As per the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), family reunification is one of the major components of Canadian immigration. IRCC must be convinced of the validity of the relationship when you apply to sponsor your spouse or partner’s immigration under the family class sponsorship.  

How IRCC Checks a Relationship’s Validity 

IRCC checks a relationship’s validity in a spousal sponsorship because it is possible that an international citizen may attempt to establish an unreliable relationship with a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident (PR) in order to acquire permanent resident status in Canada, whilst the sponsor feels certain that they are in a sincere and committed marriage or partnership. 

This is significant because the sponsors have to sign an agreement to support their partner or spouse financially for three years after they receive permanent resident status, even if their relationship ends up failing. This can be challenging for a sponsor, emotionally as well as financially.  

In addition to this, Canadian citizens or permanent residents may also get into a fake relationship or a business-like agreement with a foreign citizen in order to make money.  

To sponsor a spouse or partner, various documents must be submitted with the sponsorship application in order to demonstrate a relationship. In the event that an immigration officer needs additional evidence that a relationship is real, they might invite the couple for an interview at an IRCC office. The officer might also conduct separate interviews with both the sponsor and the applicant.  

If the IRCC officer is not convinced that the relationship between both is not genuine, the applicant will not be qualified for the spousal sponsorship.  

How to demonstrate a relationship’s validity 

The department of IRCC requires all couples, including same-sex partners, to submit documents that validate that the relationship between them is real. The required documents may vary based on whether the couple is married or common-law in Canada.  

Spouses 

A married couple seeking spousal sponsorship is required to submit various official documents, which are as follows: 

  • A marriage certificate. 
  • Wedding invitation and photos. 
  • A completed Relationship, Information, and Sponsorship Evaluation questionnaire (IMM 5532). It must be included in the application package. 
  • Proof of marriage registration with a government authority. It can either be provincial, state, or country.  
  • Proof of divorce if the sponsor or the applicant was married previously. 
  • Long-form birth certificates or adoption records with the names of both parents, if the applicant or sponsor has children in common 

Same-sex couples whose marriage is not recognized legally by the home country of the applicant/foreign national can apply as a common-law relationship. When a couple is unable to live together due to the lack of long-stay visas, they may apply for a conjugal partner.  

Common-Law partner 

A common-law relationship in Canada is referred to as when an unmarried couple has been living together in a conjugal partnership for at least one year.  

In addition to the following documents, the common-law partners are required to submit all the documents similar to that are required from married couples, except for the wedding photos and invitation:  

  • A document to prove that there is financial support between the applicant and the sponsor and /or proof of shared expenses and 
  • Proof that the relationship between both is recognized by family and/or friends. It can either be a letter from the family/friend or a social media proof that highlights their relationship with the public.  

Furthermore, the sponsor and the applicant, in both married and common-law relationships, are expected to submit at least two of the following set of documents:  

  • A residential property document that proves the joint ownership of both the sponsor and the applicant. 
  • A rental property agreement that reflects that the sponsor and the applicant are the residents of the rental property. 
  • A document that proves that both have joint utility accounts (gas, electricity, telephone, or internet), joint bank accounts, or joint credit card accounts. 
  • Vehicle insurance that demonstrates that both the sponsor and the applicant have been declared as the residents of the insured’s address to the insurance company 
  • A Copy of documents (e.g., driver’s license) issued by the government showing that the sponsor and the applicant have the same address.  
  • Other documents that demonstrate that the sponsor and the applicant have the same address, whether the accounts are held jointly or not. It can be tax forms, cell phone bills, pay stubs, bank or credit card statements, or insurance policies.  

In the event that the couple is unable to provide at least any of these two documents, they will need to submit a detailed written explanation.  

Demonstrating cohabitation 

In order to prove that the couple has been living together as conjugal partners in Canada, they are required to submit the following documents: 

  • A document showing joint bank accounts or credit cards 
  • A document showing joint ownership of residential property 
  • A document showing joint residential leases 
  • A document showing joint rental receipts 
  • A document showing joint utility accounts (electricity, gas, telephone) 
  • A document showing joint management of household expenses 
  • Proof of joint purchases, especially for household items 
  • A correspondence addressed to either or both parties at the same address 
  • A document showing both parties have the same address. It can be identification documents, driver’s licenses, or insurance policies. 
  • A document showing shared responsibility for household management, household chores 
  • A record of telephone calls 

In the event that the couple is not residing together in Canada currently, they need to submit proof that they previously lived together for at least one year. For this, they can submit the following: 

  • Proof of communication such as letters, printed text messages, emails, social media talks, or other documents proving that they have been in contact. This should be no more than ten pages. 
  • A proof that demonstrates that the Canadian citizen or permanent resident has visited their spouse or partner. It can be a flight ticket, boarding pass, or passport photocopy with stamps. In case no visits were made, the sponsored person must explain why in part C. Question 4 of the IMM 5532 questionnaire.