Canada Family Sponsorship Visa Consultants in Hyderabad - 2026
Spouse, Partner and Child Sponsorship for Canada PR – Inside Canada and Outside Canada
For sponsors living in Canada and families in India – one complete, consistent file from both sides
Table of Contents:
- What Is Canada Family Sponsorship
- Sponsor Eligibility Requirements
- Inland vs Outland Sponsorship
- Spousal Sponsorship from India
- Sponsoring Your Child
- Parents and Grandparents (Paused)
- Family Sponsorship Fees 2026
- Processing Time 2026
- How to Apply
- Why Applications Are Refused
- How Mercury Visas Helps You
- FAQ's
Family Sponsorship Canada: Bring Your Spouse or Child Home as a Permanent Resident
Canada’s family sponsorship programme lets a Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child for permanent residence. Most of the families we work with sit on both sides of the file: a sponsor in Toronto, Calgary or Vancouver, and a husband, wife or child in Hyderabad, Vijayawada or Vizag. Both halves have to tell the same story.
On paper the rules are not complicated. What goes wrong is choosing the wrong stream, under-documenting a genuine relationship, or relying on figures that changed months ago. IRCC raised its fees on 30 April 2026, paused the Parents and Grandparents Program on 15 July 2026, and spousal processing times are running well past the 12-month standard.
This page covers both routes – sponsoring a spouse who lives outside Canada (outland) and one already living with you in Canada (inland) – along with children, parents, 2026 fees, realistic timelines and the reasons applications get refused. Where the answer depends on your circumstances, we say so.
1. What Is Canada Family Sponsorship?
Family sponsorship is a permanent residence route. The person you sponsor receives PR status, not a temporary visa, and can live, work and study anywhere in Canada and later apply for citizenship. In return, you sign an undertaking: a legal promise to the Government of Canada to support them financially for a fixed period.
Who you can sponsor
| Relationship | Who qualifies | Status in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | Legally married partner, aged 18 or over | Open |
| Common-law partner | Lived together continuously for at least 12 months, aged 18 or over | Open |
| Conjugal partner | Committed relationship of at least one year where living together or marrying wasn’t possible for reasons beyond your control (outland only) | Open |
| Dependent child | Under 22 and not married or in a common-law relationship, or older and dependent because of a physical or mental condition | Open |
| Adopted child | Adopted, or to be adopted, from outside Canada | Open |
| Parents and grandparents | Through the Parents and Grandparents Program | New intake paused since 15 July 2026 |
| Orphaned relative | Brother, sister, niece, nephew or grandchild under 18 whose parents have died | Open, rarely used |
How long the undertaking lasts (outside Quebec)
- Spouse or partner: 3 years from the day they become a permanent resident
- Dependent child: 10 years, or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first
- Parent or grandparent: 20 years
The undertaking stays in force even if the relationship ends or the person later becomes a citizen. If they receive social assistance during that period, the province can ask you to repay it. Quebec sets its own undertaking periods and adds a provincial step to the process.
Talk to your Canada Family sponsorship visa consultants in Hyderabad to understand how you can bring your family to the Canada with PR sponsorship.
2. Who Can Sponsor: Sponsor Eligibility Requirements
To sponsor a family member to Canada, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a person registered under Canada’s Indian Act
- Live in Canada. A Canadian citizen living abroad can sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child, but must show they will return to live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. A permanent resident cannot sponsor from outside Canada.
- Be able to meet the basic needs of the person you sponsor, and sign the undertaking
No minimum income for spouses and children – with one exception
There is no minimum income requirement to sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child. The exception is when a dependent child in the application has a child of their own; then the sponsor must meet the low-income cut-off. Parents and grandparents follow a stricter rule: sponsors have had to show the Minimum Necessary Income plus 30% for each of the three tax years before applying.
