Family sponsorship: spouses, children, parents, and other relatives
Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to sponsor a spouse or partner, a dependent child, a parent or grandparent, or, in special cases, another relative.
Steps, in order
- Confirm the sponsor's eligibility and the undertaking period for the person being sponsored.
- For spouses and partners, prepare strong proof that the relationship is genuine and ongoing.
- For parents and grandparents, check whether the program is accepting interest-to-sponsor forms in the current intake year; if not, a super visa may cover visits in the meantime.
- Submit the sponsorship and the permanent residence application together as instructed, with medical exams, police certificates, and biometrics when requested.
Who is eligible — the essentials
- Sponsors must generally be at least 18 and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian living in Canada, with limited exceptions for citizens living abroad sponsoring a spouse.
- Sponsorable relatives include spouses, common-law and conjugal partners, dependent children (generally under 22, or older if financially dependent due to a physical or mental condition), parents and grandparents, and, in special cases, orphaned relatives under 18 or a last remaining relative.
- The sponsor signs an undertaking to support the sponsored person for a set period — three years for spouses and partners, and up to 20 years for parents and grandparents in most cases.
Documents you will usually need
- Proof of the sponsor's status and residence in Canada
- Proof of the relationship (marriage, common-law, or parent-child evidence)
- Identity documents, medical exams, police certificates, and biometrics
- Income evidence for parent and grandparent sponsorship, including co-signer evidence where used
- Proof of genuine relationship for spouses and partners
Common mistakes
- Submitting a parent sponsorship without checking whether intake is open that year.
- Underestimating the undertaking period and its financial meaning.
- Thin relationship evidence for spousal cases, or inconsistent dates and addresses across forms.
Check before you apply: Undertaking periods differ in Quebec and by application date. The 3-year (spouses and partners) and up to 20-year (parents and grandparents) figures in this guide are the general cases outside Quebec — check the official sponsorship pages before relying on them.
General information only — not legal advice. Immigration rules change. Always check the official source above before applying.