the section on Permanent Residence, however, you might want to narrow your work experience to one employer or industry.

Temporary Foreign Worker Program

When Canadian employers can’t find the right people to fill their positions, they can look to other countries through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.  If you have put down roots in Canada by working temporarily for a Canadian employer, you may be able to transition to permanent residency. You can visit Canada as a temporary business visitor without a work permit, but your visitor visa will only allow you to stay for up to six months.

NAFTA and CETA

If you’re a professional from the U.S. or Mexico who works in certain industries, you can work in Canada temporarily under the North American Free Trade Agreement. A NAFTA Professionals work permit covers a wide range of about 60 occupations. You must be a citizen of the U.S. or Mexico, hold a degree or certificate in your field, and have pre-arranged employment with a Canadian employer. NAFTA also applies to certain investors, traders and intra-company transferees.

CETA is similar to NAFTA, but it targets professionals from the European Union.

International Experience Canada

The International Experience Canada (IEC) program allows young people to work in Canada temporarily. Depending on the country you’re from, the age range for the IEC is between 18 and 35 years. Citizens of specific companies can only stay until their 29th or 30th birthday.

The IEC is offered to people from 30 different countries. Depending on your citizenship, you can stay for 12 to 24 months with an open work permit, employer-specific work permit or international coop permit.

If you’re interested in immigrating via this method, you’ll need to enter the pool of applicants who are in the same position as you. There are three categories:

  • IEC Working Holiday Visa In Canada
  • IEC Young Professional work permit
  • IEC International Co-Op work permit

You can join as many pools as you’d like, based on the category of work permit and your current country of residence. To do this, set up a profile on the IRCC website. If you have fulfilled all of the eligibility requirements, you will be entered in a random draw, which takes place at regular intervals throughout the year. Candidates whose names are drawn will receive an invitation to apply, or ITA, for a work permit.

The draws are only held until all spaces for the year are filled. Therefore, it’s helpful to get your profile in early to maximize your chances of being accepted.

3. Start-Up Visa

People who want to boost the Canadian economy by starting a business there may qualify for a Start-Up Visa. They must satisfy stringent requirements to do this, but it’s another option for immigrating to Canada.

4. Permanent Residence

If you have studied or worked in Canada, you have already begun your journey toward permanent residency. Canada offers several permanent residency programs to skilled workers or professionals in particular industries or trades. These include:

  • The Canadian Experience Class
  • The Federal Skilled Worker Class
  • The Federal Skilled Trades Class

Quebec has its own programs that parallel these.

Express Entry Into Canada

If you are eligible for any of these programs and have the necessary documentation to back up your qualifications, you can work toward permanent residency through the Express Entry  program. This works similarly to the IEC program.

You create a profile online, and you will get a rating based on your work experience, demographic factors, educational history, language skills and other factors. A drawing is held periodically to offer ITAs to people with profiles in the Express Entry program. The higher your rating is, the better your chances are of having your name drawn.

Once you receive an ITA, you can apply for permanent residency. This may be the fastest and best way to immigrate to Canada, but you do need some years of experience working or studying in the country in order to be eligible.

5. Other Options For Immigration To Canada

Other programs that can help you apply for permanent residency include:

  • Provincial nomination
  • Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
  • Family sponsorship

With a provincial nomination, you may have the opportunity to enter the Express Entry pool if you also qualify for one of the skilled worker classes or the Canadian Experience Class.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program is an employer-driven program that encourages companies in the four Atlantic Provinces to bring in foreign workers.

The Family Sponsorship program recognizes that some Canadian permanent residents and citizens would like to unite with family members who live abroad. This program allows you to bring in a parent, grandparent, spouse, common-law partner, dependent child, or occasionally other family members. To qualify, sponsors must meet spousal sponsorship requirements, and the family members must meet certain eligibility requirements.

Immigration consultants advise those travelling to Canada for Compassionate Travel purposes not to fear the process.
Immigrate To Canada

Final Conclusion

Canadian welcomes immigrants who can demonstrate that they will promote and contribute to the nation’s growing economy. Most of the immigration programs are targeted to skilled professionals who already have jobs lined up with a Canadian employer.

If you’re self-employed or unemployed, you might wonder whether you can immigrate to Canada. Authors, artists, interpreters, musicians, designers and other creative professionals may qualify for immigration if they have worked for at least two one-year periods of self-employment in cultural activities, whether locally or globally. Self-employment means that you make enough money to cover your personal expenses.

