Main Eligibility Requirements

Submitting an application to sponsor your Common Law Partner can be a stressful endeavor. Many of our clients have an easy enough time locating application forms online but have no idea where to start with respect to gathering documents.

Akrami & Associates will guide you every step of the way with this.

If you intend on submitting your application without the support of a representative, there are a couple of factors you should keep in mind.

Eligibility

You may not be eligible to be a sponsor if you:

• did not meet the terms of a sponsorship agreement in the past,
• did not pay alimony or child support even though a court ordered it,
• get government financial help for reasons other than being disabled,

were convicted of

• an offence of a sexual nature,
• a violent crime,
• an offence against a relative that resulted in bodily harm or
• an attempt or threat to commit any such offences, depending on the details of the case, such as
• the type of offence,
• how long ago it occurred and
• whether a record suspension was issued

Finances

Though there are no financial requirements to sponsor your spouse or common law partner, nor any preclusion therein, your finances will still be assessed. An immigration officer should be satisfied, based on your income/savings/assets, that you will be financially capable of supporting your common law sponsor in Canada. An officer may refuse you based on the fact that he feels you will be unable to maintain your undertaking or promise to be financially responsible for your Common Law Partner for the allotted amount of time.

Documentation

The documentation you submit for a common law sponsorship is more intensive then a Spousal Sponsorship in the sense that, in addition to the other requirements, you will need to demonstrate the additional factor of cohabitation. Many people struggle with documentation in this respect as how do you show progression of time with documents? This can be remedied by submitting joint bills, for example, over the span of time. Provided they have both names on it and have the same address, submitting a years’ worth of such bills is a good way to begin demonstrating cohabitation to an officer making a decision. Aside from this, your documentation should also reflect the genuineness of your relationship.