Sponsorship of Parents and Grandparents under Family Class Immigration

Sponsorship of Parents and Grandparents

Family Class immigration stream gives the facility to Canada citizens and Canada permanent residents who are at least 18 years old to sponsor their parents and grandparents for Canada permanent residence.

An important consideration in this regard is that you, as a sponsor, must be staying in Canada since it is an eligibility requirement for a sponsor. Once your parents or grandparents come to Canada after getting sponsored by you, it is your responsibility to fulfil their as well as your essential requirements in Canada.

You shall have to support your parents or grandparents financially after they come to live in Canada. It is your responsibility that they don’t have to seek social assistance for living in Canada from the government of Canada.

What are the eligibility conditions to sponsor a parent to Canada?–

 

Eligibility conditions for a sponsor

• You must be of 18 years or more;
• You must be a Canada citizen, a Canada permanent resident, or an individual who is registered as an Indian in Canada under the Canadian Indian Act;
• You must be living in Canada;
• You must have sufficient funds to provide support to your parent whom you wish to sponsor;
• You shall be required to furnish evidence of income that you have sufficient funds.

 

Are you living in Quebec? Check these requirements

To get approval as a sponsor for your parents or grandparents while living in Quebec, you shall have to fulfil the conditions of Quebec immigration sponsorship. Moreover, your incomes shall be assessed by the ministry of Quebec responsible for immigration. You will have to give your consent in an undertaking with Quebec province.

 

Are you living outside Quebec?

If you are living outside of Quebec and want to sponsor your parents or grandparents, then you have to make a commitment to offering financial support of your parent being sponsored by you for a certain specified period specified below.

So, basically, the undertaking requires your commitment—

• To offer financial help for 20 years to your parents or grandparents who are being sponsored by you;
• Repay any social assistance from the province, i.e. any funds from the government, your sponsored parents or grandparents receive at that time.

The undertaking is also known as the sponsorship agreement. It means—

You shall take responsibility for the basic requirements of your sponsored parents or grandparents. Moreover, your parents or grandparents being sponsored shall also ensure to support themselves as well as their family.

So, while making an application for sponsorship of your parents/grandparents, you will be required to sign a duly complete form including the sponsorship agreement and the undertaking.

You are not eligible to sponsor your parents or grandparents in the following conditions—

• If you are below 18 years;
• When you make an application for sponsorship of your parents or grandparents and when they become permanent residents, you don’t intend to live in Canada. That means your primary residential address should be in Canada at the time of submission of application and till a decision is made on your application.
• If you are not a Canada citizen, a Canada permanent resident, or a person who is registered as an Indian in Canada under the Canadian Indian Act.
• If you are a temporary resident in Canada. This means you are in Canada on a visit visa, work visa or study visa.
• If your evidence of income reveals that you do not possess sufficient funds to offer financial support to the person you wish to sponsor;
• If you are imprisoned or in the penitentiary;
• If your Canada permanent residence application is being processed. This means, at the time of submission of your sponsorship application, you should have Canada permanent residence status; 
• If you have not provided financial support agreed upon by you at the time of signing a sponsorship agreement while sponsoring any relative in the past;
• If you have not paid back any performance bond, immigration loan, or any alimony, child support, or other family support payment ordered by a court;
• If you have received social assistance from the government for any other reason than a disability;
• If you had been found guilty and got convicted of any offence including a violent criminal offence, or a sexual offence, whether outside or in Canada;
• If you have received a removal order and are not allowed to live in Canada legally. As a result, you have to move out of the country.

Who can be sponsored by you? —

Your parents or grandparents, either related by blood or as a result of the adoption, can be sponsored by you. In instances of separation or divorce, you are allowed to offer sponsorship to the spouses/common-law partners/conjugal partners of your parents or grandparents. Another important point is that you can offer sponsorship to more than one person or even a couple.

However, the only condition is that you have to fulfil the income requirements for all the persons you wish to sponsor as well as their dependents (like spouse/partner and children).

 

Who cannot be sponsored by you?

