Sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child
Complete Guide (IMM 5289)

 

Table of Contents

• Before you apply
• Your obligations as a sponsor
• Become a sponsor
• Who you can sponsor
• Criminality
• Things that may affect you
• Sponsors living in Quebec
• Step 1. Get your application kit
• Step 2. Gather your documents
• Step 3. Fill out the forms
• Step 4. Pay the fees
• Step 5. Check your application to avoid common mistakes
• Step 6. Submit the application
• What to expect after you apply
• Table 1: Eligibility for rehabilitation
• Appendix A: Key definitions
• Appendix B: Request letters
• Appendix C: Photo specifications
• Appendix D: Contact information for provincial authorities
• Appendix E: "X" in the sex field on an immigration document

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This is not a legal document.

For legal information, see the:

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations
• Citizenship Act
• Citizenship Regulations

You can request this publication in another format.

Before you apply

If you haven’t already, read our Basic Guide (IMM 5525), which has all the information you need to prepare your application package.

This guide is designed to give you more detailed information and guidance. For explanations of the terms used in the application process, see Appendix A: Key definitions.

Step 5 will help you avoid common mistakes

Who can use this application

Use this application if you’re a Canadian citizen, Registered Indian or a permanent resident of Canada who is 18 years of age or older and you want to sponsor:

• your spouse or common-law partner who lives with you in Canada, and their dependent children
• your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner who lives overseas, and their dependent children
• your dependent children

Use this guide to help you prepare both:

• your application to sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent child, and
• your spouse, partner or dependent child’s application for permanent residence.

If you’re applying under the Spouse or Common-law partner in Canada class, your spouse or partner may be able to apply for an Open Work Permit. For more information, see the section Working and studying for spouses and partners.

Don’t use this guide if you’re sponsoring:

• an adopted child or orphaned family member
• other family members who are not your spouse, partner or dependent child.

If you’re sponsoring any of the above, use the sponsorship package for adopted children and other relatives instead.

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Your obligations as a sponsor

When you agree to be a sponsor, you must sign an undertaking, promising to give financial support for the basic needs of your spouse or partner and their dependent children.

Basic needs are:

• food, clothing, shelter and other needs for everyday living,
• dental care, eye care and other health needs that aren’t covered by public health services.

By signing the undertaking agreement, you must make sure the people you sponsor won’t need to ask the government for financial help. If they receive social assistance, you’ll have to pay back what they received during the time you are legally responsible for them. You won’t be able to sponsor anyone else until you’ve repaid the amount. For more information, see the Defaults section below

The undertaking is a promise of support meaning that it will stay in effect for the length of the undertaking period even if your situation changes. The undertaking won’t be cancelled, even if:

• the person you sponsor becomes a Canadian citizen
• you become divorced, separated or your relationship with the sponsored person breaks down
• you or the person you sponsor move to another province or country
• you have financial problems

May I cancel my undertaking after it’s been approved?

If you change your mind after you submit the sponsorship application and undertaking, you must write us a letter before a final decision is made on the file. You can only withdraw an undertaking if the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga (CPC-M) agrees to the withdrawal. See Step 6 to find out where to mail your letter.

Length of undertaking

Your obligations as a sponsor start as soon as the undertaking is in effect. Read the information below to see how long your undertaking will be valid.

You’re sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner

Length of undertaking is 3 years from the day your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner becomes a permanent resident.

You’re sponsoring a dependent child over 22 years of age

Length of undertaking is 3 years from the day your dependent child (or the dependent child of your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner) over 22 years of age becomes a permanent resident.

You’re sponsoring a dependent child under 22 years of age

Length of undertaking is 10 years from the day your dependent child (or the dependent child of your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner) under 22 years of age becomes a permanent resident, or until the child becomes 22 years old, whichever comes first. The length of undertaking for residents of Quebec is slightly different.

