Spousal Sponsorship: Recent Changes and Important Information

Spousal Sponsorship: Recent Changes and Important Information

The Spousal Sponsorship program in Canada has recently undergone important changes that will impact your application. If you are fairly new to the process and are going to be submitting your application in the near future, then you will want to read about these changes.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), formerly known as Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has also changed the official name of the organization as they continue to improve their service delivery. In an effort to promote new initiatives, IRCC probably felt that a change in their name would help in establishing a new identity. This is always a good thing, as it further demonstrates their proactive intentions to improve their processes.

1. CIC Processing Times

IRCC has now introduced a new strategy and plan to reduce the backlog of Spousal Sponsorship applications in Canada, and at the same time improve the processing time of new applications. They have standardized the processing time for Spousal Sponsorship applications to 12 months, regardless of whether the applicant is applying in-land or overseas. This is a huge improvement for a lot of countries, some of which took almost 40 months to process spousal sponsorship applications at some point. This is also great news for in-land applicants now as they do not have to wait for the previous processing time standard of 26 months.

2. Application Package for Spousal Sponsorship Canada

IRCC has also introduced a standardized application package for all spousal sponsorship applications and simplified the forms so that there are now only about 4 forms that you must complete in the first step of the process.  Please keep in mind that you should always check the IRCC website for the most up to date information and that there may be additional forms required, depending on the country in which you reside. The document checklist has also been simplified and standardized for all spousal sponsorship applications. You can check with our qualified Immigration Consultant Toronto experts for the most up to date information.

3. Medical Exams and Police Checks for Spousal Sponsorship Canada

Another major change that has been introduced is that the applicant does not have to provide an upfront medical examination or police clearance certificates when submitting the initial application package.  IRCC will inform the applicant within about 60 – 90 days (this time can vary) from when they receive the application to provide current police checks and do a medical examination.  No more having to worry about your police check expiring before you complete the application package!  Our Immigration Consultant Toronto experts are very familiar with the new spousal sponsorship process, and it is always recommended that you at least get an initial consultation regarding your case so that you can be sure you have all the facts before making any major decisions. Contact Us today to setup a consultation.

4. General Information and Tips About Spousal Sponsorship Canada

The spousal sponsorship process in Canada is fairly simple if you are familiar with the process and have done your homework about your application.  Unfortunately, most people do not have the time to do this. That is why you should contact us so we can guide you. When preparing your application you want to ensure:

That you are thorough in answering all questions on the forms and not leaving gaps in time when providing information about personal history.

Do not leave any fields blank. If a certain questions does not apply you should write “N?A.”

Ensure you include the correct fees with your application.

Provide ample evidence of your relationship. We recommend preparing a detailed timeline with written information and pictures demonstrating the development of your relationship.

Understand the process completely before you decide which type of application to submit.