The determination of the sincerity of the applicant’s relationship with the sponsor is an important aspect of spousal sponsorship applications.

Applicants must present substantial proof of their relationship, such as proof of relationship letters or letters of support for immigration from friends and relatives, proof of joint ownership, wedding invitations, photos, and other documentation.

All of these documents are designed to persuade the officer that the relationship is real.

A proof of relationship letter, also known as a relationship support letter or a letter of support for immigration through spousal sponsorship, is one such document.

This letter of sponsorship is intended to provide additional evidence that the applicant’s relationship with the sponsor is acknowledged by close friends and family members.

A powerful proof of relationship letter can help show the sincerity of the relationship, especially when it comes from close family members such as the couple’s parents, siblings, and close friends.

In the IRCC’s document checklist for spousal sponsorship, the Proof of Relationship letter of support is not included as a necessary need.

However, we strongly advise our customers to obtain immigration support letters from family members and close friends to enhance their application and increase their chances of success.

This is especially true for applications in which the proof of the connection is inadequate due to a lack of family involvement, relatively recent marriages with short periods of cohabitation, and minimal attendance at the couple’s wedding.

You must ensure that you avoid the usual pitfalls of spousal sponsorship and demonstrate how you meet the standards for sponsorship.

How To Prove Your Relationship In A Spousal Sponsorship Application: 5 Key Points

1. Relationship to the Couple

The writer of the letter of support for immigration should demonstrate a close relationship with the couple.

If they can demonstrate significant relationships with the couple, their words will have a greater impact. They should state their relationship with the couple.

2. Introduction to the Couple and Perception of the Relationship

Give facts about how they met the couple and learned about their connection. They should explain why they believe the sponsor and applicant are a good match and bring positivity into each other’s lives in the letter of support for immigration.

3. Positive and Emotional Stories Showing Proof of Relationship

Positive anecdotes about the pair demonstrate to the officer that the couple interacted closely with their friends and family members.

Because spousal sponsorship demands proof of the connection, the letter of support for immigration can be emotional and include examples of how the couple interacts with each other.

4. Explicit Statement of Genuineness and Proof of Marriage

In the letter of support for immigration, include a definitive declaration that, in their opinion, the couple is in a true, ongoing, genuine relationship based on their experience and knowledge.

This clear remark is necessary so that the visa officer can determine the message of the letter and understand that the writer supports the connection.

5. Contact Information

If the immigration officer needs more information or clarity, he or she may contact the person who wrote the proof of relationship letter.

This also exhibits their trust in the pair and their determination to assist in proving the couple’s sincerity.

The Proof of Relationship letter of support for immigration is one way to provide further evidence concerning the validity of the spousal sponsorship application. A relationship letter is essential for marriage support.

However, because it is the applicant’s responsibility to demonstrate the genuineness of their relationship with the sponsor, the spousal sponsorship application frequently necessitates papers that are not on the normal checklist.

If you are doing your application on your own, having an immigration specialist analyze your final application will help you assess the strength of the application and get feedback to further improve your chances of success.

Required Documents to Prove a Genuine Relationship for Spouse Sponsorship

The spouse sponsorship process for immigration to Canada requires you to demonstrate the sincerity of your relationship.

To validate the legitimacy of your connection, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires a variety of papers.

Here are a few of the most important:

Marriage Certificate: If you are married, the first step is to provide a marriage certificate. The marriage must be legally recognized in both the country in which it occurred and in Canada.
Photos: Photographs of your wedding, vacations, or daily life together might potentially be used as evidence. Remember to identify them with the appropriate dates and descriptions.
Communication Records: Communication evidence, such as email chats, call logs, and text messages, might establish a continuing relationship.
Joint Agreement: Cohabitation and a shared life can be indicated by documents such as shared leases or mortgages, joint bank accounts, or utility bills in both names.
Travel Records: Travel records or passport stamps might help verify that you’ve spent time together, especially if you’ve traveled together.
Personal Statements: Personal letters describing your relationship, how you met, and why you believe you have a real relationship are also acceptable.
Social media posts: screenshots of posts on social media platforms that show you together or your interactions can also be used as evidence.
Affidavits: Affidavits from friends and relatives describing your relationship might be quite helpful.
Gifts: Receipts or images of gifts exchanged can also serve as proof of your continued commitment to one another.
Children’s Birth Certificates: If you have children together, the birth certificates might be used to prove your relationship.

Remember that the idea is to offer a consistent and accurate portrayal of your relationship. The more proof you can present, the better, but make sure it’s organized and easy to understand.

This will help the officer examining your application comprehend your circumstances. Because every relationship is different, don’t be concerned if some sort of proof isn’t appropriate for your scenario.