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Become a sponsor

You can become a sponsor if you are:

• a Canadian citizen, a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or a permanent resident,
• at least 18 years old
• living in Canada:
  • if you’re a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when your sponsored relative becomes a permanent resident.
  • You can’t sponsor someone if you’re a permanent resident living outside of Canada.
• able to show that you can provide basic needs for:
  • yourself,
  • your spouse or partner,
  • your spouse or partner’s dependent children (if applicable)
  • your dependent child (if you’re sponsoring only your dependent child).

Note: All sponsors must show that they can provide for the basic needs of the persons being sponsored. However, if the spouse or partner you’re sponsoring has a grandchild who is coming with them, you must also show that you can meet the Low-Income-Cut-off, which is an amount published yearly by the Canadian government. This also applies if you’re sponsoring your dependent child who has a dependent child that is coming with them. You should fill out the Financial Evaluation form (IMM 1283) and submit it with your application. If you live in Quebec, you don’t have to submit this form to IRCC. See subsection 1(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) for more information.

• If you live in Quebec, you must also meet Quebec’s conditions to be a sponsor

You may not be able to sponsor if you…

• signed an undertaking for a previous spouse or partner and it hasn’t been three years since they became a permanent resident,
• receive social assistance for a reason other than disability,
• previously sponsored someone and did not pay back any social assistance that they received while the undertaking was in place.
• are in default on an immigration loan or a performance bond
• did not pay court-ordered alimony or child support
  For more information. See Defaults below.
• have declared bankruptcy which has not been discharged
• were convicted of
  • an offence of a sexual nature,
  • a violent crime,
  • an offence against a relative that caused bodily harm or
  • threatened or attempted to commit any of the above offences—depending on the nature of the offence, how long ago it happened and if you received a pardon
    For more information. See Sponsorship Bar for Violent Crime
• were previously sponsored as a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner and became a permanent resident of Canada less than five years ago,
  For more information. See Five-year Sponsorship Bar
• are under a removal order,
• are in a penitentiary, jail, reformatory or prison,
• have already applied to sponsor your current spouse or partner and haven’t received a decision.

Sponsoring if you live outside Canada

If you’re a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you can sponsor your:

• spouse,
• common-law partner,
• conjugal partner,
• dependent child who has no children of his or her own.

You must show that you’ll live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.

Defaults

You can’t become a sponsor if any of the situations below apply to you:

A previous sponsorship undertaking

If family members you sponsored in the past got social assistance or welfare while the undertaking was valid, you can’t sponsor until:

• you repay the full amount of any social assistance or welfare payment or
• repay the debt to the satisfaction of the government authority that issued the benefit or ordered you to pay.

See appendix D to find out how to repay the money owed.

An immigration loan

If you got a transportation, assistance or right of permanent residence fee (previously called the right of landing fee) loan and have missed payments:

• You can’t sponsor if you are in default of your loan. For more information, contact us.

Support payment obligations

If you were ordered by a court to make support payments to a spouse or child and haven’t made payments:

• You can’t sponsor until you resolve the family support matter.

A performance bond

If you agreed to pay money to guarantee that an immigrant would fulfil his or her obligations under immigration legislation:

• You can’t sponsor until you pay the full amount of the bond.

Five-year sponsorship bar for people who were sponsored to come to Canada as a spouse or partner

• If a spouse or partner sponsored you, you can’t sponsor a new spouse or partner within five years of becoming a permanent resident.
• This rule applies even if you got your Canadian citizenship within those five years.

Are you eligible to sponsor someone?

• If we received your sponsorship application before March 2, 2012:

The five-year sponsorship bar doesn’t apply, no matter when you became a permanent resident.

• If we received your sponsorship application on or after March 2, 2012:

The five-year sponsorship bar applies. You may not sponsor a foreign national referred to as a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner until youve been a permanent resident for five years.

Sponsorship bar for violent crime

The sponsorship bar prevents people who’ve been convicted of certain crimes from sponsoring a family member.

