Public policy for undeclared family members

When you apply for permanent residence, you must declare all your family members, even if they aren’t coming with you to Canada. They must also complete medical exams and pass background and security checks.

These family members may include your

• spouse
• common-law partner
• dependent children
• grandchildren (dependent children of your dependent children)

Typically, you can’t sponsor a family member that you didn’t declare when you became a permanent resident. However, you may be eligible to sponsor them through the public policy to sponsor undeclared family members.

This public policy applies to applications we receive between May 31, 2019, and September 10, 2026.

Who you can sponsor

Previously undeclared family members may be eligible to be sponsored if

• they’re applying to be sponsored as a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child
• they weren’t declared or examined when their sponsor became a permanent resident

• as a resettled refugee (a Convention refugee or a person in similar circumstances)
• after having been determined to be a protected person
• after being sponsored as a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or dependent child under the family class, or
• after being sponsored as a spouse or common-law partner under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class

Who you can’t sponsor

Previously undeclared family members aren’t eligible to be sponsored if they would have made their sponsor ineligible to immigrate to Canada when they applied, for example, if their sponsor

• immigrated as a spouse, but was married or in a common-law relationship with the undeclared family member at that time
• was married or in a common-law relationship when they came as a dependent child on their parent’s application
• came to Canada under a program that required them to be single, with no dependants

How to apply

There’s no special process to sponsor undeclared family members under this public policy. Apply using the normal process to sponsor your spouse, partner or child and we’ll determine if they’re eligible while the public policy is in effect.

If you already submitted an application and it’s still being processed

If you have an application in process, you don’t need to do anything. We’ll review any applications that were already submitted and determine if they’re eligible for the public policy.

If your application was already refused

If you applied to sponsor undeclared family members and your application was refused before May 31, 2019, you can submit a new application to sponsor them if they’re eligible to be sponsored under this public policy.