Canada Family Sponsorship Visa from India, 2023

If you are curious about how can I apply for a Canadian family sponsorship visa from India, this article can help you immigrate to Canada as a sponsored person or to bring your spouse, common-law partner, relation, etc., to Canada as a permanent resident.

Since 2016, a large number of Indian citizens and residents immigrate to become permanent residents of Canada. Besides, more Indian scientists and engineers regard Canada to be influential for their careers.

Hence, this motivates them to move to Canada, and sponsor other members of their family to become Canada’s permanent residents as well. This is possible through Canada’s family sponsorship visa.

More so, Canada’s family sponsorship visa allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to influence the immigration of their spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, dependent children, siblings, parents, and grandparents to Canada.

Therefore, if you have an eligible person who desires to live and work in Canada from India, a family sponsorship visa is ideal for this purpose.

Furthermore, Canadian citizens and permanent residents who got married to their spouse in India or have lived with him/her for 1 year as common-law partners are allowed to sponsor such individuals to Canada.

Moreover, this enables the sponsored person to live and work in Canada while enjoying several benefits that are entitled to Canada’s permanent residents.

How can I apply for a family sponsorship visa from India to Canada?

• Firstly, you are required to apply at Canada’s federal level, as well as with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Canada (IRCC)
• Also, you need to ensure the submission of two (2) applications, which include your sponsorship and the sponsored person’s section for Canadian permanent residency. The submission address is provided in the sponsorship guide, which is accessible through the Government of Canada’s website
• More so, it is your obligation to make payment for the sponsored person’s family sponsorship visa application fee to IRCC.

Who Can Be Sponsored?

• spouse.
• common-law partner
• conjugal partner
• dependent children
• parents
• grandparents
• brothers or sisters, nieces or nephews, granddaughters or grandsons who are orphaned, under eighteen (18) years of age, and unmarried or in a common-law relationship
• another relative of any age but only under specific conditions
• accompanying relatives of the above (for example, spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children).

Eligibility requirements for family sponsorship visa from India to Canada

Both the sponsor and the sponsored person have certain requirements to satisfy before they can be considered eligible for a family sponsorship visa from India to Canada. Thus, you are required to;

• Be at least 18 years old
• Must not be receiving any social assistance except if you possess a disability
• Must provide proof of relationship with the sponsored person. If the sponsored person is your spouse, you need to tender your marriage certificate.

Moreover, if you’re sponsoring someone with who you have a common-law relationship, your application requires a documented evidence of a 12-month cohabitation period rather than a marriage certificate

• Additionally, sponsors are required to provide proof of funds, income, or assets that demonstrates your ability to financially support yourself and your sponsored family

However, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Canada (IRCC) will make some assessments to confirm if the sponsored person is inadmissible or has previously been convicted of any crime

Sponsor’s Financial Responsibility 

Under the sponsorship programs, sponsors ink a contract with Canada’s immigration authorities to repay the government for any social assistance payments made to the sponsored person. Sponsors remain obligated to the undertaking agreement for the entire period of the contract, even in a change of circumstances such as marital breakdown, separation, divorce, or a financial change in circumstances.

In the case of a spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner, a sponsor is required to sign an undertaking to reimburse the federal or provincial governments from the date in which they become a permanent resident for the period of three years.

In the case of a child under the age of 19 years, of the sponsor or the spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner, the obligation starts on the day that the child becomes a permanent resident of Canada for a period of 10 years or until the child reaches the age of 25 years.

In the case of a dependent child over the age of 19 years, the obligation starts on the day that the dependent child becomes a permanent resident, for a period of three years.

In the case of parents and grandparents, the sponsorship obligation extends for a period of 20 years from the date in which the member of the family class becomes a permanent resident. For all other family members, the obligation is of a duration of 10 years.

Duration of the Sponsorship Agreement in family sponsorship visa Canada

Canadian citizens and permanent residents are obligated to provide financial support as follows.

• Your spouse or common-law partner requires sponsored for 3 years
• Parents or grandparents should be sponsored for a period of 20 years
• Children require support for 3 to 10 years, depending on their present age when they were sponsored to Canada

Note: Canada’s Family Law permits you to continue financial support even after the sponsorship period.

FAQs about how can I apply for a family sponsorship visa from India to Canada?

Q. Who is eligible for a family sponsorship visa in Canada?

Ans. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their;

• Spouse
• Common-law partner
• Conjugal partner
• Dependent children
• Parents and grandparents
• Siblings, nieces/nephews, grandsons, and granddaughters

Q. What is the processing time of a Canada visa family sponsorship visa?

Ans – The processing time of Canada visa family sponsorship takes about 12 months

Q. Are Canadian citizens and permanent residents allowed to stay in India during the processing of a family sponsorship visa?

Ans – Yes, but it depends. Thus, Canadian citizens are allowed to stay in India during the processing of their family sponsorship visas in Canada.

Hence, you are required to prove your intention to immigrate to Canada with the sponsored person (spouse, common-law partner, dependent children, etc) after successful processing of his/her Canadian permanent residency.

Furthermore, as a permanent resident in Canada, you are mandated to stay in Canada while sponsoring someone from another country, including India.

Q. What happens if I don’t provide adequate proof of relationship for a family sponsorship visa in Canada?

Ans – If IRCC is unable to detect an authentic relationship between you and the sponsored person, you may be asked to provide more information or be invited for an interview

Q. Can I submit documents in Indian languages while processing a Canadian family sponsorship visa?

Ans – Yes, but you’re required to provide the documents’ translation since they are not in Canada’s official languages

Q. For how long am I financially responsible to the sponsored person?

Ans. It varies on the class of person you are sponsoring. Thus,

• 3 years for a spouse or common-law partner
• 20 years for parents or grandparents
• From a duration of 3 to 10 years for children, depending on his/her age as at the sponsored period

Q. What happens if I divorce my spouse who I’m currently sponsoring in Canada?

Ans – No matter the circumstance, you must comply with the Sponsorship Agreement signed with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Even if you are experiencing financial issues, you’re still mandated to act in accordance with the Sponsorship Agreement.