Spousal Sponsorship Document Checklist

When sponsoring a loved one for Canadian Permanent Residency (PR), a large number of documents must be provided to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This page contains a list of the documents you will need to sponsor a spouse for Canadian PR. All immigration forms must be prepared in English or French, and all supporting documents must be accompanied by a certified translation into English or French if they were not originally written in one of these languages.

The following list is intended for reference purposes only as it does not contain enough detailed information to allow you to complete an application package without reference to other sources of information. Please remember to always consult with a qualified legal professional before acting, or failing to act, based on the information contained herein.

Required Documents

There are currently four family sponsorship Canada document checklists, one for sponsoring a spouse, one for sponsoring a common-law partner, one for sponsoring a conjugal partner, and one for sponsoring a dependent child. Previously, there were 14 different document checklists related to Canada sponsorship.

Canada Sponsorship Forms and Documents:

• Form IMM 0008, Generic Application Form for Canada, to be completed by the partner (the principal applicant who is seeking to immigrate to Canada)
• Form IMM 1344, Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking, to be signed by the sponsor and the partner
• Form IMM 1283, Financial Evaluation, to be signed by the sponsor
• Form IMM 5406, Additional Family Information, to be completed by the principal applicant and all adult children
• Form IMM 5476, Use of Representative, if the application itself or any part of it was actually completed by a third party such as a Canadian immigration lawyer or consultant
• Form IMM 5532, Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation, to be completed by both the sponsor and main applicant
• Form IMM 5533, Document Checklist for Spouse (Including Dependent Children)
• Form IMM 5534, Document Checklist for Dependent Child
• Form IMM 5589, Document Checklist for Common-Law Partner (Including Dependent Children)
• Form IMM 5629, Document Checklist for Conjugal Partner (Including Dependent Children)
• Form IMM 5669, Schedule A - Background/Declaration (the partner and all members of the partner's family who are at least 18 years of age must sign separate copies of this form)
• Copy of application fee receipt
• Medical Condition Statement: the results of a medical examination conducted by a doctor approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (no longer required up front)
• Photocopy of both sides of sponsor's Permanent Resident Card or other proof of permanent residence, if the sponsor is not a Canadian citizen; or a copy of sponsor's proof of Canadian citizenship (such as a citizenship certificate, birth certificate or passport)
• Photocopy of your marriage certificate, if your sponsorship is based on a legal marriage
• Proof of the termination of any previous marriages through divorce, annulment or death
• Sponsor's Notice of Assessment for the most recent tax year
• Letter from your employer stating the sponsor's period of service, salary and working hours, with employer's original signature (not a copy) if the sponsor is employed; or evidence of business or self-employment income over the past 12 months
• Photocopy of every page of the partner's passport
• Proof of partner's immigration status in Canada, if the partner is applying from Canada (inland sponsorship)
• Photocopy of both sides of the partner's U.S. Alien Registration Card, if applicable.
• Documentary proof of common-law or conjugal relationship, if applicable (please see below for examples)
• Photographs of your wedding or common-law partnership ceremony
• Two passport-style photos of the partner

Questions about the documentation needed for PR sponsorship? We offer free consultations!

Please note that the above list is only a general checklist, more documentation may be required under individual circumstances. Moreover, provincial authorities and Canadian embassies or consulates may vary these requirements somewhat. Quebec spousal sponsorship, for example, requires police certificates from any country other than Canada where the partner has lived at least six months since the age of 18. If the sponsor is relying on a co-signer due to lack of financial resources, the co-signer may also need to submit copies of some of the supporting documents.

Submission of Documents

Some documents, such as the Schedule A Declaration, may be submitted electronically after linking your application to an online account. In such cases, the document does not need to be submitted upfront, and applicants will have 30 days after linking their online account to upload their valid Schedule A into the Global Case Management System (GCMS). Applicants who do not create an online account within seven days will be emailed or mailed a request for a paper copy of the document by CPC-M, and must do so within 30 days of the date of the letter. Failing to submit a Schedule A document could cause a spousal sponsorship application to be refused by Immigration Canada due to non-compliance.

This list does not include documents that may be required to bring dependent children into Canada. Old documents, such as Form IMM 5481, Sponsorship Evaluation, or Form IMM 5485, Spouse/Common-Law Partner Questionnaire, are no longer needed in 2025. For more information about spouse sponsorship documentation and procedures, you can visit the official Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Spousal Sponsorship Guide 5289 here.

Complex Cases

The document checklist above is for a "standard" Spousal Visa application. If there are complications, such as sponsoring a spouse with a past DUI or other criminal record, a substantial number of additional documents may be necessary. Likewise, if IRCC officers have concerns about the validity of a marriage or relationship, they may require extra documentation.

Interested in learning more about our professional spousal sponsorship legal services? Contact our law firm today for a free consultation!