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Sponsoring a Relative or Family Member to Come to Canada

If you want to be re-united in Canada with a relative or family member living abroad, you must sponsor that relative or family member to immigrate as a member of the Family Class.

To sponsor a relative or family member you must sign an undertaking with the minister of Citizenship and Immigration. This is a promise to the Government of Canada that you will support the person you sponsor and their family members for a period of three to 10 years so that they will not need to apply for social assistance.

You must also sign a sponsorship agreement with your relative or family member that outlines your mutual commitments to each other. You promise to provide for the basic requirements of the person you sponsor and their family members for the duration of the undertaking. The person you sponsor promises to make every effort to become self-supporting (unless they are elderly.)

Applications:

1. Use this application form and guide if you are sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal-partner or dependent child to come to Canada.
   
   After reading all the instructions, fill out the forms and send them to the location specified in the application guide. Send both sets of forms, supporting documents and fees at the same time. The case processing centre will send the application for permanent residence to the appropriate visa office for you.
   
   To learn more about family class applications (spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent children) and up-front medical examinations, see the Frequently Asked Questions.
   
   
2. Use this application form and guide if you are sponsoring any other family member to come to Canada.
   
   After reading all the instructions, fill out the sponsorship forms and send them, with the supporting documents and fees, to the address specified in the application guide. The case processing centre will send you an application to forward to your relative or family member abroad. Your relative or family member will fill out the forms and send them to the visa office specified on the application.

If the application is successful, your family members will need to submit their passports to the Canadian visa office where they applied in order to receive a visa.