3. Learn about sponsoring other relatives

You may be able to sponsor a nephew, niece, or grandchild who's related to you by blood or adoption only if:

• they're under 18 years of age
• they don't have a spouse or common-law partner
• both their mother and father have died

You need to have proof that both parents are dead. It's not enough to show that no one knows where they are.

One other relative

In very limited circumstances, you may be able to sponsor someone of any age who's related to you by blood or adoption. This includes someone who's a dependant of a relative. These sponsorships are very rare because it's so hard to meet all the required conditions. These conditions are explained below.

No other person you can sponsor

You cannot have any living relative that you could apply to sponsor. 

No relatives with a permanent status in Canada

You're not an eligible sponsor if you have a relative, of any age, who's a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and this person is your:

• spouse, common law partner, or conjugal partner
• child
• parent or grandparent
• brother, sister, niece, nephew
• uncle or aunt