Canada spousal and partner sponsorship for Indian applicants

The sponsor must meet the eligibility rules above and sign an undertaking to repay any social assistance the sponsored person receives for three years after landing; the undertaking survives separation or divorce. The sponsored spouse must pass medical, criminal and security checks and must not be inadmissible; a sponsor's bankruptcy, a prior sponsorship default or a conviction for an offence against a family member bars the application.

The relationship test has two limbs under regulation 4: the marriage or partnership must be genuine and must not have been entered into primarily to acquire status. Officers look at how the couple met, the time spent together before and after the wedding, communication, knowledge of each other's families and finances, and whether the story is consistent across the forms, the interview and the documents. Arranged marriages are assessed on the same evidence; cultural context is expected to be explained, not assumed.

Choose the class by where the spouse lives and what you need during processing. The in-Canada class requires the spouse to live with you in Canada and allows an open work permit while waiting, but is slower and the spouse should not leave Canada for long. The family class (outland) is processed through the visa office for India, is faster at present, keeps appeal rights to the Immigration Appeal Division on refusal, and the spouse can visit Canada on a TRV during processing.

All fees are paid online when the sponsorship and permanent residence applications are submitted together in the IRCC permanent residence portal. The RPRF is the only fee refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn.

1. 1

   Check sponsor eligibility and pick the class

   Confirm none of the bars apply, decide between the family class (spouse abroad) and the in-Canada class, and gather proof of your status and residence.

2. 2

   Complete the forms

   Sponsor: IMM 1344 application to sponsor and undertaking, IMM 5532 relationship information and sponsorship evaluation. Applicant: IMM 0008 generic application, IMM 5669 Schedule A background, IMM 5406 additional family information, IMM 5562 travel history.

3. 3

   Assemble the relationship evidence

   Marriage certificate, wedding photographs with family, chat and call logs over time, travel records of visits, joint finances and remittances, statements from relatives.

4. 4

   Submit online and pay CAD 1,345

   Upload everything in the permanent residence portal with the fee receipt for CAD 1,260 plus CAD 85 biometrics; the sponsor's eligibility is assessed first, then the applicant's file.

5. 5

   Biometrics, medical, interview if called, decision

   The sponsored spouse gives biometrics at a VAC in India and completes the medical when instructed. Approval brings a COPR and visa for outland applicants, or a landing appointment for in-Canada applicants.

IRCC's published times are averages of recently finalised files, not promises. Files with a complete relationship record and consistent forms close faster than the average; requests for more documents or an interview add months.

The sponsored spouse lands as a permanent resident with no conditions; the two-year conditional permanent residence rule was repealed in 2017. The sponsor's undertaking runs three years. A person who was sponsored as a spouse cannot sponsor a new spouse or partner for five years after becoming a permanent resident. Citizenship follows after 1,095 days of physical presence in five years.

• IRCC: sponsor your spouse, partner or child ↗
• IRCC: who can sponsor a spouse ↗
• IRCC Guide 5289: sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent child ↗
• IRCC: spouse or partner in Canada, open work permit ↗
• IRCC fee list (dated 21 Sep 2026) ↗
• IRCC processing times tool ↗