Proving Relationship with Spouse or Partner to IRCC

You can sponsor a foreign citizen to move in with you in Canada and become a permanent resident. This is only possible if you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Your spouse, common-law partner, or romantic partner are usually eligible for this sponsorship. It only requires genuine validation of your relationship with the sponsored individual. Thus, for the sponsorship of your spouse or partner for Canadian immigration, IRCC needs evidence of your true relationship. You need to present real proof and supporting paperwork to qualify for spousal or common-law partner sponsorship. 

Validating a relationship with your spouse and Partner

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) demands the following list of documents to testify the relationship with your spouse or partner:

• A well-answered IMM 5532 questionnaire called “Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation”
• A government-registered marriage certificate (applicable for married couples)
• Proof of a divorce if your spouse or partner was formerly married
• Long-form birth certificates or adoption records with the names of both parents (if the couple share children together).
• invites to the wedding/pictures of the couple together.

Couples shall present proof from at least two of the following sources:

• Proof of joint ownership of residential property
• The rental contract indicates the couple are occupants of the property
• Proof of joint utility accounts (electricity/gas/telephone/internet etc.), joint credit cards or bank accounts
• The couple’s car insurance provider must validate that they both registered to live at the same address.
• A piece of official identification (like a driver’s license) with the same address
• Additional records showing the couple’s shared address (such as phone/bills/pay stubs/tax records, etc.)

If the couple is not living together, they must provide proof that they were previously living together for at least a year.  They can also show flight tickets, boarding cards, and passport photocopies with stamps. These are acceptable forms of proof that a Canadian citizen or permanent resident has visited their spouse. The sponsored person must explain the IMM 5532 questionnaire if visits were not made.

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