3. Get evidence to prove your relationship

You need to show Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that:

• you did not enter your relationship mainly for immigration reasons, and
• it is a genuine relationship.

Relationship questionnaire

You need to complete and include the Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation (IMM 5532) form. The form includes questions about:

• past marriages or common-law relationships
• when and how you and your spouse or partner met
• whether your marriage was arranged, if you're married
• whether the two of you have lived together
• visits that you've made to see one another
• how you keep in touch when you're not together

And there are questions about:

• whether close friends and family know about your relationship
• events or ceremonies you've had that recognize or celebrate your relationship
• whether one of you is pregnant

Other documents

The document checklist included with your sponsorship application package will say what other documents you need to include to prove your relationship.

You may need to include:

• invitations and photographs from your wedding
• proof that you own or rent a home together
• proof that you have joint bank accounts and share your finances in other ways, such as utility accounts or credit cards
• copies of identity documents that show the same address for both of you, for example, driver's licences

And you may need proof related to time you were living apart, for example:

• letters, emails, and text messages that you sent each other
• airline tickets, boarding passes, or copies of passport pages with entry and exit stamps showing that you visited each other
• proof of financial support, such as money transfers

Keep everything that helps prove your relationship. The more evidence you can show, the stronger your application will be.

Print copies of emails and electronic records that could disappear over time, for example, by taking screen shots of text or other online message systems like WhatsApp.