How long is eligibility review for Spousal Sponsorship?

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner to become a permanent resident of Canada.

But keep in mind that this is a process that takes time.

The processing time starts when Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receives an application and ends when a final decision is made.

After you have submitted all the required forms and documents, you will wait for a decision. The time it takes for immigration officials to make a decision can vary from 10 to 25 months.

Typically, it is not more than 12 months, but in some cases, especially if your situation is complex, it might take longer.

The time it takes to become eligible and complete the spousal sponsorship process can vary depending on factors such as the country where you are applying and the specific details of your case.

Keep reading to learn more about the timeline for eligibility review when sponsoring your wife or partner.

What is the eligibility review in spousal sponsorship?

The eligibility review is a crucial step when sponsoring a spouse, partner, or dependent child to become a permanent resident in Canada.

Every type of visa goes through a similar process.

This review assesses the qualifications of both the sponsor and the applicant to ensure they meet the necessary criteria set by IRC.

To sponsor a spouse or partner, the sponsor must meet specific criteria:

Be at least 18 years old.

Be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.

If you are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to return to Canada when the person you are sponsoring becomes a permanent resident.
If you are a permanent resident living outside Canada, you cannot sponsor someone.

You must prove that you are not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability and that you can provide for the basic needs of the person you want to sponsor.

You will receive an AOR after they have received and verified that your application is complete.

After applying to sponsor your partner, the review process involves several stages:

First, IRCC checks if all necessary documents are submitted. If anything is missing or unclear, this may cause delays in processing.

Next, both the sponsor's and applicant's eligibility undergo a detailed review. This includes checking documents and possibly conducting interviews to confirm the authenticity of the relationship.

After the review is complete, IRCC communicates its decision regarding both sponsorship and permanent residency application status.

If the application is denied, reasons will be provided.

Factors that affect the timeline

The time it takes to review spousal sponsorship applications can vary based on several factors.

It includes the time needed for the person you're sponsoring to provide their biometrics, the assessment of both you and the sponsored person, and ensuring that all the eligibility requirements are met.

It's important to note that if your case is complex or the visa office requires more proof of your relationship, the process may take even longer.

Therefore, it's essential to be patient and thorough during this time.

Here are the main elements that affect the processing time:

Application completeness

If the application package is incomplete or missing required documents, it can lead to delays. Applicants must ensure all forms are filled out correctly and all necessary documentation is included before submission

Missing or incorrect fee payments can result in applications being returned, further extending the timeline.

Remember to prepare your application carefully before submitting it:

Make sure you have all the necessary documents.

Arrange your documents in the order specified by the application guidelines. Forms should come first, followed by supporting documents such as identification, proof of relationship, and financial records.

Before you submit your application, make copies of all documents for your records. This will be useful if any part of your application is lost or if you need to provide additional information.

Consider including a cover letter summarizing your application and listing all enclosed documents.

Background checks and document processing

The Canadian government highlights that verifying information in the spousal sponsorship process ensures the immigration system's integrity and prioritizes legitimate cases.

This thorough process speeds up decision-making, makes the system more credible, and tells apart real applicants from potentially dishonest ones, promoting fairness.

However, it can actively influence the timeline, and many applicants get nervous when the process seems paused at this point.

The verification process includes several steps: examining documents, conducting interviews, checking backgrounds, collecting reference letters, and even investigating social media.

Officers carefully check marriage certificates and passports to make sure they are real and accurate in showing the applicants' relationships.

Relationship interviews and reference letters offer important perspectives on the genuineness of the relationships.

Applicants undergo background checks to uncover any criminal records that could disqualify them.

The time it takes to process applications can be affected by the time needed for security and criminal background checks on both the sponsor and applicant.

If any issues come up that require further investigation, processing times can be influenced.

Also, the government uses online and social media investigations to collect evidence, such as shared photos and interactions, to confirm the authenticity of relationships.

They may collect your fingerprints and photographs to verify your identity, an also visit your home and conduct interviews to determine if you are eligible and if your relationship is genuine, and to ensure that you are following Canadian immigration laws.

The processing speed and efficiency of IRCC applications can vary depending on their workload and available resources.

If IRCC needs more documents or information while reviewing your application, the speed of your response will affect how long the process takes.

The longer you take to provide the requested information, the longer the review period will be.

Average processing times

Once you submit your application, it will typically take 2 to 4 weeks to review online applications and 6 to 8 weeks for paper applications.

The processing time for spousal sponsorship applications is usually estimated to be between 10 and 12 months. In some cases, it may take up to 25 months depending on individual circumstances and complexities.

However, different processing timelines may occur for inland and outland applications due to varying procedures.

The processing speed can also be affected by the workload of the specific visa office handling the application.

Inland vs outland applications

There are two types of spousal sponsorship in Canada: Inland and Outland.

Inland sponsorship is for couples who are already living together in Canada.

In this case, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsors their foreign spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner to become a permanent resident.

The average processing time for this type of sponsorship is generally 10 to 12 months.

If you and your spouse or partner live outside of Canada and you want to apply for permanent residency for your partner, you can apply through the Outland spousal sponsorship program.

This program is for couples who are not living together in Canada, and the foreign spouse or partner is living in their home country.

Canada is committed to reuniting families quickly, so many applications for Outland spousal sponsorship are processed within 12 months.

Recent trends in processing times

Recent data shows that processing times for spousal sponsorship applications in Canada are improving, but there are still ongoing challenges.

If your spouse or common-law partner is inside Canada and you are applying for residence in any province except Quebec, it typically takes about 10 months for processing.

If you are living in Quebec and applying for residence for your spouse or common-law partner, the processing time can be as long as 25 months due to the unique immigration situation in the province.

If you are applying for residence in all provinces, excluding Quebec, and you are currently residing outside of Canada, the processing time is typically around 13 months.

If you are living in Quebec and applying for residence for your spouse or common-law partner, please expect a processing time of about 24 months.

How to check the status of your review

Once your application is submitted, you will get an acknowledgment of receipt (AOR) by email or mail. This document confirms that your application is being processed and includes your application number.

You can check your application status here only after you have received an AOR by letter or email.

Make sure that you have provided a valid email address in your application.

You will receive automatic updates about any changes to your application status.

Conclusions

Waiting for the response of IRCC is the final step.

If your sponsorship is approved, IRCC will send your permanent residence application to the appropriate office.

They will then decide whether the person you are sponsoring can become a permanent resident in Canada.

We understand that the timeline can be frustrating for families, but recent trends have shown that the process for reviewing eligibility and accepting your partner as a resident of Canada is improving.

If you are still feeling unsure about starting this process or if you would like the assistance of professionals who can guarantee that everything from submitting the application to checking the status is under control, Parsam Immigration is here to help you.