As of May 2026, IRCC is processing outland spousal sponsorship in approximately 16 months and inland in 25 months, outside Quebec. The difference between an 11-month outcome and a 28-month outcome is rarely the program. It is the completeness of the application and the strength of the relationship-evidence package. That is the work I do.
Free 15-min eligibility check · Bangla, English, Hindi, Urdu
Every spousal sponsorship file starts with this question. The answer depends on where your spouse is right now, where you want them to be during processing, and whether the right of appeal matters to you. I work through this on every consultation; here is the framework.
Recommended for most cases where speed matters and the spouse is already overseas. Section 22(2) IRPA dual intent allows outland filing even if the spouse is temporarily in Canada on a work or study permit.
Recommended when the spouse needs to work in Canada during the wait, when relocation is established, and when both partners are willing to accept the slower timeline and limited appeal rights.
Most spousal refusals are not eligibility refusals. They are genuineness refusals: the officer was not convinced the relationship was bona fide. Building a comprehensive evidence package is the single most controllable factor in approval likelihood. Here is what we include.
Consistent narratives from both partners. Photos and communication records spanning the courtship. Family introductions. Travel together. The story should hold up to officer cross-reference.
Bank statements showing shared accounts or joint financial activity. Records of money transfers between partners. Joint lease or property documents. Insurance beneficiary designations.
Affidavits from family on both sides. Wedding photographs and event records. Religious or cultural ceremony documentation. Statements from friends, employers, neighbours where appropriate.
WhatsApp, phone records, video call logs. Visits during periods of separation with travel documents. Letters, cards, gifts exchanged. Plans and commitments for the future.
For common-law partners: continuous 12+ months of cohabitation evidence. Joint mail at one address. Driver licenses and government ID with shared address. Photos of you in the home together.
If you did not disclose your spouse in your original PR application, Section 117 IRPR may exclude them from future sponsorship. I screen for this on every consultation. It can sometimes be remedied; it is always better to know in advance.
Quebec’s Ministere de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Integration (MIFI) has reached its maximum number of undertaking applications and is not accepting new spousal undertakings until June 25, 2026, subject to limited exemptions.
If you live in Quebec and are sponsoring a spouse, IRCC cannot approve your PR application until MIFI issues your undertaking. Filing IRCC fees now without a MIFI undertaking will leave your file in inventory but no decision will issue. I screen for Quebec residence on every spousal consultation and advise on timing accordingly.
Free 15-minute eligibility check, or paid full consultation if your situation needs depth. I screen for Section 117 exclusion risk, Quebec residence, prior immigration history, criminal admissibility, and the inland-vs-outland decision. By the end of the call, you know what your file looks like.
Written retainer with scope, fee, and timeline. I deliver a personalized evidence checklist tailored to your relationship history. You and your spouse gather documents over 4-8 weeks; my support team coordinates ordering official records (vital statistics, police certificates, biometrics scheduling).
I personally draft the sponsor and applicant submissions, write the relationship narrative, organize the evidence package, complete the IRCC forms (IMM 1344, IMM 5532, IMM 5669, others as applicable). Final review before submission to ensure no triggerable inconsistencies.
Online submission via PR Portal. Acknowledgment of Receipt typically issues within 1-3 months. For inland files, I file the Spousal Open Work Permit alongside the sponsorship. SOWP issues in 3-5 months, allowing your spouse to work in Canada during the wait.
If IRCC requests additional information (Procedural Fairness Letter, interview, additional documents), I draft the response within the deadline. On approval, we coordinate landing logistics. Post-landing consultation for next steps (SIN, OHIP, banking, future PR card renewal) is included in Full Rep.
If your spousal sponsorship has already been refused, the next step is not another retainer. The next step is a Refusal Diagnostic: I pull your GCMS notes, analyze what the officer actually said versus what the refusal letter implied, and deliver a written memo of your options within 14 days. $500 flat, credited toward retainer within 90 days if you continue with me.
Order a Refusal Diagnostic →For Bangladeshi-Canadian families specifically, see the Bangla Desk for community-rooted Bangla-fluent counsel. For Parent and Grandparent sponsorship (different program, different rules, separate intake), see our family sponsorship overview. For US-based clients with a Canadian spouse, see From the US to Canada.
Free 15-minute eligibility check tells you whether inland or outland fits your situation, whether the relationship-evidence package looks strong, and what the realistic timeline is from where you stand today.