If you’ve been convicted of a crime that caused bodily harm to any of the relatives listed below, you can’t sponsor anyone under the Family Class.

Note:

• “Partner” includes common-law and conjugal partners.
• Relatives not listed here may still fall under this category. If you aren’t sure, check the full list of rules or contact us.

Relatives the sponsorship bar can apply to:

• your current or ex-spouse/partner and/or their children,
• your children,
• your parent/grandparent, child/grandchild, sibling, niece/nephew, aunt/uncle, or cousin, or
  • the current or ex-spouse/partner and children of the above
• the parent/grandparent, child/grandchild, sibling, niece/nephew, aunt/uncle, or cousin of your current or ex-spouse/partner or children, or
  • the current or ex-spouse/partner and children of any of the above
• your child’s spouse, partner or children,
• your spouse’s, partner’s or child’s ex-spouse or ex-partner and children,
• your partner’s parent/grandparent, child/grandchild, sibling, niece/nephew, aunt/uncle, or cousin, or
• the current or ex-spouse/partner (and their children)of any of the above,
• a foster child who is or was cared for by
  • you,
  • your current or ex-spouse/partner or their children,
  • your parent/grandparent, child/grandchild, sibling, aunt/uncle or cousin, or
  • the current or ex-spouse/partner (and their children) of any of the above, or
• your current or ex-boyfriend/girlfriend, their spouse or common-law partner, and their dependent children.

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Who you can sponsor

Using this application, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner who is at least 18 years old, or your dependent child. (If you’re sponsoring an adopted child, use the sponsorship package for adopted children.) The person you’re sponsoring and their family members must pass background, security and medical checks.

Choose the class of application

• If you’re sponsoring your conjugal partner or dependent child, you must submit an application under the Family Class. These applications are processed outside Canada.
• If you’re sponsoring your spouse or common-law partner, you may sponsor them under the Family Class or under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class.
• When you sponsor a spouse or common-law partner, you must specify the “Class of Application” on the checklist you’ll submit as the covering page for your application package.

Apply under the Family Class if:

• the person you want to sponsor lives outside Canada
• the person you want to sponsor currently lives with you in Canada but doesn’t plan to stay in Canada while the application is being processed
• you plan to appeal if the application is refused
• you’re sponsoring your conjugal partner or dependent child

Apply under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class if your spouse or common-law partner:

• lives with you in Canada
• has valid immigration status in Canada
• would like to apply for, and qualifies for, an Open Work Permit so that they can work while the application is being processed

For more detailed information about the requirements for these classes, see Part 7 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations:

• for requirements to sponsor a spouse or common-law partner under the Family Class, see Part 7, Division 1
• for requirements to sponsor under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada class, see Part 7, Division 2

Sponsoring your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner

If you’re married

You can sponsor the person as your spouse if your marriage is a legally valid civil marriage.

Opposite and same-sex marriages:

• will be recognized for immigration purposes, where the marriage:
  1. was legally performed in Canada, or
  2. if performed outside of Canada, the marriage must be legally recognized in the country where it took place and in Canada.

Note: IRCC no longer recognizes marriages performed outside of Canada by proxy, telephone, fax, Internet and other forms of marriage where one or both persons were not physically present at the ceremony. For more information, see Operational Bulletin 613.

If you’re in a common-law relationship

You can sponsor the person as your common-law partner (same or opposite sex) as long as you’ve been living or have lived with your partner for at least 12 consecutive months in a marriage-like relationship.

If you’re in conjugal relationship

A conjugal partner is:

• a person who is living outside Canada,
• in a conjugal relationship with the sponsor for at least one year, and
• could not live with the sponsor as a couple because of reasons beyond their control (e.g. immigration barrier, religious reasons or sexual orientation).

This term applies to both opposite and same-sex couples.