When you cannot sponsor
You will generally not be eligible if you:
- Receive social assistance for a reason other than disability
- Are in default on an earlier sponsorship undertaking, court-ordered family support or an immigration loan
- Became a permanent resident through spousal sponsorship less than five years ago and now want to sponsor a new spouse or partner
- Sponsored a previous spouse or partner whose undertaking hasn’t yet ended
- Were still married to someone else when you married the person you want to sponsor
- Have a conviction for a violent or sexual offence, or an offence that harmed a relative (this depends on the sentence and whether a record suspension has been granted)
- Are in prison, an undischarged bankrupt, or under a removal order
Any one of these can sink a file at the sponsor stage, before the officer even looks at your relationship. It’s the first thing we check.
3. Sponsoring From Inside Canada or Outside Canada: Inland vs Outland
For a spouse or partner, the first big decision is the stream. It depends mainly on where your spouse lives today and what you both need while the file is in process.
| Factor | Outland (Family Class) | Inland (Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class) |
|---|---|---|
| Where your spouse lives | India or any other country (couples in Canada can also choose it) | With you in Canada |
| Travel during processing | Spouse can travel | Spouse should stay in Canada; long trips abroad put the file at risk |
| Work while waiting | Only if the spouse is in Canada with valid status and qualifies for an open work permit | Open work permit usually available once IRCC acknowledges the application |
| If refused | Right of appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division in most cases | No appeal; only judicial review in the Federal Court |
| Conjugal partners | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Processing time in 2026 (outside Quebec) | About 16–18 months | About 25–26 months |
Outland sponsorship: your spouse is in India or elsewhere
This is the usual route for a sponsor in Canada whose husband or wife is still in India. The sponsor’s and applicant’s forms are filed online together, and the PR application is processed through IRCC’s overseas network. Your spouse gives biometrics at a Visa Application Centre (for applicants in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, usually VFS Global in Hyderabad) and has a medical with an IRCC panel physician when instructed.
Outland is currently the faster stream and keeps your appeal rights. Your spouse can also apply for a Canada visitor visa to visit you while the PR file is in process, provided they satisfy the officer on the visit itself.
Inland sponsorship: your spouse already lives with you in Canada
Inland sponsorship is for couples who live together in Canada. Your spouse normally needs valid temporary status as a visitor, student or worker, although an IRCC public policy may allow some spouses without status to be sponsored. The main advantage is the open work permit: once IRCC sends the acknowledgement of receipt, your spouse can apply for one and work for almost any employer while the PR decision is pending. The trade-offs are a longer wait, no appeal right, and the expectation that your spouse stays in Canada throughout.
Which stream should you choose?
If your spouse is in India, outland is the only realistic route. If you are both already in Canada, it depends on whether your spouse needs to work now, whether either of you has to travel, and how strong your relationship evidence is. IRCC’s open work permit policy for sponsored spouses currently also covers outland applicants who are in Canada with valid status, which is why some couples in Canada file outland for the speed and appeal rights. That policy has changed before, so confirm the position on the day you file. It’s a judgement call, and it’s the first thing we settle in a consultation.
Don’t get confused, let your best Canada family sponsorship PR visa consultants in Hyderabad help you in navigating the complexities and provide you with clear roadmap.
4. Spousal Sponsorship from India: Proving Your Relationship Is Genuine
In every spousal file, the officer’s central question is whether the relationship is genuine and wasn’t entered into mainly to gain status in Canada. For couples from India, that usually comes down to a few predictable areas.
Arranged and newly married couples
IRCC officers understand arranged marriages, and they are not a weakness in themselves. What the officer needs is a clear account of how the match came about, how the families were involved, the engagement and the wedding, and how the relationship has developed since. A couple married three months ago will have less shared history than a couple married for five years. The file has to explain that, not hide it.
What the evidence usually covers
- The legal marriage: a registered marriage certificate, and proof that any previous marriage legally ended
- The wedding: photographs with family and guests, invitation cards and evidence of the ceremonies
- Ongoing contact: calls, messages and visits, especially when you live in different countries
- A shared life: joint finances, insurance nominations, addresses and family recognition of the marriage
- For common-law partners: proof of at least 12 months’ continuous cohabitation, such as a joint lease and shared bills
We give every client a checklist built around their situation, because a first marriage after a long courtship, a second marriage and a common-law relationship need very different files.