To immigrate to Canada as a self-employed person, you must also demonstrate that you will contribute to the country’s economy. This means that you will enrich Canadian culture or sports in some manner. This is a highly subjective assessment. An art teacher who will enhance the education of children in a small town may be just as valuable to Canadian culture as a freelance writer who intends to submit articles to various Canadian newspapers.

Immigrating to Canada is a process that can take several months. Getting started with any necessary applications, documentation or language tests is a good way to get the ball rolling. You can also visit Canada with a tourist visa, which allows you to stay for up to six months at a time.

What to Do If Your Spousal Sponsorship Application Is Denied

When it comes to immigration processes for getting into Canada, Spousal Sponsorship applications can be some of the most difficult experiences for anyone.

As opposed to other standard family class programs offered by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), this process is difficult because it tackles a relationship that isn’t defined by blood. Instead of solely being based on a certificate that proves a familial relationship, the deliberation involved calls for an interpretation instead of verification, making it far more difficult. 

During the application, you may begin to realize just how important it is to prove the authenticity of the relationship you have with your spouse that the CIC doesn’t dispute it. Given the ongoing trend of “Green card marriages,” it’s easy to see why the process is as difficult as many claim it to be. 

While it may be true that having the utmost dedication to getting the process right is a prerequisite of success, the reality is that it may not be enough if you’re faced with a refused spousal sponsorship application. 

A harsh reality to deal with

After spending time trying to make sure that everything’s filled, it’s understandable to feel disheartened once you learn of the refusal. When you see the words “Your spousal sponsorship application has been denied”, you may feel a wave of disappointment and disbelief, even more so if it says that “the nature of relationship and marriage is not genuine.” 

Before you give up and consider moving elsewhere, it’s important to understand that this isn’t the end of the road to living the Canadian dream. By settling down and acting accordingly despite the daunting news, you can quickly turn things around and appeal to have the decision overturned. 

How you can revert the refusal and get back on track

Thanks to the human-centric truth of first judgments not necessarily accurate, you can have a refusal decision overturned if they believe the grounds for refusal were unjustified. If you want to give your spouse a better life with you on Canadian soil but have a refusal in the way, here’s everything you need to know about sending a successful appeal: 

How to you know if you’re qualified

Generally, the CIC only hands out the right to appeal to the couples who filed their sponsorship applications in the prescribed manner according to the guidelines provided at the start of the process. Additionally, it’s vital to note that you can only file this document or plea if you didn’t make the application in the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class as it goes against the set rules for first-time applicants.

A few ways to build a stronger appeal

Beyond complying with the rules, being able to overturn the decision you’re trying to contest entails having a proper set of grounds that build your case and stress the error involved in the deliberation. Certain grounds for appeal, such as showing a refusal that was wrong in fact or law, proving a lack of humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) consideration assessment, and pointing out a breach of procedural fairness can often guarantee a reversal.

On the other hand, you can further ensure the success of your appeal by seeking the services of Canadian Immigration experts. Various professionals, such as Bright Immigration, make sure that your argument tackles crucial points and that there are no structural flaws that can cost you the case by using their experience and expertise!

Conclusion

Dealing with a refused spousal sponsorship from the CIC can easily be a heartbreaking experience. Nevertheless, it’s vital to act fast and start working on your appeal quickly. By taking this guide into mind, you can build a strong argument that will boost your odds of success to get things back on track and eventually have your spouse living with you in Canada!

If you’re looking for professional help from immigration consultants in Toronto, please contact us at info@brightimmigration.com or call 1-888-404-8472.

Immigration Update: Canada Welcomes Immigrants From Hong Kong

The Canada Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, recently told reporters that the country is welcoming more immigrants from Hong Kong. The 2016 Census shows that 215,000 Hong Kong-born Canadians were living in the country. In consonance with this, the Press reports state another 300,000 Canadian citizens and permanent residents are currently living in Hong Kong. Given these statistics, the country is planning to extend more invitations to immigrants from Hong Kong.

In this article, we’ll provide you with an update on how the country plans to welcome immigrants from Hong Kong.

Going back to the past, a huge number of Hong Kong immigrants were apparent in the 1980s and 1990s. Most of them immigrated to Canada via the Immigrant Investor Program (IIP) or the federal entrepreneur program. However, these programs were eventually terminated. In recent years, there has been a lower number of immigrants. In 2015, only 900 people moved to Canada, while 1,500 immigrants were welcomed last year. Today, there are more than 500,000 people from Hong Kong living in this country.

