Apply for Canada Spouse Visa from India 2026

Immigrating to Canada as a legal partner or a spouse is one of the most trusted and reliable pathways to obtain Canada permanent residency. Canada Spouse visa or Canada partner visa, is a dedicated term placed under the Spousal Sponsorship Program which is a subsection of the Family Class Immigration Category. Under this category, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident may sponsor a spouse or common law partner for Canadian permanent residency. 

What is a Canada PR Spouse Visa?

The Canada PR Spouse Visa is a legal permit that allows spouses or legal partners of the Canadian permanent residents and citizens to immigrate to the country, reunite, and later settle as Canada’s permanent residents. It is considered a relatively safer pathway than expected pathways to obtain permanent residency in Canada. 

Types of Canada Spouse Visas?

Prospective immigrants can obtain Canada permanent residency through the Canada Spouse Visa which enables partners or common law partners to legally reside in the country. Canada permanent residency through Canada spouse visa can be obtained through two applicable ways as:

 ❖  Work Permit

International students on their Canada study visa often, after completing their studies, stay in the country on a post-study work permit, which enables them to stay for a limited period of time. While on a post-study work permit, individuals often apply for a Canada spouse visa which permits them to stay in the country as Canada permanent residents. 

❖  Permanent Resident

Individuals applying for the Canada permanent residency can be sponsored through the direct pathway. In this pathway, individuals who are at present residing in the country as either as a permanent resident or citizen can sponsor their partner or common-law partner. With this pathway, individuals can directly become permanent residents of Canada. 

Who is Eligible to Sponsor for the Canada Spouse Visa?

The Canada Spouse visa which enables partners to legally stay in the country only if they hold certain eligibility requirements, such as:

❖  At least 18 years of age

❖  A Canadian citizen, a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian act, or a Canadian permanent resident

❖  An individual living outside Canada as a Canadian citizen and wish to sponsor a partner then it is quite mandatory to provide assurance that they will reside in Canada once their partner will becomes a permanent resident. 

A Canadian citizen, a registered Indian, or a permanent resident of Canada who is 18 years of age or older and wish to sponsor can sponsor their partners, dependents, and children as:

➔  The spouse or common-law partner who lives with you in Canada and their dependent children

➔  The spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner who lives overseas, and their dependent children

➔  Their dependent children 

Requirements for Sponsorship

Eligible partners and dependents applying for the Canada spouse visa must adhere to some of the requirements if they wish to immigrate to Canada with the Canada spouse visa. Some of the requirements are:

➢  The Spouse

●    is legally married to you

●    is at least 18 years old

●    can be of any gender

●    is in a genuine relationship, not just for the purpose of getting Canada permanent resident status. 

➢  Common-law Partner

●    is not legally married to you

●    is at least 18 years old

●    can be of any gender

●    is in a genuine relationship, not just for the purpose of getting Canada permanent resident status.

●    Has lived in at least 12 years consecutive months 

➢  Conjugal Partner

●    isn’t legally married to you or in a common-law relationship

●    is at least 18 years old

●    can be of any gender

●    has been in an exclusive and mutually interdependent relationship for at least one year

●    is in a genuine relationship, not just for the purpose of getting Canada permanent resident status.

●    lives outside Canada 

➢  Dependent Child

One can sponsor a child to Canada if the child is not inadmissible and meets the definition of a dependent.

A child is considered a dependent if: 

●    The child is your biological or legally adopted child

●    The child meets one of the following conditions:

➔  The child is under 22 years old and not married or in a common-law relationship, or

➔  The child is 22 years or older and cannot financially support themselves due to a physical or mental condition and

➔  has depended on their parents for financial support since before turning 22 

Essential Documents Required for the Canada PR Spouse Visa

Eligible applicants who aspire to immigrate to Canada with the Canada PR Spouse visa are required to gather some of the essential documents, crucial while applying for the Canada spouse visa application. Some of the essential documents are:

❖  Valid passport

❖  Proof of relationship status such as marriage certificate, wedding card and photographs

❖  Proof of financial requirements such as bank statements, joint bank account statement

❖  Police and health clearance certificate

❖  Passport sized photographs

❖  Declaration letter from parents from both the sides

Applying for the Canada PR spousal visa requires correct strategy, precision, careful planning, and accurate documentation. A well-prepared application with a complete application form and supporting essential documents, individuals can certainly increase their chances of receiving Canada permanent residency. Well, if you are also a prospective immigrant who wishes to move to Canada with the Canada spousal visa, then follow these structured steps:

Step 1: Check Eligibility

One of the foremost steps an individual has to take is to check eligibility factors set by the IRCC. Some of the eligibility factors such as age, valid relationship status, and valid sponsor. 

Step 2: Gather Essential Documents

After checking in all the eligibility factors, applicants are required to gather some of the essential documents, such as marriage certificates, financial requirement documents, and identity documents. 

Step 3: Create Online Account 

Once all the documents are being accumulated, applicants are required to create an online account on the IRCC official portal. With this, the sponsor (who is a Canadian permanent resident or citizen) has to submit the sponsorship application, whereas the spouse, partner or child has to submit the permanent residence application. 

Step 4: Submit Application Fee

After creating the form, applicants must submit the application fee alongside the permanent residence fee, and biometrics fee on their official website, alongside their complete application form. 

Step 5: Submit Biometrics

Once the processing fee is being submitted, applicants are also required to submit their biometrics information (photo and fingerprints) at VAC (Visa Application Centre) to provide their biometrics information. 

Step 6: Await Decision

Once all the procedures are being completed, applicants are required to wait for the visa decision. In the meantime, applicants also receive certain additional information regarding their visa process, to be duly submitted before the visa decision. 

Step 7: Receive the Visa Decision

When receiving a positive response against the visa decision, the partner or spouse will receive the COPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence) and can certainly travel to Canada as the Canada permanent resident. 

These structured, easy and precise steps, can help individuals secure their Canada spousal visa and can immigrate to the country as Canada permanent resident. 

Canada PR Spousal Visa Fee

Applicants who wish to immigrate to Canada will have to submit the application fee, with the biometrics fee at the time of visa application. However, here is a complete bifurcation of the Canada spousal visa fee: 

Canada PR Spouse Visa Processing Time 

Canada PR spouse visa processing time is approximately 15 months, depending upon certain factors such as the completeness of visa application, existing visa applications, and the applicant’s country of residence. However, if all the cards are placed in the correct order and no further requirements are being made by IRCC, the Canada spouse visa is received within 10 to 12 months. 

Canada PR Spousal Visa or commonly known as Spousal Sponsorship Canada empowers an opportunity within the eligible partners, common law partners and dependent children to legally immigrate to Canada and settle as permanent residents of Canada. With this opportunity, individuals often do convert their permanent residency into Canadian citizenship, to uplift all the benefits, even the right to vote in the country. By understanding this in-depth guide for Canada spouse visa, its eligibility criterias, documents, and processing fee, applicants can apply for Canada PR Spouse Visa and become permanent residents of Canada.