orphaned and other relatives sponsorship for canada

Sponsoring Other Relatives: Overview

In some rare cases, extended family members can be sponsored for Canadian permanent residence. This is only possible under certain unique and often compassionate circumstances, described below.

Sponsorship of Other Relatives: Eligibility Requirements

• ‍Sponsor: Sponsors must be at least 18 years old, Canadian citizens or permanent residents, or registered Indians in Canada. They must reside in Canada and meet the income requirement. Certain conditions render an individual ineligible to sponsor, such as failing to pay family support payments, an immigration loan, or a performance bond; failing to provide financial support for the basic needs of a previously-sponsored relative which resulted in the relative receiving social assistance; being under a removal order; being incarcerated; receiving social assistance for a reason other than a disability; being an undischarged bankrupt; having been convicted of a violent or sexual offence, or an offence that caused bodily harm to a relative (or attempted or threatened to commit any of these offences).‍
• Relative: Eligible relatives include an orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece, or grandchild who are under 18 years of age, related by blood or adoption, have lost both parents, and are single. Additionally, a sponsor without any living spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, son or daughter, parent, grandparent, orphaned brother or sister, orphaned nephew or niece, orphaned grandchild, or aunt or uncle who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor any other one relative related by blood or adoption.‍
• Sponsored person: Sponsors can sponsor the other relatives listed above, with whom they have a genuine relationship. Such relatives can include their spouses or partners and dependent children in the application for permanent residence. Sponsored persons must also be admissible to Canada, i.e., in good health, financially stable, and clear on security grounds.

Orphaned or Other Relative Sponsorship: Documents, Application Process, and Timeline

The Relative Sponsorship application will include the following main documents:

• Immigration application forms
• Documents proving a sponsor’s status in Canada (e.g., passport, permanent residence card)
• Documents proving a sponsor’s residence in Canada (e.g., utility bill, bank statement)
• Documents demonstrating the sponsor’s good financial standing (e.g., employment letter, notice of assessment, bank statements)
• Proof of meeting the low-income cut-off
• Proof of relationship (e.g., birth certificate, adoption papers)
• Sponsored person’s passport, birth certificate, immigration status documents (if applicable, e.g., student visa, work permit)
• Police clearance certificates
• Medical examination
• Digital photo
• Application processing fee payment receipt

This list is a basic set of required supporting documents. Depending on the unique circumstances of the case, a tailored set of additional documents may be recommended.

The Relative Sponsorship Application must be submitted online and include all application forms and supporting documents for both the sponsor and the sponsored person, submitted simultaneously. Initially, a Canadian immigration officer will assess the sponsor’s eligibility. If approved, the sponsored person’s application for permanent residence will be assessed during the second stage.

Processing time varies depending on the country of residence of the sponsored person.

Start Canadian Immigration

Call us at +1-647-493-5205 or email us at info@leromlaw.com for additional information you need to begin the process.