How can I bring my fiance to Canada? This is a question we receive at Calver and Associates on a daily basis. Today, we review the options available to you should you want to sponsor your fiance for Permanent Residency in Canada.
Does Canada have a fiancé visa?
Canada does not have a separate category for engaged couples. There is currently no program that allows a Canadian to sponsor their fiancé for Permanent Residency. However, there are other options for those wanting to sponsor their fiancé to Canada.
How can I bring my fiancé to Canada?
Although there is no fiance class visa in Canada, there are other options available for engaged couples to pursue.
Option #1 - The Common-Law Partner Stream
If you have cohabited with your partner for more than one year continuously, you could consider the common-law partner stream. The common-law partner stream allows you to sponsor your partner to Canada for permanent residence. This stream of application is designed for couples in a committed, longterm relationship.
If you choose the common-law partner stream, you will have to demonstrate the authenticity of the relationship by showing that you have combined your separate financial and other matters since the cohabitation.
Option #2 - Conjugal Partner Sponsorship
The conjugal partner stream is one of the rarest forms of sponsorship as very few relationships fall into the requirements of this program. In order to qualify under the conjugal partner category, there must be circumstances beyond the couple’s control that prevent them from applying under one of the other categories.
To be eligible for the conjugal partner stream, the couple must prove that there is a threat to their life due to cultural or social restrictions. In some cases, persecution or penalization by authorities are the preventing factors.
This stream is not for couples who have less serious factors preventing them from living together. For example, disapproving parents, lack of finances, and not wanting to get married are not legitimate reasons preventing the couple from living together.
Option #3 - Visitor Visa
If you aren’t ready to start a spousal sponsorship application and you don’t meet the requirements for other programs, you may consider having your fiance or partner visit you in Canada. Visitor Visas are issued for a maximum of 6 months and in some cases can be extended.
Our Services
Calver and Associates is a leading provider of Canadian Immigration services in Durham Region. We serve clients in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, and beyond. Our Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant has over 10 years of experience in Canadian Immigration law and over four years of experience serving those in the Oshawa area.
We can provide assistance with applications for both temporary and permanent residency in Canada. We handle applications for study permits, permanent residency, family class sponsorship, visitor visas, work permits, and Canadian citizenship. We also handle criminal inadmissibility cases by developing remedies for refusal.
