In light of the global pandemic that has affected the world since the onset of 2020, many plans have been paused and major adjustments were made. It’s been over seven months since the world came to a stop due to the prevalence of a deadly virus, yet there is still no cure in sight. Because of this, many individuals have found ways to get their plans moving again with the help of modern technology. 

How Technology Has Helped Many People

Today, almost everything is done online, such as classes and meetings. Zoom has become one of the most reliable platforms to hold events that many couples even use it to host online weddings. The weddings that pushed through despite the pandemic and that were held online were mostly in the hopes of helping progress documents, especially for Canadians who are in relationships with people abroad who want to sponsor their partner. 

The thing is, if you’re planning to do an online wedding to sponsor your partner to travel and live in Canada, you might need to wait until you both are physically present before you say “I Do.”

According to Canadian’s Immigration regulations, both partners need to be physically present at the time of the marriage ceremony for it to be considered legal. 

Some of the US states may have changed their marriage requirements in response to the global pandemic, yet Canada has not done so just yet. This has become clear due to the two provisions in Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. It clearly states that marriages through video conferencing will not be acknowledged even if they’re recognised in other jurisdictions. 

Moreover, it states that a foreign national will not be considered a spouse of a person if either one or both of the spouses was not physically present during the marriage ceremony. An exception to this will be if the partner is in the Canadian Forces, and that’s not all. The CIC also prohibits proxy marriages where one or both partners are not physically present and represented by another person; this is to prevent forced or early marriages. 

What Can You Do?

Fret not, as there’s still hope. The Humanitarian and Compassionate Applications or Conjugal Partner Sponsorships might provide you with an alternative if you were planning to be married and start the spousal sponsorship process. However, this is only for people in relationships for at least one year.

spousal sponsorship
Spousal Sponsorships

Conclusion

It is undeniable that the pandemic has made significant changes to many peoples’ lives, and will continue to do so. Yet, this doesn’t mean that you have to wait until a vaccine comes out before you can push through with your marriage. At this point, many governments and individuals are trying to resume their normal lives, and any time soon, marriages, where both partners are present, will be possible again. 

With that, if you are eager to start the sponsorship process, keep in mind that there are significant delays as well due to the previous months. As of now, practising patience is the best thing you can do. 

You can also get creative and have a wedding with proper safety protocols and social distancing during the event. This is for couples who just can’t wait to jumpstart the sponsorship process. However, if you can wait a while for a proper and “normal” ceremony, then that will be much better. 

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

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