Interviews
Not every couple is interviewed, but officers can call either spouse in if something in the application doesn’t add up. Consistent answers between partners matter far more than polished ones.
5. Sponsoring Your Child: Dependent, Newborn and Adopted Children
Dependent children
A child is a dependent child if they are under 22 and not married or in a common-law relationship. A child aged 22 or over can still qualify if they have depended on their parents financially since before 22 because of a physical or mental condition. Children can be included in your spouse’s application or sponsored on their own. The government fee is $180 per child, and dependent children don’t pay the right of permanent residence fee.
A newborn born in India: sponsorship or citizenship?
This is where many families file the wrong application. Before you sponsor a child born outside Canada, check whether the child is already Canadian:
- The parent is a Canadian citizen who was born or naturalised in Canada: the child is generally a Canadian citizen by descent. You apply for a citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) and then a Canadian passport. No sponsorship is needed.
- The parent is a Canadian citizen who was also born outside Canada: since Bill C-3 came into force on 15 December 2025, the child can still be a citizen by descent. For children born on or after that date, the Canadian parent must have spent at least 1,095 days in Canada before the birth.
- The parent is a permanent resident, not yet a citizen: the child is not Canadian and has to be sponsored as a dependent child, or added to a spousal application that is already in process.
Getting this wrong costs months. A PR sponsorship filed for a child who is already a citizen is simply the wrong application.
Adopted children
International adoption involves IRCC and the provincial adoption authority, and in some countries the Hague Adoption Convention. Depending on the parent’s status, it can run through sponsorship or a direct grant of citizenship. These cases are assessed individually.
6. Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship: Paused in 2026
On 15 July 2026, IRCC paused intake under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) until further notice. It is not accepting new interest to sponsor forms or sending new invitations. Applications already submitted continue to be processed, and IRCC still plans to admit up to 15,000 people through the programme in 2026. No reopening date has been announced.
If you want your parents in Canada now, the realistic option is the Canada Super Visa: a multiple-entry visa that lets parents and grandparents stay for up to five years at a time. It needs proof of the host’s income, qualifying medical insurance and a medical exam, and it is decided far faster than PR – IRCC’s tool showed 65 days for applications from India on 1 October 2026. For shorter trips, a Canada family visit visa may be all you need.
When the PGP reopens, income will matter again. If your three most recent tax years wouldn’t clear the Minimum Necessary Income plus 30%, start building that record now.
7. Canada Family Sponsorship Fees in 2026
IRCC raised permanent residence fees on 30 April 2026. These are the current government fees, in Canadian dollars:
| Fee | Amount (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsorship fee | $90 | Paid by the sponsor |
| Principal applicant processing fee | $570 | For the spouse, partner or parent being sponsored |
| Right of permanent residence fee (RPRF) | $600 | Payable at filing or on approval; refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn |
| Total to sponsor a spouse or partner | $1,260 | $660 if the RPRF is paid later |
| Each dependent child | $180 | No RPRF for dependent children |
| Biometrics | $85 per person, $170 maximum per family | Paid with the application |
| Open work permit (inland spouses) | $255 | $155 work permit fee plus $100 open work permit holder fee |
A typical spouse-only application therefore costs $1,345 in IRCC fees including biometrics. On top of that, budget for the medical exam (paid to the panel physician), police certificates, translations and courier costs, which vary by city and provider.
Paying the RPRF upfront avoids a delay at the end of processing, and it is the only government fee IRCC refunds once processing has started.
Source: IRCC fee list, checked October 2026.
