Can I invite my girlfriend or fiancé to Canada to get married?

Yes — you can apply to invite your girlfriend or fiancé to Canada on a visitor visa and plan to get married, but there is no dedicated ‘fiancé visa’ and a visitor visa must be granted based on genuine temporary visit criteria. Many couples do this as there is no separate fiance sponsorship program to grant Canadian fiancee visa. Many couples do this. But it’s important to understand that getting married in Canada does not guarantee a visitor visa. Your partner still has to qualify as a temporary visitor first.

To get a visitor visa (TRV) or eTA, they must show:

• A real plan for a short visit — even if you plan to apply for sponsorship later
• Enough money to pay for the trip and living costs
• Ties to their home country, such as work, school, property, or family
• A clean immigration history and honest documents

You can write an invitation letter explaining how you met, where they will stay, wedding plans, and who will pay for what. This helps give context but does not guarantee approval.

Canada also accepts dual intent, meaning someone can honestly plan to visit temporarily while also hoping to apply for spousal sponsorship later. The visa officer just needs to believe they will follow the rules and leave Canada if required.

If the visit is approved and you marry in Canada, you have two ways to apply for permanent residence:

• Inland sponsorship (your partner stays in Canada and may be eligible to apply for an open work permit if they maintain valid status and meet criteria, or
• Outland sponsorship (your partner returns home when their visitor status ends and waits abroad for approval)

After marriage, if you are interested in sponsoring your spouse, you can get information in our FAQ about ways to bring your fiance to Canada. 

The main point: treat the visitor visa as a real, separate application. Marriage plans help explain the trip, but your partner must still meet all the visitor requirements.

If you want to know how to sponsor your special one to come to Canada and get detailed information about spouse visa Canada requirements, book a consultation with Canadian immigration advisers. You can also check our Immigration Consultant Prices.