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Sponsor your Spouse, Common-Law Partner or Conjugal Partner
Book your appointment now to apply to sponsor your spouse or common-law partner in Canada.
Sponsor your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner
You can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner who is at least 18 years old, or your dependent child. The person you’re sponsoring and their family members must pass background, security and medical checks.
If you’re married
You can sponsor the person as your spouse if your marriage is a legally valid civil marriage.
Opposite and same-gender marriages:
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will be recognized for immigration purposes, where the marriage:
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was legally performed in Canada, or
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if performed outside of Canada, the marriage must be legally recognized in the country where it took place and in Canada.
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If you’re in a common-law relationship
You can sponsor the person as your common-law partner (same or opposite gender) as long as you’ve been living or have lived with your partner for at least 12 consecutive months in a marriage-like relationship.
If you’re in a conjugal relationship
A conjugal partner is:
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a person who is living outside Canada,
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in a conjugal relationship with the sponsor for at least one year, and
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could not live with the sponsor as a couple because of reasons beyond their control (e.g. immigration barrier, religious reasons or sexual orientation).
This term applies to both opposite and same-gender couples.
If you have a conjugal partner
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there is a significant degree of attachment between the two of you, implying not just a physical relationship but a mutually interdependent relationship, and
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you’ve been in a genuine (real) relationship for at least 12 months where marriage or cohabitation (living together) hasn’t been possible because of barriers such as sexual orientation, religious faith, etc.