Document Checklist
Canada Spousal Sponsorship Document Checklist (2026)
Canada's spousal and common-law partner sponsorship is filed as two linked applications — the sponsorship and the permanent residence application — submitted together through the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal. IRCC runs a completeness check before it even opens your file: one missing form, a blank field, or an untranslated document can get the whole package returned unprocessed. Use this checklist to assemble everything before you start the online submission, and always cross-check the live document checklist in your own application package, since form versions and requirements get revised.
Core Application Forms
- IMM 1344 — Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and UndertakingCompleted by the sponsor; both sponsor and principal applicant sign electronically in the portal.
- IMM 0008 — Generic Application Form for CanadaCompleted online by the principal applicant and any family members 18 or older.
- IMM 5669 — Schedule A, Background/DeclarationFull personal, residential and employment history for the principal applicant and accompanying adult family members.
- IMM 5406 — Additional Family InformationDetails on parents, siblings, children and current/former spouses or partners of the applicant.
- IMM 5532 — Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation FormCompleted by the sponsor; captures how the relationship started and developed. Print to PDF before signing, per IRCC's current guide.
- IMM 5409 — Statutory Declaration of Common-Law UnionRequired only for common-law partner applications, signed by both partners before a notary or commissioner of oaths.
- IMM 5562 — Supplementary Information, Your TravelsTravel history form, required when applicable to the applicant's circumstances.
Proof of Relationship
- Marriage certificateMust show the marriage was legally registered in the place it occurred — a religious or venue-issued marriage licence or solemnization record alone is not accepted.
- Evidence of a shared lifeJoint lease or mortgage documents, joint bank or credit account statements, joint utility bills, and shared insurance or beneficiary designations.
- Communication and photo evidenceLetters, texts, call logs, emails and social media showing ongoing contact — up to 10 pages accepted; anything not in English or French needs a certified translation.
- Photos together over timeDated photos spanning the relationship, including with each other's family where possible, labelled with dates and locations.
- Statutory declarations from friends or familySigned letters from people who know the couple, describing how they know the relationship is genuine.
- Proof of cohabitation (common-law only)At least 12 consecutive months living together in a marriage-like relationship — supported by shared address history, mail, and joint bills covering that period.
Financial and Undertaking Documents
- Sponsor's undertakingBy signing IMM 1344 the sponsor commits to supporting the spouse or partner's basic needs for 3 years from the day they become a permanent resident.
- Proof the sponsor is not on social assistanceMinimum income thresholds generally don't apply to spousal sponsorship, but the sponsor can't be receiving social assistance other than for a disability.
- IMM 1283 — Financial EvaluationOnly needed if the sponsored person has a dependent child who themselves has a dependent child, triggering the income test; not filed by Quebec residents.
- Quebec undertaking (Quebec sponsors only)A separate undertaking filed with the Quebec government after IRCC confirms the federal application was submitted — do not file it early.
- Fee payment receiptsSponsorship fee, processing fees for everyone included, right of permanent residence fee, and biometrics fee, uploaded as proof of payment.
Background, Police and Medical
- Police certificatesFor every country where the applicant (if not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident) lived 6+ consecutive months since age 18 — request these early, as some countries take months to issue them.
- Panel physician medical examRequired for the applicant and any non-accompanying family members who aren't citizens or PRs; must be completed within 30 days of IRCC's instructions, using IMM 1017.
- BiometricsRequired for non-citizens/non-PRs and for anyone applying from inside Canada; pay the fee first to receive the instruction letter.
- Valid passports and birth certificatesFor the principal applicant and every family member being declared, including non-accompanying ones.
For the Sponsor
- Proof of status in CanadaCanadian citizenship or permanent residence document; only citizens can sponsor while living outside Canada.
- Proof of current address and residence in CanadaUtility bill, lease or similar — sponsors must normally reside in Canada (or be a citizen planning to return with the applicant).
- IMM 5476 — Use of a RepresentativeOnly needed if a paid or unpaid representative is helping with the application.
For the Applicant/Spouse
- Digital photoMeeting IRCC's Appendix C photo specifications, uploaded with both sides scanned if a physical copy is used as reference.
- Proof of legal name and identity changesName-change certificates or affidavits if the name on any document doesn't match current ID.
- Certified translationsAny document not in English or French needs a certified translation plus the translator's affidavit, unless they're certified in Canada.
Tips
- Choose your stream deliberately: outland (Family Class) applications can usually be filed regardless of where the couple lives and often process a bit faster, while inland (Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada class) lets the applicant apply for an open work permit while waiting, but requires the couple to already be living together in Canada.
- Insufficient relationship evidence is one of the most common refusal reasons — a marriage certificate alone rarely convinces an officer; layer in joint finances, communication records, and third-party statements that cover the whole relationship timeline, not just the wedding.
- Start police certificates and book the medical exam as early as possible — they're frequently the slowest-moving pieces, and IRCC's completeness check won't accept a placeholder for either.
- IRCC's completeness check is mechanical: a single blank field, missing signature, or document outside the checklist format can get your entire package returned rather than refused, costing you months. Go through the official checklist line by line before submitting.
- This checklist is general guidance, not legal advice — form numbers and requirements change, so always download the current application package and document checklist from the official IRCC website before you file.
Requirements change — always confirm the current list with the official source before you submit.
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