COMMON MISTAKES IN SPOUSAL SPONSORSHIP APPLICATIONS for Canada

416-962-2623 / 1-866-760-2623 Call us: 416-962-2623 / 1•866•760•2623 (Toll Free in Canada/US) Email Us: [email protected] www.immigroup.com http://www.immigroup.com/news/common-... http://www.immigroup.com/family-class... COMMON MISTAKES IN SPOUSAL SPONSORSHIP APPLICATIONS 1. Using the wrong version of the application forms 2. Answering questions incorrectly on the application forms 3. Leaving questions blank on the application forms 4. Misunderstanding who is the Sponsor and who is the Applicant 5. Incomplete or inadequate supporting documents 6. Fingerprints done incorrectly 7. Medical examination done by non-designated doctor 8. Submitting the application under the wrong category 9. Miscellaneous DON’Ts 1. Using the wrong version of the application forms All of IRCC’s application forms are available online at www.cic.gc.ca. However, these forms are updated frequently and without warning. Sometimes they are even updated several times within a year. If you submit your sponsorship application using an older version of the forms, IRCC could return the application to you without processing and ask that you complete the application again using the current forms. This does not always happen, and sometimes it depends on how old the forms that you used are. For example, if the current forms are from July 2016, and you submitted forms from January 2016, the likelihood of your application being returned is less than if you submitted the forms from June 2013. You can tell what version of the forms you are using by checking the bottom left corner of the page for the form number such as IMM 5555 and a month and year such as (09-2016). The reason IRCC updates the forms is because they ask for new or additional information than they had previously. The best way to avoid this problem is simply to ensure that you have the newest forms. 2. Answering questions incorrectly on the application forms The most common mistake people make when applying to sponsor their spouse is not asking for help if they do not understand what a question means on the application. Frequently people mistake the meaning of a question and answer it with irrelevant or incorrect information. One example is misunderstanding who can be listed as a dependant or a family member for the purposes of a sponsorship application. Just because someone is a relative who is financially dependent on you, does not mean that they can be counted as a dependant on your sponsorship application. For more information on who can be listed as a dependant on a sponsorship application, click here. If you are not sure of the meaning of a question, you can call IRCC’s call centre or you can talk to a professional such as an immigration consultant or lawyer. 3. Leaving questions blank on the application forms It’s very important to answer all questions on the application forms. Leaving a question blank not only omits important information, but it also looks suspicious to IRCC. If the information on a question does not apply to you, always write “N/A” or “Not Applicable” in the answer space. Leaving questions blank is a sure-fire way to have your application returned to you. 4. Misunderstanding who is the Sponsor and who is the Applicant IRCC, like all government offices, uses many terms that are specific to their field. It is easy to get confused by all of the legal jargon which means one thing in everyday language but something totally different in terms of an application with IRCC. For a spousal sponsorship application, the Sponsor and the Applicant have to fill out separate forms. The “Sponsor” is the person who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is bringing their loved one to live in Canada; the “Applicant” is the person who is applying to come and live in Canada as a permanent resident. Make sure that each person fills out the appropriate form to send to IRCC. If the forms are completed by the wrong person, the application will be returned to you. 5. Incomplete or inadequate supporting documents Every sponsorship application contains documents in addition to the application forms as proof that your relationship is real and genuine. Photo/Video Credit: www.pixabay.com