You can sponsor a conjugal partner if:

• there is a significant degree of attachment between the two of you, implying not just a physical relationship but a mutually interdependent relationship, and
• you’ve been in a genuine (real) relationship for at least 12 months where marriage or cohabitation (living together) hasn’t been possible because of barriers such as sexual orientation, religious faith, etc.

Sponsoring your spouse or common-law partner who lives with you in Canada

You can apply under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada class if your spouse or common-law partner cohabits (lives) with you in Canada and has temporary resident status.

Your spouse or common-law partner can’t become a permanent resident in Canada if they’re inadmissible for any reason other than not having legal immigration status in Canada. A public policy also covers spouses and common-law partners who will be assessed for permanent residence even if they have no legal immigration status in Canada. Before applying, your spouse or common-law partner in Canada must resolve any other situation that made them inadmissible.

To qualify under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada class, the sponsored person must:

• be the spouse or common-law partner of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Canada and
• have legal immigration status

Your spouse or partner may be eligible for an open work permit. For more information, see the section about Working and studying for spouses and partners below.

Important information: if your spouse or partner is already working or studying in Canada and would like to continue, they must apply for an extension before their work or study permit expires.

Leaving Canada can automatically cancel temporary resident status as a visitor, student or worker.

If your spouse or common-law partner leaves Canada before becoming a permanent resident, they may not be allowed to come back. This is especially true if they need a Temporary Resident Visa to enter Canada.

If your spouse or partner can’t return to Canada, you must submit a new application to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga (CPC-M).

Working and studying – spouses and common-law partners in Canada

If your spouse or common-law partner already has a work or study permit, he or she may continue to work or study as long as the permit is valid. It is illegal to work or study without authorization from IRCC.

Working

Your spouse or common-law partner in Canada can apply for an open work permit when they apply for permanent residence. They must include a completed Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker form [IMM 5710] (PDF, 483.07 KB) and the correct fee, explaining that they are applying for an open work permit.

If your spouse or common-law partner has already submitted an application for permanent residence but hasn’t applied for an open work permit, they can submit a completed IMM 5710 and the correct fee to this address:

• CPC – Vegreville
  WP - Unit 777
  6212-55 Avenue
  Vegreville, AB
  T9C 1X6

For more instructions, see the guide for Applying to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada.

See the Help Centre for information about Open work permits for spouses and partners.

Note: If you’re applying under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada class and you’ve submitted an application for an open work permit, your work permit will normally be processed within four months.

Studying

We will advise your spouse or common-law partner in writing when they’re eligible to apply for a study permit.

However, if your spouse or common-law partner already has a study permit and wants to keep their temporary resident status as a student, they may submit an Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Student form [IMM 5709] (PDF, 488.83 KB). See the guide for more instructions.

Sponsoring your dependent children

You can sponsor your dependent children outside Canada who meet the following definition:

Definitions of dependent children

Your child or the child of your spouse or common-law partner can be considered a dependent child if that child meets the requirements below on the day we receive your complete application:

• They’re under 22 years old, and
• They don’t have a spouse or common-law partner

Children 22 years old or older qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:

• They have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22, and
• They are unable to financially support themselves because of a mental or physical condition

Dependants must continue to meet these requirements until they enter Canada.

If we received your permanent residence application on or before October 23, 2017, a previous definition of dependent children may apply.

 Not sure which type of dependant your child is? Check if your child qualifies as a dependant by answering a few questions.

The person you’re sponsoring has a child in the sole custody of a previous spouse. Do they need to include this child in their application?

Yes. Children in the custody of a previous spouse or partner are considered dependent children.

Even if there’s a written agreement or court order to show that the sponsored person doesn’t have custody or responsibility, you must list the child on the application and this child must do a medical exam.

Doing this gives the sponsored person the possibility to sponsor their child as a member of the family class in the future, when there may be changes to the custody or living arrangements. Also, if a permanent resident doesn’t declare all their family members on their application, they could risk losing their permanent resident status.

