Family Visa

The Family Visa is a popular choice for those with close family residing in Canada and who are eligible to act as sponsors.

Unfortunately there seems to be an indifference by the Canadian Government towards the parents and grandparents whose applications have not been processed for over a year - despite contradictory statements by the Immigration Minister.

This had led to some serious demonstrations and the drafting of a petition which may lead to a class action lawsuit against the government - not the first since the new rules were introduce a few years ago.

The group leading the protests are called Sponsor Your Parents and is a non political, non profit group of Canadian Residents (and citizens) whose parents are caught up in the backlog. Please check out the site and add your name to the petition for a fairer system!

Now back to the Info!!!!

The person being sponsored (applicant) must be a close relative or family member. Sponsors must also be over 18 years old and promise to support the relative for a period of 3 to 10 years.

There are certain criteria that you and the sponsoring relative must fulfill to qualify for family class immigration.

You must be either a relative or family member as described by Immigration Canada to be eligible for the Family Visa.

The sponsoring person must first apply to sponsor you and they must meet certain income requirements. Both parties will have to sign a Sponsorship Agreement and unless you are elderly you will have to promise to try and become self-sufficient.

Application Fees are payable in Canadian dollars and must be paid when the application is submitted.

Family Visa sponsorships for Spouses and Children do not have the strict financial or medical requirements (other than not being an immediate health risk - e.g. active TB) but Parents and GrandParents do.

However, Spouses cannot be on welfare, in jail or in unresolved bankruptcy - they do not have to be earning money at any level.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your Immigration eligibility the we recommend that you look into using an immigration consultant but ensure they are registered with the CSIC. If you decide to hire any immigration professional you MUST ensure that they are registered and in good standing with CSIC. This can be done via the link above and is for YOUR protection.

If you wish to check application processing times please go to the CIC website. Once there, navigate through the options depending on where your application is being processed and the type of visa you are applying for.