Question & Answer

Question: What happens if I get married after I have submitted my application for a permanent resident visa?

Answer: You must immediately notify the Canadian Visa Office in charge of your file. What happens next depends upon the stage you are at in the application process.

If your application has not yet been finalized (visa not issued) you must add your spouse to your application as your dependent (accompanying or not). Your spouse will need to submit the appropriate forms, government fees, if accompanying, and undergo a medical examination and a background check.

If your application has been finalized (visa issued) but you have not yet landed in Canada as a permanent resident, you cannot add your spouse to your application. Nor can you land in Canada alone and sponsor your spouse at a later date. Rather, you must return your permanent resident visa to the Visa Office and you will have to submit an entirely new application for permanent residence in Canada, including your spouse as a dependent in your new application. So, if you have received your Canadian permanent resident visa and are planning to get married, you would be well advised to land in Canada before your marriage. You can then get married and as a permanent resident you will be entitled to sponsor your spouse.