Not only is Canada a beautiful place with beautiful infrastructures, Canada is also a country that houses beautiful people. These people are modest and have an hospitality nature making them a life partner choice for immigrants who are looking to marry In a foreign country.

Interestingly, marrying a Canadian citizen comes with various benefits, one of which includes visa ownership. This implies that if you as a foreigner married a Canadian citizen, you are automatically qualified for a visa.

So if you have found love in Canada, you don’t have to worry about securing a visa as getting married to a Canadian citizen automatically makes you qualify for a marriage visa which is popularly known as Spousal Sponsorship Program.

With a spousal sponsorship program, Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their spouses or common-law partners to become permanent residents of Canada.

Although this might sound easy, however, it has eligibility criteria which must be fulfilled and also steps and procedures which can’t be ignored.

Canada Marriage Visa

As an immigrant looking to relocate to Canada, you need to firstly obtain a visa that describes your purpose of travelling to the country. Either you are there to work, to visit, to study or for vacation. However these visas are not permanent and will expire immediately the time promised elapsed.

But with a marriage visa, you will gain a permanent residency status and also the freedom to leave and enter Canada at will. However this visa is not easily obtainable, you must first of all marry a Canadian citizen or green card holder as you need these two to complete your application.

This article provides a comprehensive guide on Canada marriage visa requirements, the application process, eligibility criteria, and other essential information for successfully sponsoring a spouse or partner to Canada.

Eligibility Requirements for Sponsorship

Though it might sound easy, there are eligibility criteria that must be fulfilled before you can obtain a marriage visa. There are eligibility criteria that must be fulfilled by both parties, The sponsor has their own eligibility criteria that must be fulfilled and a sponsor also has their own eligibility criteria.  What are these criteria?, keep reading as more information will be shared.

Eligibility Criteria for Sponsors

As promised, we will be sharing information regarding the eligibility criteria that must be fulfilled before a sponsor is qualified to influence a marriage visa.

• A sponsor must be a citizen of Canada or a permanent resident of Canada. If perhaps they are currently based in another country, they must show that they have plans to relocate to and live with the sponsor in Canada.

• A sponsor must be an adult and must have attained the age of 18 years.

• The sponsor must display a financial stability showcasing that they can cater for the sponsored basic needs which includes shelter, feeding and healthcare for a minimum of 3 years.

• A sponsor must be cleared if all previously sponsored defaults make them neutral and have no defaults whatsoever.

• A sponsor must be clean of all criminal records, implying that they don’t have any record of conviction, contributions to crime activities or domestic violence.

If any of the above mentioned criteria are not maintained, sponsoring a marriage visa might not be possible.

Eligibility Criteria for the Sponsored Partner

As stated above, as there are eligibility criteria for a Canadian marriage visa sponsor, there are also eligibility criteria for the sponsored. And both parties have to meet up with the eligibility criteria.

To sponsored by your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner to Canada, you must meet the following criteria:

• You must prove that you have a genuine relationship with the sponsor and you want to marry them because of love and affection and not the sole person of gaining a visa. Failure to do this will automatically lead to visa application dismissal.

• The sponsored must be an adult and must have attained the age of 18 years

• The sponsored spouse will take multiple medication examinations to demonstrate that they are in good health.

• A sponsored spouse must be clean of all criminal records, implying that they don’t have any record of conviction, contributions to crime activities or domestic violence.

Types of Relationships Eligible for Sponsorship

There are basically three types of  Spousal Sponsorship Program recognised by Canada, they include:

1. Spouse:

A spouse is someone you are legally married to. For this marriage to be recognized and declared legal, it must meet up with the criteria laid down by the laws of the country where the marriage took place and under Canadian law.

2. Common-Law Partner:

Unlike a spouse which recognises married couples, a common-law partner is someone you are not legally married to but have lived in a conjugal (marriage-like) relationship for at least 12 consecutive months. Before you can get a marriage visa, proof of your shared relationship must be provided.

3. Conjugal Partner:

A conjugal partner is someone you have been in a committed relationship with for at least one year but are unable to live with or marry due to exceptional circumstances, such as immigration barriers or legal restrictions in your home country.

The cost of applying for Canada Marriage Visa

• Sponsorship Fee: Estimated to be CAD $75.

• Principal Applicant Processing Fee: Estimated to be CAD $475.

• Right of Permanent Residence Fee: Estimated to be CAD $515 (this can be paid later in the process).

Additional fees may apply for biometrics, medical exams, and police certificates.

Conclusion

You should know that there are two main types of  spousal sponsorship applications, the Inland Sponsorship application and the Outland Sponsorship. Inland meaning that both partners are residing in the same country while outlander implies the sponsored partner resides outside Canada. These two have two different application processes and eligibility criteria. For more information, kindly contact the Canadian immigration bureau.