Finally Parent Sponsorship News! But they are good only for those who filled an application of interest back in 2020.
Yes, you heard it right, the invitations will be sent again from the round of those who filled out the applications in 2020. The number of invitations is 35,700. Invitations will be sent from May 21 and during 2 weeks. Check your email, especially your spam folder.
Almost 4 years have passed since filling out the application, and this is a lot!
In this regard, this year's applicants will face many pitfalls. And I would like to draw your attention and give you some good advice if you receive the invitation to apply.
Usually, it takes several months from the expression of interests to the moment of receiving the invitation to apply, and for this reason, the following problems have almost never arisen before. But we live in a time of change and you need to be aware of all possible troubles, because forewarned is forearmed!
- You applied for parental sponsorship while you were in permanent residence status, and now you already have citizenship. The same goes for PR cards and/or passports. Over these four years, many have renewed their PR cards or extended their passports (changed accordingly). At the time of expression of interest, you indicated one document, but when you receive invitation to apply for permanent residence for your parents you may have different one, so you must attach copies of the expired documents along with new ones!
- In those four years, your parents divorced, even though you submitted the expression of interest while they were still together. As a general rule, only the main applicant (without a divorced spouse) can now be submitted. But there are some details that may be discussed with a specialist.
- The number of your family has changed – for example, you have children, you got married, or your parents have a child (this also happens). The current numer of the family is taken into account in the financial obligations, despite the fact that at the time of the application (2020) they did not yet exist. In addition, the family includes even those close relatives who do not go to Canada (for example, your mother goes to Canada, your father does not want to, in terms of financial obligations, the number of the sponsored family is still 2 people).
- A separate story occurs with spouses who have separated but have not yet received their divorce certificate (still in process). This situation may happen with sponsor and with sponsored parents. If you still haven't gotten a divorce, your ex-spouse is still considered your husband in terms of parental sponsorship. That means, he/she still can help you to raise your income (to sponsor a parent). In addition, the spouse is still considered a part of your family. But! There are some details there, so if this is your situation, contact a specialist.
- In the sponsorship package, there is a sponsor and his co-signer (the sponsor's spouse). Over the past four years, you could have lost your co-signer. Usually, if the sponsor's income is not enough, then the co-signer’s income helps. But what if you have recently divorced, that is, you have lost a co-signer? In this case, go to a specialist!
- Common-law spouses who sign a financial obligation for a sponsor’s parents are required to provide their financial information for the three consecutive years, even if they have only been together for a few months.
- Except for spouses (or common-law spouses), NO ONE else has right to act as a financial co-signer or/and sponsor for the parents sponsorship application. There are no exceptions to this rule.
- If your income is enough to apply for parental sponsorship, there is NO need to add your spouse as a co-signer, as his presence in the application will only delay the processing and the officer will still send a request to remove the co-signer, whose present is not necessary.
- You can only add a financial co-signer during the sponsorship process if your family size has increased and consequently the income requirements have increased too.
- At the time of application, you lived in Quebec and then moved to federal Canada or vice versa. How will financial liabilities be applied? As a general rule, the province where the sponsor will reside at the time of sending the package applies. In addition, if you have submitted the expression of interest for your parents while living in Quebec, BUT now you live in English-speaking Canada and received the invitation to apply, you need to show income for three tax years.
- If you are a business owner, the income of your business is NOT automatically your Your personal income is what you declare on your tax returns.
- If you have income that comes from overseas, it can only be counted towards your personal income if it's shown in your tax returns.
- One of the parents has unfortunately passed away, but even in this case, you still can still can submit a package for the other parent.
- If you do not have enough finances to demonstrate, but you have enough exceptional humanitarian-compassionate reasons, you can ask the ministry to make an exception. BUT! In this case, contact only a professional, as the process is extremely complex, and you need to know many hidden details and unexpected turns.
