Notice – Updated application kit for spousal sponsorship

Ottawa, February 14, 2018 – Family reunification is a key immigration priority for the Government of Canada, and we continue to improve our processes and procedures to help families reunite in Canada more quickly and easily.

That’s why we’ve once again updated the guides and checklists, as well as some procedures, for the spousal sponsorship program. The changes reflect the Department’s ongoing commitment to respond to clients’ needs and make improvements to client service and program delivery where possible.

Since launching the spousal application package in December 2016, we’ve been listening to your feedback. Based on what we heard, we’ve further improved the:

• Basic Guide,
• Complete Guide,
• Document checklists (one each for spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, and dependent child), and
• Order in which certain required documents must be submitted to us.

Notably, spousal applicants will now be asked to submit their Schedule A – Background/Declaration (IMM 5669) form and police certificates as part of their initial paper application package, instead of later in the application process, as was previously required. This will help us process applications even more quickly and efficiently and avoid unnecessary delays.

Applicants are still encouraged to link their applications to an online account to communicate quickly and securely with us, get medical instructions as soon as they are issued, receive and respond to request letters quickly, and get application updates online. However, this can be done at any time during the processing of the application.

The checklists and guides replace the ones that were made available on this website in June 2017 (and which received a minor update in October 2017 to reflect the change to the age limit for dependent children).

Although we have changed the checklists and the placement of some forms within the application process, the forms themselves have not changed as part of this update.

If you have been filling out an application using the previous version of the checklists (identified in the bottom left hand corner by version code 10-2017), we will still accept your application using that previous version until March 15, 2018. However, we encourage you to use the new checklist, guides and processes right away.