If the couple is already living together in Canada, Canadians and permanent residents can utilize inland sponsorship to sponsor their spouse or common-law partner for permanent residence status.
What exactly is inland sponsorship?
Inland sponsorship allows Canadians and permanent residents to sponsor a loved one who is legally residing (cohabiting) in Canada.
In order to apply for Inland sponsorship, the foreign spouse or common-law partner must also have valid temporary status in Canada, either as a worker, student, or guest. The sponsored individual will be able to continue to live, work, or study in Canada while their application is being processed.
Both the Canadian citizen or permanent resident and the foreign national must be authorised by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada in order for the sponsored individual to get a Canadian PR visa through inland sponsorship (IRCC).
One significant advantage of filing an Inland sponsorship application is that the spouse or partner may be eligible for an open work visa, allowing them to work full-time in Canada while their permanent residency application is being handled
An Open Work Permit (OWP) can assist lessen the financial and emotional stress of a potentially lengthy application procedure, as well as allow your spouse or partner to be professionally active and enter the Canadian labour market.
Candidates seeking inland sponsorship are normally expected to remain in Canada while their application is being processed. Outland sponsorship may be a preferable alternative if the spouse or common-law partner does not intend to stay in Canada or wants to be permitted to go outside the country while the application is being processed.
Who is eligible to apply for inland sponsorship?
To be qualified to sponsor a loved one under the Inland application category, you must complete the following requirements:
Your spouse or partner must live in Canada with you, and your spouse or partner must have temporary resident status in Canada.
There are many basic prerequisites for immigration to Canada that both the sponsor and the sponsored individual must achieve in order to be eligible for Inland sponsorship:
The sponsor must be either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
Both the sponsor and the sponsored individual must be at least 18 years old.
The sponsor’s relationship with the sponsored individual must be one of the following:
spouse: you are legally married, and your marriage is legitimate under both the law of the place in which it was registered and Canadian law;
Common-law: you have been cohabiting with your partner in a marriage-like relationship for at least 12 months;
The sponsored individual must not have been sponsored in Canada by their spouse in the five years before the filing of their application; neither spouse must be in jail, charged with a major offence, or bankrupt.
Conjugal unions, or relationships in which two persons are unable to live together or marry due to religious or marital status constraints, are ineligible for Inland sponsorship.
What is the process of inland sponsorship?
Inland sponsorship is a specialized application method for sponsoring a loved one under Canada’s Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada immigration programme.
Inland sponsorship applications are divided into two sections:
The Canadian citizen or permanent resident must apply to be a sponsor, while the foreign spouse or partner must apply for permanent residency.
Several steps are involved in the application submission process, including:
validating eligibility for both the sponsor and the sponsored individual; paying needed costs online; gathering supporting documents; and completing and submitting relevant papers to the proper visa office
Candidates seeking inland sponsorship are normally expected to remain in Canada while their application is being processed. Outland sponsorship may be a preferable alternative if the spouse or common-law partner does not intend to stay in Canada or wants to be permitted to go outside the country while the application is being processed.
What measures have to be taken to apply for Inland sponsorship?
It takes several steps to apply to sponsor a foreign spouse or partner. Here is a breakdown of the many application stages:
Step 1: Save the application package from the government website; it contains a handbook, instructions, paperwork, and a checklist to assist you finish the procedure correctly.
Step 2: Pay all application costs online (application fees, right of permanent residence fees, biometric fees).
Step 3: Fill out and sign all necessary paperwork.
Step 4: Follow the directions in the booklet you obtained to send your application to the appropriate visa office and postal address in Canada.
Step 5: You may be required to provide more supporting papers while your application is being reviewed.
The province of Quebec has its own immigration processes, and you will need to take additional measures if you live there.
How long does it take for Inland applications to be processed?
The current processing period for Inland spousal sponsorship applications is roughly 12 months.
Inland applications used to take longer to process than Outland applications; however this is no longer the case. IRCC is currently working to standardize processing timelines for both inland and outland applications.
IRCC may have to prioritise spousal applications from certain countries due to the current COVID-19 epidemic.
Canadians seeking to re-enter the country; Vulnerable individuals; Those who give or support key services
Canadians seeking to re-enter the country; Vulnerable individuals; Those who give or support key services immigration processes, and you will need to take additional measures if you live there.
In which locations are inland applications processed?
You must utilize a specified postal address in Canada to submit your spousal sponsorship application; depending on the sponsorship type you select (Inland or Outland). To find out which address is used to accept Inland sponsorship applications, consult the information available on the IRCC website.
(Source CIC News)
