After you apply

If you submit a sponsorship application and any of these situations apply to you, we won’t process your application until there is a final decision about your situation:

• You have been charged with a crime that is punishable by a at least 10 years of prison.
• There’s a report about you that would make you inadmissible to Canada.
• There’s an application to take away your citizenship
• There’s a certificate signed by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and the Solicitor General of Canada stating that you’re inadmissible for reasons such as security, human or international rights violation, serious crime or organized crime
• You’re appealing a decision to take away your permanent resident status

Your application may be delayed if:

• your photocopies of documents are unclear
• we need to verify your information and documents
• the child has a medical condition that needs more tests or consultations
• there are criminal or security issues
• we need to consult with other offices in Canada or abroad

Our Quality Assurance Program randomly selects applications for a special review. If your application is selected, we’ll:

• let you know by email or mail
• ask you to provide additional information
• schedule an interview with our official, which will help us to
  • confirm the accuracy of the documents and information you provided
  • make sure you filled out your application correctly
  • verify that the principal applicant meets all the permanent residence requirements

You can ask us to process your application faster if there is a serious, urgent reason.

We only approve urgent processing in exceptional situations, such as:

• your child is in danger or in an abusive situation abroad, and delays would increase their risk
• your child is in a country where conditions are getting worse due to civil unrest, violence or breakdown of institutions
• your child’s legal status is uncertain, or they may become stateless
• your child has a serious medical condition and can’t get proper treatment in their country, or delays could put their life at risk
• you, the adoptive parent (the sponsor), have a serious or life-threatening medical condition and delays in processing would harm you

What to know before you apply for urgent processing

• We may not be able to process your application urgently, even if your situation is exceptional
• We may not be able to process your application fast enough to help or resolve your situation
• If your request doesn’t meet the criteria, we’ll process your application normally
• Your adopted child can only come to Canada after they become a permanent resident

How to avoid delays

If your urgent request is approved, you can help us by

• submitting all required documents and information with your application
• paying your application fees
• keeping your contact information up to date, including your
  • email address
  • mailing or residential address

How to request urgent processing

Urgent processing isn’t automatic. You must send in a web form, which includes

• a clear explanation why your situation is urgent
• proof to support your request (for example, medical reports)

Request urgent processing using the web form (opens in a new tab) 

We’ll tell you that your sponsorship application has been approved. Then, we’ll assess the eligibility of the child for permanent residence.

We’ll tell you that your sponsorship application has been refused.

Appealing this decision

When you applied, you told us whether you wanted to withdraw your sponsorship application, or continue processing the child’s permanent residence application, if your sponsorship application was refused.

We’ll tell you if your child has met the immigration requirements and is ready to get a permanent resident visa.

To avoid extra costs and disappointment, don’t plan to return to Canada with your child until we tell you that the child’s permanent residence application has been approved. This process may seem long and complicated, but it’s necessary for your child’s protection.

Getting permanent resident status

Your child will become a permanent resident once they get their permanent resident visa and arrive in Canada. To keep this status, they must live in Canada for at least 2 years out of every 5-year period. They can still travel in and out of Canada during this time.

After your child arrives in Canada as a permanent resident, you can apply for Canadian citizenship on their behalf once their adoption is complete. Learn more about applying for citizenship for your child.

Your child’s passport for travel to Canada

You must get the child’s passport from their home country. The Canadian visa office in that country needs the child’s passport to give them a permanent resident visa.

When the child arrives in Canada, you must show their passport and permanent resident visa to the Border Services officers.

The passport must be a valid, regular or private passport.

The adoption agency in your province or territory may be able to tell you where to get the child’s passport. Make sure to get this information before you plan to bring the child to Canada.

If we refuse the child’s permanent residence application, we’ll tell you why.

Some reasons why we might refuse their application:

• the Province or Territory has not sent us a LOA, LONO, or LONI letter
• you adopted from a country that doesn’t allow international adoptions
• you adopted from a country that Canadian provinces and territories have suspended adoptions from
• a home study was not conducted by a competent authority in Canada or in the country where the adoption was finalized as a pre-condition to an adoption
• the relationship between you and the child isn’t genuine, or it was entered into for immigration purposes only