Concentrate on painting the most full image of your connection as possible.

Type of documents accepted as evidence towards proof of relationship

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offers a list of documents that can be used to prove your relationship with your spouse, which includes:

a completed Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation questionnaire (IMM 5532) (included in the application package).
If either the sponsor or the applicant was previously married, documentation of divorce from a past spouse is required.
If either the sponsor or the applicant was previously in a common-law relationship with someone else, a completed Statutory Declaration of Severance of Common-law Union form (IMM 5519) is required.
If the major applicant and sponsor share children, long-form birth certificates or adoption records with both parents’ names are required.

At least two of the following sets of documents must include images of the sponsor and principal applicant demonstrating their marital relationship.

If the sponsor and principal applicant are unable to supply documents from at least two of the following groups of documentation, they must provide a detailed written explanation:

necessary documentation for the chief applicant and sponsor demonstrating that they are each other’s common-law partner (such as work or insurance benefits)
documentation of proof of financial support from the principal applicant and/or shared expenses
further evidence that the relationship is acknowledged by friends and/or family (e.g., letters from friends/family, social medical information demonstrating a public relationship)

If the sponsor and principal applicant are currently cohabiting, provide evidence from at least two of the following sets of documents demonstrating that the principal applicant and sponsor have been living together for at least one year (e.g., documentation displaying the same address for both).

If you are unable to supply documents from at least two of the following sets of documents, you must provide a detailed written explanation:

proof of shared ownership of a rental agreement for a residential property that shows both the sponsor and the major applicant as inhabitants of a rental property
Vehicle insurance demonstrates that both the chief applicant and sponsor have been declared to the insurance company as residents of the insured’s address.
copies of government-issued documents with the same address for the lead applicant and sponsor (e.g. driver’s licenses)
other documents sent to the lead applicant and sponsor, whether or not the accounts are owned jointly (e.g., cellphone bills, pay stubs, tax forms, bank or credit card statements, insurance policies)

If the sponsor and principal applicant are not currently cohabiting, documentation proving the sponsor and principal applicant cohabitated for at least one year in the past must be produced, as well as the following:

Proof of communication, such as letters, written text messages, emails, social media chats, or other documented proof of interaction between the lead applicant and the sponsor. A maximum of ten pages should be supplied.
Proof of the sponsor’s visits, such as airline ticket coupons or used boarding tickets, photocopies of pages of your sponsor’s passport with entry-exit stamps, etc. If the sponsor did not see the major applicant, an explanation must be supplied in Part C, question 4 of the IMM 5532 form.

FAQS

What is the Proof of Relationship Support Letter for Spouse Visa?

The Proof of Relationship Support Letter is written by a family member or close friend of the couple.

This letter is intended to provide additional evidence that the couple’s connection is genuine and not just a marriage for immigration purposes.

Is it important who writes the supporting letter?

Yes, the person who writes the letter should be close to the couple and have witnessed crucial milestones in their relationship.

This involves being present when the couple initially met or started dating, attending their wedding, and meeting them numerous times since the wedding.

If the person writing the proof of relationship spouse Canada letter has a better position, they will be regarded as more trustworthy.

For example, IRCC will look favorably on a relative who is a University Professor rather than a relative who works at a fast-food restaurant.

How many letters of support do you require?

There is no set amount of support letters required for a Canada spouse visa proof of relationship.

It is nevertheless recommended that you include at least one support letter from a close family member or friend who can attest to the legitimacy of your connection.

If the couple has been married for more than ten years and has children, they may not be required to produce a support letter at all.

They should give at least two letters if they have been married for 3 to 5 years and have one child.

Couples who have been married for two to three years should provide as many letters as they can.

The ultimate goal is to offer enough proof to persuade the immigration officer that your relationship is real and long-term.

What does a Visa Officer look for?

The visa officer is looking for specific information to assess the legitimacy of the relationship while reviewing evidence of a relationship support letter for a Canadian spouse visa application.

An IRCC official can examine this themselves or employ AI technologies to determine the letter’s authenticity.

They’ll also look to see if the dates in each letter match. For example, they will examine if the wedding date or the couple’s first meeting date in one letter matches the dates indicated in the other letter presented.

Conclusion

Family reunification is one of the pillars of Canadian immigration, according to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

When you apply for family class sponsorship to bring a spouse or partner to Canada, the IRCC must be satisfied that the relationship is genuine.

IRCC makes these determinations because a foreign national can pursue a non-genuine connection with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to get Canadian permanent resident status while the sponsor believes they are in a true and committed marriage or partnership.

This can be emotionally and financially tough for a sponsor because they must sign an agreement to financially assist their partner for three years from the day they get permanent resident status, regardless of whether the relationship ends.