1. Get the correct application package

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has application packages for each type of sponsorship program that include:

• the forms you must fill out
• a checklist with documents that must be included in your application
• an instruction guide to help you fill out the forms correctly

And starting September 23, 2022, you must use the online Permanent Residence Portal to submit your sponsorship application.

Forms

The forms to sponsor a dependent child always include:

• Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking [IMM 1344]
• Sponsorship Evaluation [IMM 5481] if the child has no dependent children of their own
• Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM 0008]
• Schedule A – Background/Declaration [IMM 5669]
• Additional Family Information [IMM 5406]

You need the Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) form or Authority to release personal information to a designated individual form [IMM 5475] if someone is helping you complete your application and:

• they are giving you legal advice, or
• you want them to be able to communicate with IRCC on your behalf, or
• you want to help the child, or your spouse or partner, complete their forms and you want to communicate with IRCC on their behalf.

Read the instructions carefully. Some forms must be completed as fillable PDF documents and then uploaded to the portal. Other forms must be completed through the portal.

If the child being sponsored is under the age of 18, their parent or legal guardian signs forms on their behalf.

If there’s a parent who’s not coming with the child

You'll need to show that you have custody of the child or have the consent of the other parent if the child you're sponsoring:

• is under the age of 18, and
• has a parent who's not coming to Canada with the child.

The other parent has to complete a Declaration From Non-Accompanying Parent/Guardian For Minors Immigrating to Canada. And it has to be signed in front of a notary. The other parent also must have a copy of a signed identity document to prove who they are.

If you cannot provide the declaration, you need to explain why. But you must do everything you can to get it. Without the declaration to prove the other parent's consent, you might not be able to sponsor the child.  If this situation applies to you, you need to get legal advice.

Requirements for specific countries

For some countries, there are additional forms required and special instructions for getting documents. The correct package for you will give this information. It depends on where the child lives and where you need to get documents from.

For example, a child might live in one country and have lived in other countries. A child who is 18 or older needs to get a police certificate for the country:

• where they now live, if they've lived there 6 months or more, and
• where they lived most of their life after the age of 18.

How to get a police certificate depends on the country you’re getting it from.

Fill out the forms carefully

If the forms are not completed with all the required information, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will send the application back. They will not begin to process the application until it's complete.

If something does not apply, write “N/A” or “not applicable”. If you're not sure about something, say so. If you need more space to explain something, use another sheet of paper and attach it with your application.

IRCC checks any other information they have about you and the child that you're sponsoring. For example, they'll look at any applications you made in the past. If there are differences in the information, IRCC may do an investigation. And there's a risk that you could:

• lose your status in Canada, and
• be forced to leave.

If there's any risk that this could happen to you, get legal help.