Inland Family sponsorship confusing

[Yehia82]

Hi everyone,

I submitted an inland spousal sponsorship application for my wife and child. IRCC confirmed that they received the application on July 12, 2025.

Here is my timeline:

• July 12, 2025: IRCC received the sponsorship application.
• August 21, 2025: IRCC requested additional information because I had forgotten to provide my father's name. I received the letter on August 28 and provided the information.
• August 28, 2025: IRCC requested the $85 CAD biometrics fee, and I paid it the same day.
• September 27, 2025: My wife received a pre-arrival services letter.
• October 1, 2025: IRCC confirmed that my wife met the eligibility requirements for permanent residence.
• October 2, 2025: IRCC confirmed that I met the eligibility requirements as the sponsor.

There is also something confusing in my IRCC Secure Account. It shows the application as "submitted on October 26, 2025," but when I open the application details, it says the date received is July 12, 2025. I am not sure why there are two different dates.

I also never received a Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL). In my Secure Account, my wife's previous biometrics from her visitor visa are showing as accepted, with validity until July 27, 2030. It says: "We do not need your fingerprints."

The account currently shows no more information.
I have contacted IRCC several times, and they keep replying that the application is still being processed and that nothing is needed from my side.

Because I could not understand what was happening with the application, I submitted an ATIP request on May 4, 2026 for the complete application file. IRCC requested identification on May 21, which I provided on May 23. I am still waiting for the ATIP records.

I would really appreciate advice from anyone familiar with IRCC processing or who has experienced something similar.

 

[CanGoldDigger]

ATIP might help to clarify, but mostly all can do is wait.

 

[Yehia82]

I recieved medical request for my son, non for my wife known that she had medical test done for visa extension 3 years ago. Strange I did not get email notification, I was checking the secure account and discovered that there is a medical request. What should I expect now

 

[canuck78]

I recieved medical request for my son, non for my wife known that she had medical test done for visa extension 3 years ago. Strange I did not get email notification, I was checking the secure account and discovered that there is a medical request. What should I expect now

You typically need a new medical for PR if your only medical was done as a visitor.

 

[Yehia82]

Thank you, what is the time expectation after medical, when I should expect final decision

 

[sarzamineno]

Based on the timeline you shared, it looks like several important stages have already been completed, including eligibility confirmation for both the applicant and the sponsor.

Regarding the different dates shown in your IRCC account, this can happen because different systems may display different dates for different purposes. The “received date” usually refers to when IRCC officially received the application, while another date shown in the account may relate to when the application record was created or updated in the online system.

For biometrics, if IRCC shows that previous biometrics are valid and says “We do not need your fingerprints,” it usually means they were able to reuse existing biometrics. IRCC can reuse previously submitted biometrics if they are still valid.

The pre-arrival services letter and eligibility approvals are generally positive signs, but they do not necessarily mean the application is finalized. The remaining steps can include background checks and final processing.

Submitting an ATIP request was also a reasonable way to better understand the status of your file. The notes may provide more details about what stages have been completed and what is still pending.

At this point, since IRCC has confirmed that nothing is required from your side, the main thing is to continue monitoring your account and wait for further communication.

Hopefully your final decision comes soon.

 

[canuck78]

Thank you, what is the time expectation after medical, when I should expect final decision

There is no exact timeline. Also heard that family sponsorship approvals may be on pause because IRCC has reached their quota for this year. Don’t think ATIP notes will give you much further information. You are just going through the normal processing steps.

 

[Yehia82]

Hello everyone,

I would appreciate your advice regarding my inland spousal sponsorship application and whether the recent updates are normal.

Application timeline:

• July 25, 2025: Application received by IRCC
• September 27, 2025: Pre-arrival services letter received.
• October 1, 2025: My wife received confirmation that she was eligible to be sponsored.
• October 2, 2025: My sponsorship eligibility was approved.
• October 2026: IRCC requested a medical examination for my son. We completed it, and his medical status subsequently changed to “You passed the medical exam.”
• October 2026: IRCC finally requested biometrics for my wife. She completed them, and the tracker now shows biometrics as completed.
• October 19, 2026: The application tracker changed to “We are processing your background check.”

My questions are:

1. Does the background-check status change mean IRCC has only now started processing my wife's biometrics and background verification, approximately 15 months after receiving the application?
2. Is it normal to receive a biometrics request this late, after eligibility has already been approved?
3. Could IRCC reuse my wife's previous medical examination, or should I expect another medical request?
4. What should we expect next?

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced a similar sequence of updates.

Thank you!

 

[Alzefzafy]

Honestly, IRCC portals are notorious for showing weird conflicting dates and ghost updates, so I wouldn't stress too much about the system glitches as long as your eligibility passed. Getting medical requests at different times for family members happens all the time too, but since you've already made it this far and passed eligibility, you're realistically in the home stretch—even if the silence right now feels completely maddening.

 

[Yehia82]

Hi,
I received a request from IRCC to renew my son’s passport, which expires on November 16, 2026. They asked me to provide a new passport with more than 12 months of validity.


Does IRCC requesting a passport renewal at this stage indicate that they are actively processing the application or that a final decision may be approaching? Has anyone received a similar request shortly before their PR application was finalized?

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

 

[canuck78]

Hi,
I received a request from IRCC to renew my son’s passport, which expires on November 16, 2026. They asked me to provide a new passport with more than 12 months of validity.


Does IRCC requesting a passport renewal at this stage indicate that they are actively processing the application or that a final decision may be approaching? Has anyone received a similar request shortly before their PR application was finalized?

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

It means that the application is nearing the end of processing as long as you can obtain an new passport for your child.

 

[dajajaj]

Hi everyone,

I submitted an inland spousal sponsorship application for my wife and child. IRCC confirmed that they received the application on July 12, 2025.

Here is my timeline:

• July 12, 2025: IRCC received the sponsorship application.
• August 21, 2025: IRCC requested additional information because I had forgotten to provide my father's name. I received the letter on August 28 and provided the information.
• August 28, 2025: IRCC requested the $85 CAD biometrics fee, and I paid it the same day.
• September 27, 2025: My wife received a pre-arrival services letter.
• October 1, 2025: IRCC confirmed that my wife met the eligibility requirements for permanent residence.
• October 2, 2025: IRCC confirmed that I met the eligibility requirements as the sponsor.

There is also something confusing in my IRCC Secure Account. It shows the application as "submitted on October 26, 2025," but when I open the application details, it says the date received is July 12, 2025. I am not sure why there are two different dates.

I also never received a Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL). In my Secure Account, my wife's previous biometrics from her visitor visa are showing as accepted, with validity until July 27, 2030. It says: "We do not need your fingerprints."

The account currently shows no more information.
I have contacted IRCC several times, and they keep replying that the application is still being processed and that nothing is needed from my side.

Because I could not understand what was happening with the application, I submitted an ATIP request on May 4, 2026, for the complete application file. While researching topics such as the best beaches in Thailand, I continued waiting for an update. IRCC requested identification on May 21, which I provided on May 23, and I am still waiting for the ATIP records.

I would really appreciate advice from anyone familiar with IRCC processing or who has experienced something similar.

Based on your timeline, it sounds like your application has already passed some important stages, especially since your wife received the pre-arrival letter and both your sponsor eligibility and her permanent residence eligibility were confirmed. The October 26 date may reflect an account update rather than the original application receipt date. If IRCC says your wife's previous biometrics are valid until 2030 and that no fingerprints are needed, you likely don't need to worry about not receiving a new BIL. I'd wait for the ATIP records, as they may provide more detail about the current status and any outstanding steps.