Some people think marriage to a Canadian citizen will be their ticket to Canada.
It is a crime for a foreign national to marry a Canadian citizen or permanent resident only to gain entry to Canada. CIC is working to prevent these false marriages.
In many cases, sponsors and foreign applicants set up a “marriage of convenience.” This is a marriage or common-law relationship whose sole purpose is to let the sponsored spouse or partner immigrate to Canada.
CIC officers are trained to recognize real immigration applications. They know how to detect false marriages. They have many ways to spot marriage fraud, including:
document checks,
visits to people’s homes and
interviews with both sponsors and applicants.
Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are in a marriage of convenience for immigration reasons may be charged with a crime.
New regulations
Were you sponsored to come to Canada as a spouse or partner on or after October 25, 2012? If so, you must now live with your sponsor in a genuine relationship for two years from the day you get permanent residence status in Canada. This is a new rule.
As a spouse or partner being sponsored, this applies to you if:
you have been in a relationship with your sponsor for two years or less,
you have no children in common and
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) got your application on or after October 25, 2012.
It is a crime for a foreign national to marry a Canadian citizen or permanent resident only to gain entry to Canada. CIC is working to prevent these false marriages.
In many cases, sponsors and foreign applicants set up a “marriage of convenience.” This is a marriage or common-law relationship whose sole purpose is to let the sponsored spouse or partner immigrate to Canada.
CIC officers are trained to recognize real immigration applications. They know how to detect false marriages. They have many ways to spot marriage fraud, including:
document checks,
visits to people’s homes and
interviews with both sponsors and applicants.
Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are in a marriage of convenience for immigration reasons may be charged with a crime.
New regulations
Were you sponsored to come to Canada as a spouse or partner on or after October 25, 2012? If so, you must now live with your sponsor in a genuine relationship for two years from the day you get permanent residence status in Canada. This is a new rule.
As a spouse or partner being sponsored, this applies to you if:
you have been in a relationship with your sponsor for two years or less,
you have no children in common and
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) got your application on or after October 25, 2012.
