FOR CHILDREN

There are a few different streams for children sponsorship:

1. Sponsoring dependent children of the sponsored spouse: Meaning if the sponsor is sponsoring their non-Canadian spouse and the spouse has children from previous marriage, the sponsorship application can include children as long as they are below 22 years of age. Children who are 22+ years of age can be included as dependents if they substantially depended on the financial support of the parent since before attaining the age of 22 years and is unable to be financially self-supporting due to a physical or mental condition.

2. Sponsoring an adopted child from outside Canada: Please note that the child must be under 18 years of age at the time of application to be eligible for sponsorship.

3. Sponsoring a child for citizenship if the child is born to at least one parent who is a Canadian citizen: This only applies to children of Canadian citizens (not permanent residents) who were born outside of Canada. These children are eligible to apply directly for citizenship.

In most cases, sponsorship of children entails an application to sponsor the child for permanent residence, so options 1 and 2, and there are a few requirements that the sponsor and dependent child must meet. Please find a detailed breakdown below per each category:

Sponsorship of a Dependent Child under Spousal Sponsorship Application

The child must not be over 22 years of age unless the child substantially depended on their natural parent for financial support due to a physical or mental condition. If the child is minor, the child must have a permission from the other parent allowing for the child to live permanently in Canada. Sponsor must meet basic eligibility requirements that are outlined in spousal sponsorship program.

Sponsorship of an Adopted Child from Outside Canada

The child must not be over 18 years of age at the time of application. The adoption must follow legal procedure as required in the child’s home country and as required by Canadian province or territory. Any relationship with the child’s biological parents must be severed as soon as they provide informed consent for their child’s adoption. Like any sponsorship, the child and adoptive parents must show proof of established relationship and the adoptive parents (also sponsors) must meet eligibility criteria such as:

- Intend to live in Canada once the child gains permanent resident status if the sponsors reside abroad
- Meeting previous requirements of sponsorship agreement (if previously submitted an application for sponsorship of a family member)
- Make timely payments of alimony or child support to children from previous marriages or relationships if applicable
- Must show ability to support the adopted child
- Must not be convicted of attempting, threatening to commit or committing a crime that constitutes a criminal offence in Canada
- Must not be imprisoned

WHAT ARE MY OBLIGATIONS AS A SPONSOR?

As a sponsor you are required to provide for the sponsored persons for 10 years since their landing to Canada as a permanent resident or until they turn 25 years old. This means that you need to provide for their basic needs such housing and financial support. This does not apply to children who are eligible for Canadian citizenship from birth.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

The processing of a sponsorship application varies depending on the country of the child’s citizenship. The government fee payable to IRCC is $150 CAD per child.

OTHER RELATIVES SPONSORSHIP

Other relative’s sponsorship refers to any other family member that can be sponsored under certain circumstances. There are 2 main categories under this group:

1. Orphaned Siblings/Nephew or Niece/Grandchildren: In order to be eligible to sponsor anyone in this category, the sponsored person my be related to the sponsor by blood or through adoption. They must be under 18 years of age, not married and both of their parents are no longer alive.

2. Other Relative: Also known as the “lonely Canadian” allows a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to sponsor any family member of their choice if they do not have any other living family member or relative they can sponsor such as spouse or life partner, parent or grandparent, children, or orphaned sibling/nephew/niece/grandchild.

In both cases, the sponsor must show available financial funds to undertake a sponsorship of a family member and must meet standard sponsor eligibility requirements. The sponsored person must be admissible to Canada on medical and criminal grounds; Meaning if they had previous negative encounters with the law or have a condition that may cause an excessive demand on Canadian social and health services, they might not be eligible to apply.

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU TO APPLY FOR A SPONSORSHIP APPLICATION?

While there is no legal requirement to hire third party to assist with the preparation and submission of a sponsorship application, we highly encourage to take advantage of experienced professionals who can help you navigate through requirements, document collection, application process, and waive the interview portion. There are many documents that are not listed on the document checklist that can be provided in support of an application or in lieu if certain documents that the sponsor or the sponsored person is not able to provide. Our firm can assist you in submitting the strongest application for you and your partner without raising any doubts from the assessing officer if your relationship is genuine.

WHY HIRE ENCUBATE?

Encubate is a professional immigration consulting firm providing full support to individuals seeking to sponsor their family members to have the chance to be reunited together in Canada. We offer to take over the entire process that will involve minimal involvement from your end starting from collection of documents and necessary information to instructions on how and where to submit passports to obtain the permanent residence visa.

Are you interested in bringing a loved one to Canada? Want to learn about sponsoring your spouse, parents, or children? If you do not know where to look or how to start, we invite you to book an eligibility consultation with us in order to guide you on your career journey to Canada.