Bring Your Spouse or Partner to Canada — Without the Guesswork
Most refusals come from incomplete relationship evidence or the wrong stream — not a genuine relationship problem. We build a complete, well-documented application from day one.
Book Your $99 Consultation
We'll review your situation and recommend the right stream — confirmed within one business day.
Who Qualifies
To sponsor, you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, 18 or older, and able to demonstrate a genuine relationship with the person you're sponsoring.
Spouse
Legally married to your sponsor, in a marriage valid both where it took place and under Canadian law.
Common-law partner
Living together continuously with your sponsor in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 months.
Conjugal partner
In a committed relationship for at least 1 year but unable to live together or marry due to circumstances like immigration status or legal/religious barriers — this stream applies only outside Canada.
Inland vs. Outland Sponsorship
The right choice depends on where the sponsored spouse lives, their immigration status, and how important an open work permit or appeal rights are to your situation.
Inland
- ✓ Filed while the sponsored spouse is living in Canada
- ✓ May qualify for an open work permit while the application processes
- ✗ Generally no Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) appeal if refused
- ✗ Travel outside Canada during processing needs care to avoid abandoning the application
Outland
- ✓ Full IAD appeal rights if the application is refused
- ✓ Sponsored spouse can usually still visit Canada during processing
- ✗ No open work permit pathway tied to this stream
- ✓ Often the better fit when the couple is not yet living together in Canada
The Spousal Open Work Permit
If you're sponsoring your spouse or partner while they're living with you in Canada, they may be able to apply for an open work permit alongside your sponsorship application — letting them work for almost any employer while IRCC processes your case, rather than waiting years to work legally.
Eligibility conditions and processing timelines for this pathway are set by IRCC policy and do change — we confirm current eligibility and help you apply for both at the same time to minimize the gap.
Typically Required
- ✓ A complete, submitted spousal sponsorship application (inland)
- ✓ Valid temporary resident status, or eligibility to restore it
- ✓ Proof of the genuine relationship with your sponsor
What IRCC Actually Looks For
Officers assess your relationship across shared finances, shared living arrangements, social recognition by family and friends, and the nature of the relationship itself. A marriage certificate and a handful of photos are rarely enough on their own.
Get My Document ChecklistCore Document Checklist
- ✓ Proof of legal marriage or common-law/conjugal relationship
- ✓ Photos together spanning the relationship, with family and friends
- ✓ Communication history (messages, call logs, emails) showing an ongoing relationship
- ✓ Evidence of joint finances — shared bank accounts, leases, bills, insurance
- ✓ Sponsor's proof of status (citizenship or PR) and ability to sponsor
- ✓ Police certificates, medical exams, and biometrics for the sponsored person
- ✓ Statutory declarations from family and friends confirming the relationship
Why Spousal Applications Get Refused
Almost every refusal we review traces back to one of these — not to the relationship itself.
Incomplete relationship evidence
Photos, communication history, and joint finances that don't convincingly show a genuine, ongoing relationship.
Inconsistencies between spouses' statements
Mismatched details about how you met, your relationship timeline, or living arrangements during interviews or in forms.
Missing or incorrect forms
A single missing document or form error can trigger a Procedural Fairness Letter or an outright refusal.
Choosing the wrong stream
Filing inland when outland suits your situation better (or vice versa) can add months of unnecessary delay.
Why Couples Choose Immisa
Led by Sumbal Anees, a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), Immisa has guided sponsorship applications across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.
Complete Evidence Files
We build relationship evidence mapped to exactly what officers are trained to assess — not a generic checklist.
Right Stream, First Time
Inland vs. outland decided on your specific travel, status, and timeline needs — not a default guess.
RCIC Regulated
Licensed and accountable to Canada's immigration consultant regulatory body — your case is always in compliant hands.
Your Path From Application to Approval
$99 Consultation
We review your relationship, status, and timeline to recommend inland or outland.
Evidence Building
We compile a complete relationship evidence file mapped to IRCC's assessment criteria.
Submission & OWP
We file your sponsorship application — and the open work permit alongside it, if eligible.
Processing Support
We track your case, respond to any requests, and support you through to a decision.