Passports for family members

The person you’re sponsoring and their accompanying family members must have valid passports or travel documents when they arrive. Any documents that are about to expire should be renewed. The person being sponsored should send copies of the new passport or travel document to the office processing the application.

You can’t use diplomatic, official, service or public affairs passports to immigrate to Canada. The person being sponsored must have a valid regular or private passport when they arrive.

How long is a permanent resident visa valid?

A permanent resident visa is issued for a period not extending beyond the earliest expiry date of the sponsored person’s (and any family members):

• medical results
• passports

Important information: Once issued, permanent resident visas can’t be extended. If applicants don’t use the visas within their validity period, they must re-apply for immigration to Canada. Their sponsor will have to submit a new sponsorship application and pay new processing fees.

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Criminality

Generally, people with criminal convictions are not allowed to come to Canada.

Convictions or offences outside Canada

If the person you’re sponsoring is outside Canada and has committed or has been convicted of a crime outside Canada, they may be able to overcome this criminal inadmissibility. This section doesn’t apply to anyone applying from within Canada and with a conviction or offense outside Canada. Find out how to overcome criminal convictions.

The person can apply for rehabilitation either:

• before you submit the sponsorship application, or
• by submitting the rehabilitation application with your application for sponsorship. If you choose this option, we’ll assess your eligibility as a sponsor and do the first assessment of the permanent resident application. However, we’ll only assess the sponsored person’s admissibility after they get a decision about their rehabilitation application.

If the offence would have been prosecuted summarily in Canada, and if the person was convicted of two or more of these offences, the period for rehabilitation is at least five years after they’ve finished serving the sentences.

Convictions or offences in Canada

If the person has a criminal conviction in Canada, they must ask for a record suspension (formerly a pardon) from the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) before becoming admissible to Canada.

The sponsored person should not fill out the forms in this guide until they have their record suspension. You can ask for a Record Suspension Application Guide or for more information from:

• Parole Board of Canada
  Clemency and Record Suspension Division
  410 Laurier Avenue West
  Ottawa, Ontario
  K1A 0R1
  Telephone: 1-800-874-2652 (callers in Canada and the United States only)
  Fax: 1-613-941-4981
  Email: suspension@pbc-clcc.gc.ca
  Website: http://pbc-clcc.gc.ca/index-eng.shtml
  (You can download the instructional guide and application forms from the website)

To be considered for a record suspension under the Criminal Records Act, a set period of time must pass after the end of the sentence. The sentence may have been payment of a fine, period of probation, or a prison term.

If the person has had two or more summary convictions in Canada, they may no longer be inadmissible if:

• It’s been at least five years since they finished serving all sentences
• they’ve had no other convictions.

Important information: See Eligibility for Rehabilitation for a summary of the type of offences and length of rehabilitation periods.

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Things that might affect you

Suspension of processing

Do any of these apply to you?

• Your citizenship is in the process of being revoked;
• You have a removal order against you;
• You’ve failed to respect your residency conditions;
• The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and the Minister of Public Safety signed a certificate stating you’re inadmissible because of security, human or international rights violation, serious criminality or organized criminality;
• You’ve been charged with an offence that is punishable by a maximum prison term of ten years.

If yes, we won’t start processing your sponsorship application until a final decision has been made.

If you don’t meet the sponsorship requirements

If you don’t qualify as a sponsor and chose to withdraw your sponsorship application:

• you’ll get a refund for the permanent resident visa processing fees and any Right of Permanent Resident Fees you paid.
• there will be no decision on the application for permanent residence of the person you are sponsoring
• you will not have a right of appeal.

If you fix the situation that made you ineligible to sponsor, you can reapply at a later date.

If you don’t qualify as a sponsor and tell us you want to continue processing:

• we’ll process the application for the person you are sponsoring.
• we’ll likely refuse the application for permanent residence and tell you in writing if you have a right to appeal.

