Lonely Canadian sponsorship of a niece

[Mira33]

I saw some discussion on Lonely Canadian sponsorship but one thing is not clear to me. Here is my situation:
- I am a Canadian Citizen living in Canada for 25 years now and I have no blood relatives in Canada, or a spouse or a common law partner in Canada or anywhere else.
- My parents and siblings are all dead
- I have 5 nieces and nephews, youngest been 7 (both parents deceased), who is an orphan, but has a legal guardian
- I would like to sponsor one niece who is not orphaned (her mother is alive) and who is 32.
The rules for sponsoring OTHER relatives states that:
"You may sponsor one relative, related by blood or adoption, of any age if you meet all of the conditions, including:

• you don't have a living relative you could sponsor instead, such as a:
  • spouse
  • common-law partner
  • conjugal partner
  • son or daughter
  • parent
  • grandparent
  • brother or sister
  • uncle or aunt
  • nephew or niece

So does this mean I CAN sponsor my niece, or I CANNOT because there are other nieces and nephews I could also sponsor and one is an orphan?
Thank you
Mira

 

[zardoz]

I saw some discussion on Lonely Canadian sponsorship but one thing is not clear to me. Here is my situation:
- I am a Canadian Citizen living in Canada for 25 years now and I have no blood relatives in Canada, or a spouse or a common law partner in Canada or anywhere else.
- My parents and siblings are all dead
- I have 5 nieces and nephews, youngest been 7 (both parents deceased), who is an orphan, but has a legal guardian
- I would like to sponsor one niece who is not orphaned (her mother is alive) and who is 32.
The rules for sponsoring OTHER relatives states that:
"You may sponsor one relative, related by blood or adoption, of any age if you meet all of the conditions, including:

• you don't have a living relative you could sponsor instead, such as a:
  • spouse
  • common-law partner
  • conjugal partner
  • son or daughter
  • parent
  • grandparent
  • brother or sister
  • uncle or aunt
  • nephew or niece

So does this mean I CAN sponsor my niece, or I CANNOT because there are other nieces and nephews I could also sponsor and one is an orphan?
Thank you
Mira

Yes, I believe that you can. There is currently no "normal" sponsorship path for a niece, so that clause is not applicable.

 

[Mira33]

I am only now realizing that this list also has "aunt or uncle" so I am still not clear how does this work: I do have an estranged aunt (my late father's sister) outside of Canada who is not a Canadian citizen, with whom I have no contact for 30 years now. Does it mean that I can or cannot sponsor my niece??

That explanation was so poorly formulated on their web site: I may sponsor one relative only if I have no relatives??? Does it mean no relatives IN Canada, or overall? Who's left to sponsor - distant cousins? Why would I be able to sponsor a distant relative, and not the close ones?

 

[zardoz]

I am only now realizing that this list also has "aunt or uncle" so I am still not clear how does this work: I do have an estranged aunt (my late father's sister) outside of Canada who is not a Canadian citizen, with whom I have no contact for 30 years now. Does it mean that I can or cannot sponsor my niece??

That explanation was so poorly formulated on their web site: I may sponsor one relative only if I have no relatives??? Does it mean no relatives IN Canada, or overall? Who's left to sponsor - distant cousins? Why would I be able to sponsor a distant relative, and not the close ones?

Again, there is no "normal" sponsorship path for a aunt, so that clause is not applicable.

There is however a sponsorship program for both parents and grandparents, which is why IF they are alive, they DO get priority.

You should just get on with your application.... As far as I can tell from the information you have provided, you should be able to sponsor that one niece and her immediate dependents, if any.

 

[Mira33]

I am so grateful that you took the time to answer, so bare with me just until I make it 100% clear: so I CAN sponsor my niece regardless of the fact that out there is an aunt, since that aunt cannot be sponsored any other way?

 

[zardoz]

I am so grateful that you took the time to answer, so bare with me just until I make it 100% clear: so I CAN sponsor my niece regardless of the fact that out there is an aunt, since that aunt cannot be sponsored any other way?

That is correct.

 

[Mira33]

<3 I am thrilled! Thank you so much for answering in this ungodly hour (dunno where you are, but it's very early here, I couldn't sleep!)

 

[zardoz]

<3 I am thrilled! Thank you so much for answering in this ungodly hour (dunno where you are, but it's very early here, I couldn't sleep!)

I'm in Ontario...

 

[Mira33]

I am in Vancouver, it's 6:19 am.

 

[zardoz]

Yes, those three hours make a big difference.
Good luck with your application. Please let us know how it works out for you and your niece.

 

[Buletruck]

Agree with all of Zardoz’s points. You do seem to be eligible. Do be prepared for a wait for processing. The processing times can be upwards of 2 years.

 

[canuck78]

You still cohabitating with your previous common law partner may cause some concern about your application.

 

[Mira33]

Now I have an additional question:
While I was told that my nephew who is orphaned and under 18 was adopted, he seems to have been put under the guardianship, not legally fully adopted. Does this prevent me from sponsoring my niece who is over 18? If so, how can I dispute that, given that he is put under the guardianship of a person who is not a member of my family and who would have to give permission if I attempted to sponsor my nephew? Can I remedy this by him making a write statement that he will not give permission to the child leaving the country?

 

[canuck78]

Now I have an additional question:
While I was told that my nephew who is orphaned and under 18 was adopted, he seems to have been put under the guardianship, not legally fully adopted. Does this prevent me from sponsoring my niece who is over 18? If so, how can I dispute that, given that he is put under the guardianship of a person who is not a member of my family and who would have to give permission if I attempted to sponsor my nephew? Can I remedy this by him making a write statement that he will not give permission to the child leaving the country?

Confused how is the nephew related to sponsoring your niece?

 

[Mira33]

There are several family sponsorship programs.
1. One says that I can sponsor a member of a family class, which can be a nephew or a niece if they are orphaned and younger than 18
2.The "Lonely Canadian" program says that I can sponsor any person (so includes a niece or a nephew) if I do not have any other person whom I can sponsor as a member of a family class. Since I have that little newphew who qualifies under the family class, it interferes with this one.

In original, it was worded like this:
"
Whom may I sponsor using this application package?

You can use this application package to sponsor:

· a child whom you adopted outside Canada and you were a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada at the time the adoption took place, or a child whom you intend to adopt in Canada. Consult the Appendix A.

· your brother or sister, nephew or niece, grandson or granddaughter, if he or she is an orphan, under 18 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship;

· any other person, regardless of age, with whom you have a family relationship if you do not have a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother, uncle, aunt, niece or nephew who is a Canadian citizen, a registered Indian, a permanent resident or whom you may sponsor as a member of the family class."