NicholeTo get a Canadian permanent residence permit through marriage, you’ll need to first meet the requirements. These requirements include meeting the age requirements, legal requirements, and financial requirements of both the sponsor and the foreign spouse. After that, you’ll then be required to submit your details via the Permanent Residence Portal. Well, that’s not all you need to know about getting a permanent residence permit through marriage. This article will cover all information concerning getting a permanent residence permit through marriage and much more. You ready wouldn’t like to skip this!
How Does Permanent Residence Through Marriage Work?
A permanent residence permit through marriage in Canada only works when either of the married couple is a Canadian citizen. In some cases, it could also work if either of the married couples own a permanent residence permit in Canada.
The Canadian constitution permits this kind of immigration. The purpose of this by the Canadian Government is to allow Canadian citizens to reunite with their loved ones who may be scattered in different parts of the world due to circumstances.
In this immigration system, the Canadian Government recognizes the Canadian citizen as the Sponsor while the foreign spouse would be the one being Sponsored.
Now that we’ve known the idea behind the Canadian Government allowing Canadian citizens to bring their spouses to Canada, let’s now move to the main gist of this article. That’s the requirements needed to be met before a foreign spouse can get a permanent residence permit in Canada.
Requirements For Canadian Sponsor
To get a permanent residence through a Canadian sponsor, the sponsor must meet the following requirements:
Age Requirements
The Canadian sponsor who intends to sponsor a foreign citizen to gain permanent residence in Canada must be 18 years and above.
Citizenship Requirements
The Canadian sponsor must be an eligible citizen of Canada. If not, he must possess a permanent residence permit or a registered Indian who has been recognized under the Canadian Indian Act.
If both the Canadian sponsor and the foreign spouse live outside Canada, then, the Canadian sponsor must show proof that both he and the foreign spouse intends to live in Canada when the spouse receives the permanent residence permit.
Financial Requirements
The Canadian sponsor must show that he has the financial capabilities to cater for the sponsored spouse. However, if the Canadian sponsor is disabled or under social assistance, then the Canadian sponsor may not be allowed to bring in any foreign citizen.
Legal Requirements
The legal requirements of sponsoring a foreign spouse into Canada to receive a permanent residence permit require that the Canadian sponsor signs a Sponsorship Undertaking Agreement.
This Sponsorship Undertaking Agreement compels the Canadian sponsor to cover the financial needs of the spouse for a minimum of three years after gaining permanent residence. Note that, the three years would be counted starting from the time that he gains a permanent residence permit and not from the time that the foreign citizen enters Canada.
Requirements For The Foreign Spouse
Here are the requirements that should be met before a foreign spouse can become a permanent residence through marriage:
Age Requirements
The foreign spouse must be at least 18 years of age to be considered for a permanent residence permit in Canada
Gender Requirements
The permanent residence requirements are not gender or sex-specific. Individuals of either the male or female gender can be equally considered for a permanent residence permit in Canada.
Residency Requirements
If the foreign spouse happens to live in Canada, then he should possess a temporary residence permit. Failure to have this document handy may cause complications during the permanent residence process.
Marriage Requirements
The foreign spouse must be legally married to the Canadian sponsor. If the marriage was done outside Canada, the marriage must be in requirements to Canadian marriage standards and also in the country’s marriage standards.
Legal Requirements
The foreign spouse must be willing to sign a Sponsorship Agreement. This Sponsorship Agreement compels the sponsored spouse to contribute financially when they arrive in Canada. This document must be signed by both the foreign spouse and the Canadian sponsor.
Now that you’ve seen what the requirements are to get a permanent residence permit in Canada through marriage, let’s consider the step-by-step guide on how that can be done.
How To Get Canadian Permanent Residence Through Marriage
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get Canadian permanent residence through marriage in 2024:
Step 1. Create An Account On The Permanent Residence Portal
To begin your application process, you’ll need to sign up on the application portal for a permanent residence permit request. If you already have an account, just input your registered email address and password to gain access to your portal.
Step 2. Insert Your Biometrics
The next step would be to insert your biometrics. The biometric details you would input include your photo, fingerprint, and other features about you. It is advised that you input your biometrics after you’ve received a notification to do so. You will receive that notification via email.
Step 3. Pay Fees
You will be requested to pay fees which include the application fee and biometric fees during the signup process.
Step 4. Submit Your Application
After paying the required fees, you’ll be able to apply for a permanent residence permit. When you get the application form displayed to you, it is important that you:
- Answer All questions about yourself correctly.
- Sign electronically on the application form in the required space provided.
- Submit the fee receipt.
- Upload all supporting documents as requested.
Kindly cross-check for errors during this application sign-up. If a mismatch is found in the details provided, your application will be rejected immediately.
Step 5. Link Your Application To An Online Account
After you have completed the application process, you will receive an email. The email would provide you with steps on how to link your application details with an online account that would be provided to you.
Factors That May Cause A Permanent Residence Permit Request To Be Declined
The following are common causes of permanent residence permit request decline:
- Illegitimate Marriage
An arranged marriage is one of the most common causes of declined permanent residence permit requests. In recent times, a lot of persons have been found guilty of marriage fraud. So, this has led to intense investigations being done to ascertain whether marriage couples are truly married without it being false.
As a result of this, fake marriage or marriage fraud has been recognized as a criminal offense under the Canadian constitution. It is a punishable offense under the IRPA Regulations.
To show that your marriage is genuine, you may need to show more than a marriage certificate. Many married couples who have made it to Canada have said that they displayed evidence of the legitimacy of their marriage.
So, providing photos of your wedding that show your family members present is one of the best ways to overcome this. However, in some cases where the relationship between both partners is not conventional. A letter of explanation might help the visa officer understand the certain constraints that surround your relationship.
- Mismatch In Application Details
Mismatch in application form details can also be responsible for a permanent residence permit request decline. Some people are fond of rushing through the form and submitting incorrectly spelt details.
It is advised that applicants who wish to obtain a permanent residence permit correctly fill out their details. Correctly inputted details increase your chances of getting your application approved.
So, kindly take a little time to cross-check the information to be sure that they are correctly inputted. Once that is fixed, then you can have a smooth application process.
Conclusion
No doubt, the opportunity to bring your spouse to Canada is a nice one. However, it is important to note that taking time to understand the laid down procedure for it would make it more enjoyable. So, instead of trying to cut through corners to bring your spouse to Canada, you can share this article with your spouse. When you both go the legal way, things will become easier and faster. Don’t you think so?
Nichole