8. Canada Family Sponsorship Processing Time in 2026
IRCC’s service standard for spousal sponsorship is 12 months, but no stream is meeting it. These are the times IRCC’s own processing tool has shown through mid-to-late 2026:
| Application | Typical processing time |
|---|---|
| Spouse or partner, outland (outside Quebec) | About 16–18 months |
| Spouse or partner, inland (outside Quebec) | About 25–26 months |
| Spouse or partner, Quebec | Around 31–33 months |
| Dependent child applying from India | About 7 months (IRCC, 1 October 2026) |
| Open work permit for inland spouses | Usually 4–6 months after the acknowledgement of receipt |
| Parents and grandparents | New intake paused; existing files continue |
These are averages, counted from the day IRCC receives a complete application, and they move every month. Check IRCC’s processing times tool before you make plans around them.
What slows a file down
- Missing documents, unsigned forms or unpaid fees, which can get the whole application returned
- Gaps or contradictions between the sponsor’s and the applicant’s forms
- Delays in biometrics, medicals or police certificates
- Background and security checks, which no one can speed up
- A change of address, job or status that isn’t reported to IRCC
A complete, consistent file won’t beat the average, but it avoids the requests for more information that push individual cases well past it.
9. How to Apply for Family Sponsorship from India or Canada
Spousal and child sponsorships are submitted online through IRCC’s Permanent Residence Portal. In outline, the process looks like this:
- Assessment. Confirm the sponsor is eligible, the relationship qualifies, and which stream fits.
- Documents from both sides. Identity and civil documents, relationship evidence, and police certificates from every country the applicant has lived in for six months or more since turning 18.
- Forms and fees. The sponsor’s and applicant’s forms go in together, with the government fees.
- Biometrics. The applicant gives fingerprints and a photo after IRCC issues the instruction letter.
- Acknowledgement of receipt. At this point inland applicants can apply for the open work permit.
- Sponsor and applicant assessment. Eligibility, the relationship, medical and background checks. IRCC may ask for more documents or an interview.
- Decision and landing. On approval, the applicant confirms permanent residence and receives a PR card.
The checklist behind each step changes with your circumstances: who has been married before, who has lived where, whether there are children. That’s the part we build with you, so IRCC sees one clear, consistent account from both of you.
10. Why Family Sponsorship Applications Are Refused
- Doubts about the relationship. Thin evidence, different accounts of how you met, or a relationship that looks rushed with no explanation.
- An ineligible sponsor. Social assistance, an earlier undertaking still running, or the five-year bar for sponsors who were themselves sponsored as a spouse.
- Incomplete applications. Missing forms, unsigned declarations or missing fees can get the whole package returned unprocessed.
- Misrepresentation. Undisclosed previous marriages, children, refusals or travel history. A misrepresentation finding can bar the applicant from Canada for five years, even when the relationship is genuine. A family member who isn’t declared and examined now generally can’t be sponsored later.
- Medical or criminal inadmissibility of the applicant or a family member.
- Inland residence problems. An inland applicant who spends long periods outside Canada, or a couple who don’t actually live together.
- The wrong application. Sponsoring a child who is already a Canadian citizen, or a conjugal partner through the inland stream.
Almost all of these can be dealt with before the file goes in. Once a refusal is on record, every later application has to address it. Your expert Canada family sponsorship PR visa consultants in hyderabad handled multiple applications successfully.
11. How Mercury Visas Helps: Canada Family Sponsorship Visa Consultants in Hyderabad
For sponsors in Canada and families in India
Most of our family sponsorship clients are split between two countries. We work with the sponsor in Canada online, across time zones, and with the family in India online or at our Kukatpally office in Hyderabad, so both halves of the file are prepared together and say the same thing.
What we do
- An honest eligibility check of the sponsor and the relationship before you pay a single government fee
- Stream advice: inland or outland, based on where you live, your travel plans and whether your spouse needs to work
- A checklist built for your case, and a review of every document and form before submission
- Relationship evidence structuring, including a clear written account for arranged or recent marriages
- Open work permit applications for eligible inland spouses
- Support until the decision: biometrics and medical guidance, responses to IRCC requests and interview preparation
- Visitor visa and Super Visa applications for family members who need to travel in the meantime
What we don’t do
We don’t guarantee approvals, and we won’t promise a timeline that IRCC itself isn’t meeting. The decision belongs to IRCC. What we make sure of is that your file is complete, consistent and accurate, so it is judged on your real relationship.