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Sponsors living in Quebec

The province of Quebec has its own immigration rules. Find out how to sponsor someone if you live in Quebec.

If you live in Quebec:

• you must first send your application to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga (CPC-M).
• if you meet the federal requirements to apply for sponsorship, CPC-M will send you an email or letter with instructions to download Quebec’s sponsorship kit.
• fill out and submit Quebec’s undertaking kit. You must attach a copy of CPC-M’s email or letter to the undertaking application that you submit to the Quebec government.

If your spouse or partners dependent child has dependent children of their own, you must show your financial ability to meet the terms of the sponsorship undertaking.

The Quebec government will review your sponsorship application and tell you if you’re eligible. The Quebec government may deem that you’re not eligible if:

• you didn’t meet the terms of a sponsorship agreement in the past because the person you sponsored got social assistance and you haven’t repaid the Quebec government;
• during the five years before you submitted your sponsorship application, you didn’t pay alimony or child support even though a court ordered it;
• you didn’t follow other conditions imposed by the Quebec authorities or with any federal regulatory requirements, particularly if you got social assistance and aren’t exempt from that condition.

We can’t make a decision on your application until we receive Quebec’s decision about your undertaking application.

If Quebec approves you as a sponsor, you’ll get a Quebec Selection Certificat (Certificat de selection Québec)

If you need help, contact the Quebec ministry for immigration

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Step 1. Get your application package

Get your application package, including your checklist, forms and instructions.

To get the right instructions and checklist, select from the drop-down menus:

• who is being sponsored
• the country where the sponsored person resides
• the country where the documents you’ll submit with the application were issued

Your document checklist:

• tells you which forms you need
• lists all the documents you must submit, and
• links you to instructions to fill out each form.

You must print, fill out and submit a copy of this checklist with your application. Place it at the top, as the cover of your application.

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Step 2. Gather your documents

If you’re unable to submit an item on the document checklist, you must include a detailed explanation of why you can’t submit this document so that your application is not returned as incomplete.

To make sure you send us an application with all the requested documents:

1) Use your checklist to make sure you send all the documents you need to submit:

• For each item on the checklist, choose the situation that applies to you and check the correct box.
• Only submit documents that apply to your specific situation. We’ll contact you if we need more information.
• For any documents that are not in English or French, you must attach:
  • a certified copy of the original document; and
  • The English or French translation, and
  • An affidavit from the person who completed the translation. See Translation of documents below.

Important notes about using the checklist:

• We’ll return applications with missing, incomplete, or unsigned forms.
• Check the country-specific requirements to see if you need to submit any original documents. If the country specific requirements tell you that you must submit an original document instead of a copy, you must submit the original or we will return your application. See below for more information about country specific requirements.

2) Check your country-specific requirements

You’ll find your country specific requirements on the family sponsorship application kit webpage.

Checking your country specific requirements will help make sure you send the correct documents for each item on the checklist and will increase the chance that your application will be accepted for processing.

• To see additional forms or documents required for the person being sponsored (principal applicant) and their family members, select the country where they reside.

You may need to follow special instructions about specific documents based on the country you’ll get the documents from. For example, there are specific requirements for civil documents from different countries (e.g. birth certificates, other proof of identity, child custody documentation, family booklets, etc.).

• To see instructions about specific documents, select the country where the document is issued. For example, if you are living in the United States but you are submitting a birth certificate issued in the Philippines, check the requirements for “Philippines” to make sure the document you are submitting is the right one.

Note: your application will be returned if any of the requested documents are missing (see section 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) for more information).

Make sure all photocopies are clear and easy to read. Other than copies of original documents used for translations, photocopies do not need to be certified. Don’t send originals unless we ask for them, because they will not be returned.

Important information: While processing your application, we may ask for more documents and there may be delays if you don’t submit them. Should you fail to respond by the deadline given, your application could be refused for not complying with an officer’s request.