Immigration options

There are various options for immigration, such as the following:

  • Family class immigration: This is an excellent option for people with close family members staying in Canada because members or relatives outside of the country can apply through sponsorship programs.
  • Express Entry: This option is ideal for people without family members in Canada. It is the flagship immigration system for skilled workers who want to immigrate. In essence, applicants can use the Federal Skilled Worker Program to become eligible for the Express Entry.

Reasons Hong Kong people consider Canadian immigration

As mentioned, many citizens of Hong Kong have moved into the country for various causes in their home country. Here are several reasons for the shift:

  • Political situation: Times have been uncertain in Hong Kong due to political unrest. It’s apparent that there have been several pro-democracy protests and demonstrations since June 2019, and this has caused many people to move.
  • A high cost of living: It’s undeniable that the cost of living in Hong Kong is extremely high. For instance, a one-bedroom apartment in the city will cost you about $2,997 a month compared to $1,747 per month in Toronto.

Reasons to immigrate to Canada

There are various reasons to immigrate to Canada. On top of these are the following:

  • The great attractions: The country is known for many great attractions—from 47 national parks to over 250,000 lakes down to famous attractions, such as Canadian Rockies, Niagara Falls, and the Northern lights, among many others.
  • The diversified cities: The country has one of the most multicultural populations in the world. It is a conglomeration of people from different parts of the world and from all walks of life.
  • The robust economy and safety: The country has one of the most robust economies in the world. Furthermore, it is ranked sixth on the list of the most peaceful countries in the world.
Immigration consultants advise those travelling to Canada for Compassionate Travel purposes not to fear the process.

Conclusion

As Canada is always welcoming, people from Hong Kong should take advantage of this great opportunity. With the recent announcement made by the Prime Minister himself, it’s a good idea to consider taking the plunge into immigrating to Canada. 

To get your application started, you have to work with an immigration agency that can assist you every step of the way. With their help, you can soon become a permanent resident of Canada, taking advantage of the many wonderful opportunities the country offers!

If you’re looking for professional help from a trusted firm, please contact us at info@brightimmigration.com or call 1-888-404-8472.

Canadian Permanent Resident vs Citizen: Which Is Better?

Canada has an excellent immigration policy, which is why for many years, it has been a top choice of country to live in for immigrants. After all, it boasts of opportunities to advance your career, offers excellent welfare benefits, and more—all of which you can enjoy while taking in the spectacular views of the country’s natural beauty.

Many immigration programs require you to secure permanent residency first before becoming a Canadian citizen. Once you are eligible, you can then apply for citizenship. However, just because you meet all the requirements does not mean you need to apply as a citizen. You have the choice to keep your permanent resident status if you want to.

If you are considering whether you should remain a permanent resident or apply for citizenship once you are eligible, then this guide is for you. As immigration consultants in Toronto that you can rely on, we compiled some of the most important details you should know to help you make a more informed decision.

What Are the Benefits of Being a Canadian Permanent Resident?

Staying as a permanent resident instead of applying for Canadian citizenship grants you various privileges that you can enjoy. These include being able to study, work, or live wherever you want in Canada, travel around the country freely, access social benefits, and sponsor some of your family members to immigrate to Canada. You can also keep your home citizenship, have the rights and protections under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Canadian laws, and apply for Canadian citizenship if you want to. 

Keep in mind that as a Canadian permanent resident, you need to maintain your status, avoid losing it, and reapply to keep your permanent resident (PR) card if needed. You also need to follow Canadian laws, pay taxes, and meet the other obligations of permanent residency.

What Are the Benefits of Becoming a Canadian Citizen?

Pursuing Canadian citizenship instead of retaining your permanent resident status means you get to reap some benefits in addition to the advantages of permanent residency. If you qualify for becoming a Canadian citizen, you can run for office, vote in the election, travel on a Canadian passport, retain your citizenship unless you decide to renounce it, and become a dual citizen.

You have to meet all requirements to become eligible and enjoy the benefits of becoming a Canadian citizen. Also, you must go through the entire application process. It is best to seek help from a trusted immigration agency to make your application process easier and more efficient.  

Canadian Permanent Resident

Conclusion

Choosing if you would retain your status as a permanent resident in Canada or seek application to become a Canadian citizen is a big decision that can make all the difference in your life. Bear in mind that as a PR cardholder, you are not obligated to become a Canadian citizen, which is why you have to consider your options carefully. By using the information mentioned above as your guide, you can come up with a decision that would help you live your best life possible.

