This is an initial checklist for submitting a Permanent Resident (PR) applicant under family class for a spouse, common-law partner, or a child.
Valid Passport – all biography, signature pages and pages with any visa and stamps (if applicable)
All Previous Passports – all biography, signature pages and pages with any visa and stamps (if applicable)
If living in Canada, provide proof of your status in Canada (e.g. copy of temporary resident visa, study permit or work permit, temporary resident permit, including out of status documentation)
Birth certificates or baptismal certificates for yourself (and all your dependents, if applicable – whether they are accompanying you to Canada or not)
- Copies of national identity cards (for yourself and all family members)
- A copy of your family booklet
- Neither of the above applies to me
Police Certificates - from all countries (except Canada) where lived for 6 months or more after the ago of 18 years
Immigration Medical Exam (IME) - After a request from IRCC, learn more
Current Relationship
If you (the principal applicant) are legally married to your sponsor, provide your marriage certificate or other proof that your marriage is legally registered with governmental authorities in the jurisdiction where it took place. A record of solemnization or marriage license is not acceptable
If you (the principal applicant) have been issued a civil union certificate/document, provide a copy
Previous Relationships (if applicable)
If you (the principal applicant) have been previously married and are divorced, you must provide a final divorce certificate/registration for each relationship. If you are still married to someone other than your sponsor, provide proof of legal separation (i.e. income tax forms, legal documents)
If you (the principal applicant) have been previously married and that marriage was annulled, provide a copy of the annulment
If you (the principal applicant) were previously married or in a common-law relationship, and your former spouse or common-law partner is deceased, you must provide your former spouse or partner's death certificate
If you (the principal applicant) were previously sponsored by another person (regardless of the outcome of the sponsorship application), provide an explanation on a separate piece of paper, including the name and date of birth of your previous sponsor(s)
None of the above applies to me
If the Sponsor is a permanent residence
Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR)
Canadian Permanent Resident Card (Both Sides)
If the Sponsor is a Canadian citizen
Canadian Citizenship Certificate or Card (both sides)
Canadian Passport (Current and Expired)
Canadian Birth Certificate
Previous Relationships (if applicable)
Employment and Source of Income
Most Recent Notice of Assessment
If the Sponsor and the Applicant have children together
Birth Certificate of Each Child with Parents Names
If the Sponsor and the Applicant are living together (provide a minimum of 2 from below)
Proof of joint ownership of residential property
Rental agreement showing both you and your sponsor as occupants of a rental property
Proof of joint utility accounts (eg. electricity, gas, telephone, internet), joint credit card accounts, or joint bank accounts (Submit a minimum of 1 joint bill)
Vehicle insurance showing that both you and your sponsor have been declared to the insurance company as residents of the insured's address
Copies of government issued documents for you and your sponsor showing the same address (e.g. driver's licenses) (Submit a minimum of 1 government issued document for each person)
Other documents issued to you or your sponsor showing the same address, whether the accounts are held jointly or not (e.g. cell phone bills, pay stubs , tax forms, bank or credit card statements , insurance policies). (Submit a minimum of 1 document for each person)
If the Sponsor and the Applicant are NOT living together
Proof of Contact
Provide letters, printed text messages, emails or social media conversations, or other documented proof of contact between you and your sponsor. Provide a maximum of 10 pages with your application. You must provide certified translations in either English or French of all proof of contact documents that are not already in English or French.
Proof of Visits
Proof of your sponsor's visits, such as airline ticket coupons or used boarding passes, photocopies of pages of your sponsor's passport showing entry-exit stamps supporting visits, etc. If your sponsor did not visit you, please provide an explanation.
Relationship Photographs
Photos of your wedding, customary celebrations, engagement, and/or outings. Provide a maximum of 20 photographs to support your relationship (taken at different times and places). Best to us a mix of picture of the couple and some with family and friends. Please number the pictures and share a brief description of context of each photo provided, according to labels.
Additional Documents (minimum 2 of the below)
Important documents for you and your spouse showing that you are recognized as each other's spouse (such as employment or insurance benefits)
Documentary evidence of financial support between you and your sponsor, and/or shared expenses
Other proof that your relationship is recognized by your friends and/or family (e.g. Letters from friends /family, social media information showing a public relationship, etc.)
Proof of past cohabitation , if you are not currently living together but did at one point in the past
👉 Signature Authorization (optional): please provide a good-quality clear copy of your (Applicant and Sponsor both) signature on a plain white paper with a blue ball pen. This will allow us to digitally insert your signature, saving trees and time. Alternatively, you may decide to manually sign the application forms and send us scan or paper copies.