How to Sponsor your Dependent Child to Canada

Steps to Sponsor your Dependent Child to Canada

Before you can sponsor your dependent child to Canada, there are several different factors that you need to consider. Some important factors include your eligibility to sponsor and the type of dependent children that are eligible. The most important factor is whether or not you can sponsor your dependent child and if you are eligible to; if you are not, then you will not be able to sponsor, unfortunately. Furthermore, you must also ensure that your dependent child is of an appropriate age in order to proceed with a child sponsorship. In this article, I will explain the eligibility requirements for child sponsorship, the type of dependent children that are eligible for child sponsorship, the documents needed for the application and more.

Eligibility to Sponsor your Dependent child

As aforementioned, this is the most important factor of a child sponsorship application. The reason being is because the sponsor must be able to provide evidence and prove to Immigration Canada that they are eligible and financially able to sponsor their dependent child. There are certain requirements that need to be considered prior to applying to sponsor your dependent child. In order to sponsor your dependent child, the sponsor must:

• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada;
• Prove that you have not received any social assistance for reasons other than disability;
• Prove that you have sufficient income to provide basic needs for your dependent child;
• Sign an undertaking and should not have any active undertakings.

When a sponsor signs a contract to sponsor their dependent child, this is referred to as an undertaking with the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. By signing this undertaking, you are committing to providing basic needs and sufficient financial support for your dependent child. Please note, this will also include alternative health care that is not provided by public health services, such as eye and dental care.

The contract of undertaking an applicant, in this case a dependent child, ensures that the applicant and the sponsor alike do not have to apply for social assistance from the Canadian government for their duration of the undertaking. However, there are different lengths of undertaking depending on the age of the dependent child.

The length of undertaking for a child that is over 22 years old is a minimum of 3 years. The length of undertaking for a child that is under 22 years old is 10 years or until the child reaches 25 years old.

Furthermore, there are three different types of dependent children who are eligible for child sponsorship:

Type A

This type of dependent child is a child who is under 22 years of age and is single (not married or in a common-law relationship).

Type B

This type of dependent child is a child that has been continuously enrolled in a post-secondary institution accredited by the relevant government authority. They must have attended as a full-time student. Additionally, the child must be financially dependent on their parent either since before 22 years of age or since marrying or entering into a common-law relationship (if it occurred prior to turning 22 years of age).

Type C

This type of dependent child is a child that is 22 years of age or older and has financially depended on their parent since before the age of 22 years old. Additionally, they must also be unable to provide for themselves due to a medical condition.

Documents Needed for a Child Sponsorship

There are many requirements and documents that you must provide to Immigration in order to sponsor your dependent child. By providing strong and sufficient documentation to Immigration, this will ultimately improve the chances of a successful application. In order to apply for a child sponsorship, you must provide these required documents:

• The sponsor’s Canadian citizenship certificate, Canadian passport or their permanent resident card;
• The sponsor’s employment letter and/or financial documentation of support;
• The dependent child’s identity documents, travel documents and passport;
• Police certificates & clearances for children over 18 years old;
• 2 passport photos; and,
• Medical Examination.

In order to make your application strong, you may provide these supporting documents:

• An official document which states that the sponsor is the dependent child’s parent;
• Additional evidence of financial support from the sponsor;
• School/Educational documentation listing the sponsor as the dependent child’s parent;
• Any correspondence or communication between the sponsor and dependent child;
• Evidence of any travels to and from the sponsor or dependent child;
• Any other documentation that will support the application and prove the relationship between the sponsor and the dependent child.

Apart from these documents, it is also very important for you to fill out all of the appropriate forms for a child sponsorship application. If a form is filled out incorrectly, Immigration Canada will return the application or worse, will refuse it. Therefore, it is always wise to review and check if everything was filled out correctly and that all of the required documentation is provided before submitting the application.

Contact Akrami & Associates

If you wish to sponsor your dependent child to Canada, we can help you with this process. Much like any other immigration application, a child sponsorship application process can become overwhelming if done alone; therefore, it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to apply. Here, at Akrami & Associates, we work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients become reunited with their dependent child in Canada. If you believe that you might be eligible, please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at our office at 416-477-2545 for more information or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advise.

With Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!