Family Reunification Immigration Lawyers in Vancouver, BC

Canada recognizes the importance of family on the success of resettled refugees, and encourages family reunification by providing for an opportunity to bring a spouse, common law or conjugal partner, and dependent children under the age of 22 to Canada. Family unity is considered by Canada to be an important human right. In 2021, Canada granted permanent residence status to over 103,000 applicants.

Your relatives can live, study and work in Canada if they become permanent residents of Canada. You can sponsor certain relatives to come to Canada if you’re at least 18 years old and a:

• Canadian citizen or
• person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or
• permanent resident of Canada

Currently, Canada is prioritizing Afghan nationals, although all resettled refugees have a one-year window of opportunity to apply for immigration status for close family members who were identified in the initial refugee application, but whose whereabouts were unknown at the time of flight.

Family Reunification Opportunities for Permanent Residents or Citizens

Under this category, family reunification expands beyond spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, and defendant children under the age of 22. The Family Class Immigration program permits permanent residents to seek family reunification. Eligibility includes:

• The applicant permanent resident must not be receiving social benefits except for disability
• The applicant is financially able to support the basic needs of the family members
• Limited spots are available for parents and grandparents

Who is Eligible for Refugee Family Reunification?

As stated, newly resettled refugees have a one-year window of opportunity to apply for immigration status for close family members. To be eligible for this program:

• The resettled refugee must identify the family members in the initial Canadian immigration application
• The family members may include spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, and dependent children under the age of 22
• Family need not meet financial requirements
• Family members are eligible for refugee services once arrived in Canada.

What If You Are an Asylum-Seeker in Canada?

Asylum-seekers must wait until the Immigration and Refugee Board grants refugee status before beginning the process of family reunification. Once the initial applicant is granted refugee status, the process of family reunification can begin.

• The refugee must identify the family members in the initial Canadian immigration application
• The family members may include spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, and dependent children under the age of 22

Refugees granted permanent status have one year to apply for family reunification without financial requirements but still must pay processing fees.

How Do you Apply for Family Reunification?

All of the application forms are available on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website (IRCC). However, the process can be daunting. The website provides checklists to determine eligibility of the sponsor and of the identified family member. Once eligibility is established, the application process includes:

• Download the application from the IRCC website.
• Pay the application fees—Processing, right of permanent resident, and biometrics fees must be paid online. In addition, there might be third party fees to cover the cost of a medical exam and to obtain a police certificate.
• Submit your application by mail or through a courier service. Applications cannot be submitted by mail.
• When requested, submit the necessary medical exams, police certificates, and biometrics for the family members.

Throughout the process, the applicant has the responsibility to keep all the information current and accurate.

How Long Does the Process Take?

There is no timetable for completion and review of a family reunification application. However, without complications, the process can take up to a year. Applications can become complex and necessarily take more time to process under the following circumstances:

• Changes in contact information that are not properly communicated to IRCC.
• Requests for documents are not submitted timely
• A dependent child turned 18 while applying
• You added dependents to your application
• Dependents married during the process
• Medical exams, which only remain current for one year, need to be renewed
• You or a family member were asked to submit to an interview
• Background checks are delayed

Begin Your Family Reunification Application Now With Trusted Immigration Counsel

If you are seeking family reunification, you can trust the knowledge and experience of Canadian Currents Immigration to guide you through the process. Although the application to bring close family members to Canada is readily available online, the requirements for completing a successful application can be daunting. With the aid of an experienced immigration lawyer at Canadian Currents Immigration, you can apply to bring your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent child under the age of 22 to Canada, once we determine your eligibility.

Our immigration lawyers at Canadian Currents Immigration will review your status to determine your eligibility family reunification.

Start with a confidential 30-minute consultation with a Canadian Currents Immigration immigration lawyer in Vancouver.

Call us now to book a time: 778-331-1164.