Meanwhile, to help you get access to top-notch immigration services, trust only experienced immigration consultants. They can help you make your application process faster and more convenient.

If you’re looking for professional help from a trusted firm, please contact us at info@brightimmigration.com or call 1-888-404-8472.

Spousal Sponsorship: What to Know About Outland Application

Canada’s Family Class Sponsorship Program allows its citizens to bring their foreign families with them into the country. One subcategory of this program is the Spousal Sponsorship Program, a program that helps citizens reunite with their spouses in Canada.

People who are eligible for this program are those who have Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status. There are two types of application processes for this, which are the inland and outland applications. The most common one is the outland application.

What is Outland Application?

An outland application is one type of spousal sponsorship process that allows citizens living in Canada to sponsor their spouses to migrate into the country. As the name implies, it applies to beneficiaries who are residing outside Canada.

Here are some basic things you should know about outland application:

1. Your spouse can go in and out of Canada while the application is in process

Your spouse is allowed to travel in and out of the country as a visitor while the application is ongoing. They will only need a valid visitor visa to visit if they come from a country that necessitates a visa for visiting Canada.

However, having a valid visa doesn’t wholly guarantee an entry. They will still be treated and processed like a regular foreign visitor. Officers can refuse their entry if it seems necessary.

2. Application is processed through a visa office

Unlike with an inland application, outland applications are processed through the visa office which serves your spouse’s geographical region. This is why it is relatively faster than inland applications. Generally, its processing time will take about 12 months.

The processing time may take longer, depending on how many applications are being processed at the visa office. Before submitting your application requirements, double-check your documents, making sure they are complete and correct.

3. You can appeal your denied application

In an event where your spousal sponsorship application has been rejected, you can appeal your application to the Immigration Appeal Division of the Immigration & Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). You would need a copy of the refusal notice sent by the visa office to your spouse to process your appeal.

Before you send your appeal application, it is important that you know why your application got denied in the first place. Most commonly, the officers deny requests if they believe or have found evidence that the marriage is not genuine.

4. Your spouse’s visitor visa doesn’t allow them to work legally 

Whether your spouse has travelled to Canada with or without a visa, they would not be allowed to take jobs. As mentioned previously, they will be treated as regular visitors, and visitors cannot work with their visitor visas as well.

Instead, you can use this time to tour them around the country. Take this as an opportunity to spend time together while you are both waiting for your spousal sponsorship application result.

Conclusion

Canada is one of the countries that give the best benefits and opportunities for immigrants. Many foreign nationals are continually coming to Canada to find stable work. As such, the population of foreign families in Canada is growing as well.

The spousal sponsorship program is just one of the several programs that Canada has made to help reunite citizens or permanent residents with their spouses outside the country. If you are preparing to submit a spousal sponsorship application in Canada, you should look for an immigration advisor for assistance.

Looking for professional help from a trusted firm? Please contact our immigration consultants in Toronto at info@brightimmigration.com or call 1-888-404-8472.

Lonely Canadian: Sponsoring a Relative to Immigrate

When you live alone in another country, you can’t help but feel homesick and lonely sometimes. Some people cope with this loneliness in different ways, while some will try to bring their family to where they are. 

In Canada, citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their spouses, children, parents, grandparents, or common-law partners to immigrate to Canada. To do this, you can work with a reliable immigration consultant to guide you through the whole process from application to the day your sponsored relative arrives in the country. 

A common misconception is that citizens and permanent residents can only sponsor immediate family members. However, this is false because it is also possible to sponsor an extended family member to immigrate. 

If you’re considering immigrating to Canada, stick around. We’ll give you more information about this topic so you won’t have to feel lonely and homesick in Canada again!

The Lonely Canadian Program

The Canadian government started a program called “Lonely Canadian Program” or the “Other Relative Program,” allowing Canadian Citizens or a permanent resident to sponsor an adult son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece to immigrate to Canada. 

If the extended family member you are sponsoring is married or has children, they, too, can sponsor their immediate family with them to immigrate to Canada. However, the person being sponsored must be related to the sponsor by blood. 

To sponsor a relative, you must ensure that you do not have a spouse, common-law partner, child, parent, or grandparent who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Besides that, you need to make sure you aren’t also with someone who is a foreigner that can be sponsored. 

This program was made in favour of those people who do not have any relations in Canada and cannot sponsor immediate family members. But you should remember that standard immigration rules apply, and you will need to enter into an undertaking with the Canadian government before sponsoring a relative, pledging to be financially stable for when your relative arrives until 10 years after they resettle. 