Police certificates

The person you’re sponsoring doesn’t have to include police certificates with their application package. We’ll ask for these once we start processing the application. However, you should take steps to get your police certificates as soon as possible to avoid processing delays. You can submit police certificates with your application (if you have them), even though you don’t need to do this for your application to be considered “complete”.

For more information about police certificates, see what to expect after you apply.

Photos

If your application is approved, we’ll use the photos you include in your application package to create a Permanent Resident Card for you (and your family members, if applicable). To avoid delays in getting your Confirmation of Permanent Resident document (which you’ll need to travel to Canada or become a permanent resident from within Canada), and/or your permanent resident card, it’s important that the photos meet certain specifications. See Appendix C for photo specifications.

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Step 3. Fill out the forms

Use your checklist to prepare the forms. If any requested forms are not fully completed and signed, or not included in the application package, your application will not be accepted for processing and will be returned to you.

Note: Need help with a PDF document? Get help to open an application form.

You can also get help to complete an application form. If you’re having technical problems with a PDF document, see the Help Centre for common problems with form validation.

The sponsor must fill out and sign these forms:

• Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking [IMM 1344]
• Sponsorship Evaluation and Relationship Questionnaire [IMM 5532]
• Sponsorship Evaluation [IMM 5481], only if you are sponsoring your dependent child who has no dependent children of their own. Unless instructed otherwise, sponsors in Quebec do not need to fill this out. See: Sponsors living in Quebec
• Financial Evaluation [IMM 1283], only if you are sponsoring a dependent child who has their own dependent child. Unless instructed otherwise, sponsors in Quebec do not need to fill this out.
• Use of a Representative (IMM 5476), if using a representative.

The person being sponsored must fill out and sign these forms:

• Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking [IMM 1344]
• Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM 0008]
• Additional Dependants/Declaration [IMM 0008DEP], only if you have more than five dependants on your application
• Additional Family Information [IMM 5406]
• Sponsorship Evaluation and Relationship Questionnaire [IMM 5532 ]
• Schedule A – Background/Declaration [IMM 5669], submit online after you link your application. For more information, see What to expect after you apply
• Use of a Representative (IMM 5476), if using a representative.

Important information: It is a serious offence to give false or misleading information on these forms. The information on your application may be verified.

Important information: Declaring all family members

If you’re applying for permanent residence in Canada, you must declare all of your family members. There are no exceptions to this requirement.

In addition, all family members must be examined as part of the process of applying for permanent residence in Canada, even if they will not come to Canada with the principal applicant.

Family members who aren’t declared and examined are excluded from the family class, which means you can’t sponsor them at a later date. If a permanent resident doesn’t declare all their family members on their application, they could risk losing their permanent resident status.

Find more information about why you must declare all family members.

Validate your forms

Some forms have a “Validate” button, specifically the

• IMM 1344 (Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship agreement and Undertaking)
• IMM 0008 (Generic Application form for Canada) and
• IMM 5669 (Schedule A).

You should fill out your forms on a computer and validate them electronically to make sure you’ve answered all questions. This reduces mistakes and helps you submit a form that is complete. When you click on the Validate button, any missing information will be identified by a pop-up error message or a red square around the fields that need to be completed.

After being validated, the IMM 1344 and IMM 0008 will create barcode pages (see image below). When you’re preparing your application, place these barcode pages right underneath your checklist.

Note: The IMM 5669 (Schedule A) form will not produce a barcode page when it’s validated.

IMPORTANT: If you have any problems viewing or validating your forms, please see these Help Centre questions:

I can’t open my form in PDF format

After clicking the validate button, nothing happens and I don’t see barcodes.

Note: The Help Centre information about viewing PDF documents applies to all PDF documents.

After you validate the forms to generate barcodes, print the form. Then, the applicable client must sign the form in ink. Unsigned forms will not be accepted.