Will I still be able to apply for a Canadian spouse visa or common-law partner visa application during the Covid 19 crisis?

The good news is that the Canadian government has announced despite the coronavirus Covid 19 crisis they will continue to accept and process Canadian spouse visa and common-law visa applications for partners who are both in Canada and abroad.

The Canadian government has introduced special measures to assist in submitting and processing Canadian family class applications.

• If for any reason you are unable to provide key documents to support your application, this will not result in a refusal. Further time to submit will be permitted. Incomplete applications will be kept and reviewed in 90 days. If the application is still incomplete in 60 days, IRCC officers will request the missing documents with an additional 90-day deadline. This would include the inability to provide police certificates and passport photos.

• All requests for a medical or biometric have been extended to 90 days from the usual 30-day time limit

Traveling to Canada as an immediate family member of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

On March 18, 2020, the government of Canada has announced that they will prohibit the entry of foreign nationals into Canada as an effort to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. This travel restriction is in place until June 30, 2020. However, immediate family members of Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents are exempt from the above travel restriction.

Both spouses and common-law partners are considered immediate family, which means they are still allowed to enter Canada from abroad. In addition to undertaking an airline health check and providing evidence of a visa or eTA, the foreign national will need to identify themselves as immediate family members to the airlines and provide evidence to confirm the relationship to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, including copies of marriage certificate and partners passport.

Furthermore, if an immediate family member has been issued a Confirmation of Permanent Residence COPR as a family member. This key document is essential if you are planning to travel to Canada and complete the landing process for the first time.

Please note that the above developments are subject to change and as such we strongly recommend that you view the Canadian government website for the latest Covid 19 immigration announcements. CLICK HERE

If you wish to arrange a Skype consultation to discuss any aspects of the Covid 19 Canadian government announcements or submit a Canadian spouse visa or common law visa in the near future please contact our office to arrange a consultation.

Pahl & Associates’ expertise in representing UK-based clients with Family Sponsorship applications extends beyond 15 years. We are here to help you through these procedures and the necessary paperwork. We remain passionate about our goal to assist families from the UK move to Canada with minimal stress during the Covid 19 pandemic.

We strongly recommend that you read our testimonials to gauge our level of expertise and professionalism. Our client reviews have always been our best form of advertising!

It is important to note that this article is for general information only. Canadian immigration laws and policies are always subject to change.

We are a UK-based, CICC registered company. You can contact us for advice if you are not sure about the eligibility criteria.

For more information CLICK HERE

Please feel free to contact us for free no-obligation consultation via email or by phone on  0345 055 9861.

Take care and stay safe!