Tell us the sponsor’s status, where your spouse or child lives, and a little about your marriage or relationship history. We’ll tell you which stream fits, what evidence you’ll need and how long to plan for. Your first assessment is free, at our Hyderabad office or online.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is there a minimum income requirement to sponsor my spouse to Canada?
No. There is no minimum income to sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child, unless a dependent child in the application has a child of their own. You still sign a three-year undertaking to support your spouse, and you can’t sponsor while receiving social assistance for a reason other than disability.
2. My spouse is already in Canada. Should we apply inland or outland?
Both are possible. Inland gives your spouse access to an open work permit, but it is currently the slower stream (about 25–26 months), has no appeal right, and your spouse should stay in Canada. Outland is faster (about 16–18 months), keeps appeal rights and allows travel, and a spouse in Canada with valid status may still qualify for an open work permit under IRCC’s current policy. The right choice depends on work, travel and the strength of your evidence.
3. Can my spouse work in Canada while the sponsorship is processed?
If you apply inland, yes: your spouse can apply for an open work permit after IRCC acknowledges the application, and it usually takes 4–6 months. The fee is $255. A spouse living in India can’t work in Canada until they become a permanent resident.
4. How long does spousal sponsorship take in 2026?
IRCC’s processing tool has shown about 16–18 months for outland applications and about 25–26 months for inland applications outside Quebec, against a 12-month service standard. Quebec files take longer. These figures change monthly, so check IRCC’s tool before you plan.
5. How much does it cost to sponsor a spouse to Canada in 2026?
The IRCC fees are $1,260 (sponsorship fee, processing fee and right of permanent residence fee) plus $85 for biometrics, so $1,345 in total. Add $180 for each dependent child. Medicals, police certificates and translations are paid separately to third parties.
6. Can I sponsor my parents to Canada in 2026?
Not with a new application. IRCC paused intake under the Parents and Grandparents Program on 15 July 2026 and hasn’t announced a reopening date. The Canada Super Visa lets parents and grandparents stay for up to five years at a time and is the main alternative for now.
7. My child was born in India. Do I need to sponsor them?
It depends on your status. If you are a Canadian citizen, your child is probably already Canadian by descent, and you apply for a citizenship certificate rather than sponsorship (if you were also born outside Canada, the 1,095-day rule may apply). If you are a permanent resident, the child must be sponsored as a dependent child.
8. Can my spouse visit Canada while the PR application is in process?
Yes, your spouse can apply for a visitor visa. A pending sponsorship doesn’t stop them visiting, but the visitor application is still assessed on its own, so it needs to show the purpose and length of the trip and the usual supporting documents.
9. I'm a Canadian citizen living in India. Can I sponsor my spouse from here?
Yes, if you can show you will live in Canada once your spouse becomes a permanent resident, for example through a job offer, a lease or other concrete plans to return. Permanent residents don’t have this option and must be living in Canada to sponsor.
10. What do you charge, and what happens if the application is refused?
Our fee, scope of service and refund terms are set out in a written service agreement before you pay anything, and we quote after the free assessment because every family’s file is different. Government and third-party costs are paid by you directly. If an application is refused, we go through the reasons with you; outland refusals can usually be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division, and the deadline is short, so act quickly.
11. Why choose Mercury Visas as your Canada family sponsorship consultants in Hyderabad?
Because we’ll tell you if your file isn’t ready. Our founder has advised families on overseas visas since 2013, our consultations start with your documents rather than a sales pitch, and we work with sponsors in Canada and families in India at the same time. We also handle related visas, including the Super Visa, Canada visitor visa and UK dependent visa.
Disclaimer: Mercury Visa and Immigration Solutions Pvt Ltd is an independent immigration advisory firm. We are not affiliated with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), any Canadian visa office or the Government of Canada, and we do not guarantee any visa or permanent residence outcome. Immigration rules, fees and processing times change frequently; the information on this page reflects official Government of Canada sources at the time of writing and is not legal advice. Page last reviewed: October 2026.