Sponsoring a Parent

When you want to immigrate an extended family member but have a living parent or grandparent with you, it may be quite confusing. Some may say that you can’t sponsor an extended family member, while others say it’s possible. 

After discussions on the matter, the Federal Court in Bousaleh v. Canada stated that if the Canadian sponsor doesn’t meet the requirements of sponsoring a parent or grandparent, they can sponsor their extended family member. But if the foreign parent or grandparent doesn’t meet the criteria for immigration, the Canadian cannot sponsor a different relative. 

Due to the confusion and unsatisfactory approach, many opt to work with experienced immigration consultants to ensure that they meet all the requirements and go through the process without any stress and confusion. If you want a hassle-free approach in dealing with sponsorship, it’s best to work with a consultant regarding this. 

What You Need to Know About Sponsoring Extended Family Members

In some cases, several Canadians have sponsored distant relatives that they don’t know very well or have unrealistic expectations of their relationship with their extended relative, making it unclear how they’ll proceed. 

If you’re planning to sponsor a relative soon, you must remain financially liable when your relatives immigrate and even when they deteriorate. Because of this, you must discuss your concerns and expectations with your relative before you go ahead and sponsor them. 

Family Sponsorship
Family sponsorship

Conclusion

Thanks to the Lonely Canadian program, many Canadians and permanent residents have brought their relatives home with them, making them feel less lonely and more at home. If you’re thinking of sponsoring an immediate or extended family member, remember the information we stated above and work with a reliable immigration consultant from Bright Immigration. This way, you’ll have a smooth sponsorship process, and you’ll have your relative with you in no time!

If you’re looking for professional help from a trusted firm, please contact us at info@brightimmigration.com or call 1-888-404-8472.

3 Documents to Provide as Proof of Your Relationship – What to Know

When your loved ones want to move in with you, but she or he is from another country, one solution to this is through spousal sponsorship. In Canada, with spousal sponsorship, you can bring in your foreign partner permanently. However, it isn’t as easy as you might think it is. Some people apply for a spousal application, only to find later on that it has been disapproved because the relationship doesn’t look genuine enough.

Not only can that be disheartening, but it is also a major headache if you’ve been trying to get your loved one in for a while. In this article, we will share with you three documents you need to provide as proof of your genuine relationship:

1. Relevant Relationship Documents

There isn’t any official document that will solidify the fact that the relationship between you and the person you’re trying to get into Canada is real. However, a collection of these documents together can do so. For example, some of the documents you can use include text messages, traded gifts, phone history, letters, emails, wedding pictures, and marriage certificates.

As you can tell, the more you include these documents, the likelier it is for you to avoid getting refused due to the dissatisfaction of relationship genuineness. However, when it comes to proving your marriage, you should prove it to be “bona fide.” In other words, your marriage should be real, meaning that you two intend to stay together to build a future and not just get married for the sole purpose of moving one of you to Canada.

2. Irrelevant Relationship Documents

While the examples we’ve shared with you earlier can be used to prove your relationship with your loved one, there are other documents that you might think will also have the same results, but that isn’t the case.

Here are examples of such documents: lack of kissing on married photos, no wedding ring, photos that lack family members, lack of travel history, and no honeymoon. Other factors that might get your document unapproved can be the lack of touching in pictures, pictures that show the same clothes in multiple locations, informal reception, and documents that aren’t consistent with one another.

While your relationship might be genuine, these documents do little in terms of proving that. You might find yourself explaining some of these pictures. For example, if you’re contacted and asked why your family members aren’t in your wedding photo, you’ll need to explain.

3. Common-Law Sponsorship

If you aren’t legally married with your partner but are still together in a way, you can still get him or her into Canada through common-law sponsorship.

Again, many factors will help you prove this. For example, you will need to present proof of divorce, proof of long-time cohabitation, and evidence such as bank accounts and life insurances to show that you’ve been together for at least a year.

Sponsoring Canadian Citizen
Spousal Sponsorship

Conclusion

The inclusion of as many documents as possible that will prove the relationship is genuine will increase your chances of not only avoiding refusal but also getting your loved one into Canada much sooner. Making sure that your documents are all in order can be quite a headache. For this reason, we highly recommend that you work with an immigration agency so that you can go through the process much smoother and quicker.

Are you looking for a Canadian immigration agency in Toronto to help with your immigration-needs? Get in touch with us today to see how we can help you!