IRCC cites family reunification as one of the pillars of Canadian immigration. When you apply to bring a spouse under spousal sponsorship in Canada, IRCC must be satisfied that the relationship is genuine.  

IRCC makes these assessments because sometimes a foreign national might attempt to pursue a non-genuine relationship with a permanent inhabitant or Canadian citizen to gain permanent resident status. At the same time, the sponsors believe that they are in a committed or genuine marriage/ partnership. This can be emotionally or financially challenging for a sponsor. Well, that’s because they will sign an undertaking to financially support their partner for three years from the day they receive the PR status, irrespective of whether the relationship breaks down. 

Permanent residents or Canadian citizens might also attempt to enter into a business-like arrangement & might even fake a relationship with foreign nationals in exchange for a fee. 

Moreover, several documents must be included in the application to sponsor a spouse/ partner to prove that a real relationship exists. If an immigration officer needs more evidence regarding the genuineness of the relationship, they can ask the couple to visit the IRCC office for an interview. They might also interview both the sponsor as well as the applicant individually. 

If an officer is unsatisfied that a genuine relationship exists, the foreign national will not be eligible for spousal sponsorship in Canada. 

How To Prove The Genuity Of Relationship 

IRCC asks all couples to provide documentation that proves the relationship is genuine. In addition, the types of documentation can vary depending on if the couple is married or common-law in Canada. 

Spouses 

A married couple needs different forms of official documentation like: 

  • A completed Relationship information & sponsorship evaluation questionnaire
  • A marriage certificate
  • Proof of registration of marriage with the government authority 
  • Evidence of divorce if either the applicant/ spouse was previously married
  • If the principal applicant or sponsor have children in common, long-form birth certificates/ adoption records are required
  • Wedding invitation/ photos 

Same-sex couples whose marriage isn’t legally recognized by the foreign national’s country must apply as a common-law relationship. In instances when the couple has been unable to live together due to an inability to get long-stay visas, they might apply as a conjugal partner.

Common-Law

Regarding spousal sponsorship in Canada, the common-law relationship is defined as an unmarried couple residing together in a conjugal partnership for at least one year. They must submit the same documentation as married couples as well as: 

  • Documentary evidence of financial/ economic support between the sponsor & principal applicant and shared expenses.
  • Other evidence is that the relationship is recognized by friends, family, etc. 

Further, for both common-law & spousal relationships in Canada, a sponsor & the principal applicant are expected to offer items from at least two of the following document sets: 

  • Evidence of joint ownership of residential property 
  • Rental agreement showing both the principal applicant as well as the sponsor as occupants of rental property
  • Evidence of joint utility accounts, credit card accounts, & bank accounts
  • Vehicle insurance showing that both the principal applicants as well as the sponsor have been declared to the insurance company as residents/ inhabitants of the insured’s address
  • Copies of government-issued documents for the applicant & sponsor showcasing the same address
  • Other documents issued to the principal applicant & sponsor showing the same address, whether the accounts are held jointly or not

If couples cannot provide at least two of the documents mentioned above, they must provide a detailed written explanation.

Proving Cohabitation 

Couples must prove that they have been living together as conjugal partners in Canada. For this, they have to submit: 

  • Joint bank accounts or credit cards
  • Joint residential leases
  • Joint rental receipts
  • Joint ownership of residential properties 
  • Joint utility accounts
  • Joint management of household expenses 
  • Proof of joint purchase
  • Correspondence addressed to one or both parties at the same address 
  • Crucial documents of both parties showing the same address 
  • Shared responsibility of household management 
  • Telephone calls record 

If the couple isn’t living together under spousal sponsorship in Canada, they need to provide evidence that they lived together previously for at least one year by presenting: 

  • Proof that they have been in contact via letters, text messages, email, social media conversations, & documents showing that they have been in contact. This must be ten pages long. 
  • Proof that a Canadian citizen or permanent inhabitant has visited their partner via flight tickets/ boarding passes, passport photocopies, etc., with stamps. If visits do not occur, an explanation needs to be included by the spousal individual in the IMM 5532 questionnaire.