You are not allowed to sponsor the following—

• Parents of your spouse, i.e. your in-laws. Meanwhile, you may become a co-signer on the application of your in-laws.
• Anyone who is not admissible to Canada. In other words, any person who is not allowed to enter Canada cannot be sponsored by you.

 

The application process for sponsorship of your Parent/grandparents

When you receive an invitation to apply for sponsorship of your parents or grandparents, there are two applications that you need to file. These are mentioned below—

• You shall have to make an application to become a sponsor;
• Your parents/grandparents shall have to make an application for Canada permanent residence.

Both of these two applications, i.e. the sponsorship application and Canada permanent residence application, have to be sent together. You have to keep in mind that the Canada immigration department should receive both of your applications together in a single package within 60 days from the date of your invitation to apply.

The last date for receiving the application package is mentioned clearly in your invitation to apply.

 

Steps for the application process to sponsor your parents or grandparents

1. Submission of the ‘interest to sponsor form’—This is the initial step for sponsorship of your parents or grandparents. This form is available for a limited period at the beginning of every year. Once the form gets closed, submissions are reviewed by the IRCC and duplicates, if any, are removed.
2. Invitation to submit the duly filled application—You will receive an invitation from the IRCC to submit a duly complete application in the order in which you receive the interest to sponsor forms online.
3. Getting the package of application—It is recommended to prepare your application only after you get invited for submission of a complete application. The application package comprises the following—
4. Document checklist for the persons you wish to sponsor and you;
5. Forms you and the individuals you wish to sponsor are required to fill out;
6. Instruction guide to assist you and your family in filling the forms in the correct way;

Before you fill the application form, it is necessary to read the guide with care. Remember, there is no refund of sponsorship application fee for the processing of your application form.

So, it is important[NN1]  to ensure that –

• You fulfil eligibility conditions for sponsorship before making an application;
• You remember to list your family members;
• Your application is duly complete;
• The information and facts stated by you in the application are wholly true.

• Payment of application fees—Your application fees shall comprise the following—
• Processing fees for yourself, the persons being sponsored by you, and their dependents;
• The Right of Permanent Residence Fee;
• The biometrics fee (it includes the cost of collection of fingerprints and a digital picture).

All such fees shall have to be paid online.

• Submission of application—In accordance with the deadline mentioned[NN2]  on your invitation to apply, your application, duly filled and complete, should be received by the IRCC within 60 days (check the last date mentioned on your invitation to apply).

The application guide has all the relevant mailing guidelines. For submission of your application, you can get the services of a courier company. It can help you keep a track on your application. Otherwise, you can send your application through a regular mail.

The IRCC shall return your application in the following cases—

• If it is found to be incomplete;
• [NN3] 
• If you had not been invited to send an application;
• If your application was not received within the specified deadline (as mentioned in your invitation).

• Sending of additional details during processing—The person being sponsored by you may be requested to send some additional details and information. It may pertain to following—
• Biometrics
  • When you pay your biometrics fees, your family members may be sent a letter requiring them to provide their biometrics;
  • When your family members provide their biometrics, they shall have to show this letter;
  • They shall have to provide their biometrics in person within 30 days (it can be provided in person at the nearest collection centre).
• Medical exams
• Police certificates.

Instructions shall be sent to your family members by the IRCC regarding the time available for them to send the above-mentioned information.

You shall inform them of any change in circumstances such as—

• Birth of children or adoption of children;
• Marriage or divorce;
• Death of an applicant or a dependent.

Why Choose Straight Visas for Sponsorship of Parents or Grandparents under Family Class Immigration?

We possess specialization in assisting the reunification of families globally. We have a firm conviction that family is everything. That’s why we love to undertake the responsibility of enabling the successful immigration of your parents or grandparents to Canada through the Canada Family Class immigration process.

Trust Straight Visas to help us Serve Better!!!

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 [NN1]Consider using essential or crucial

 [NN2]Specified or indicated is more suitable

 [NN3]If the required fees do not accompany it ?