fiancé/Fiancée Sponsorship Canada 2026

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Canada does not offer a specific immigration pathway for fiancés, so being engaged on its own does not make someone eligible to immigrate. Unlike countries that issue a fiancé visa for the purpose of marriage, Canada requires couples to fit into one of the existing family sponsorship categories before they can apply for permanent residence. Because of this, partners who hope to come to Canada must qualify under a relationship category that is already recognized by immigration legislation.

Fiancé Sponsorship Options in Canada

Although Canada does not offer a fiancé visa, engaged couples may still qualify for family sponsorship through one of the relationship categories below.

Spousal Sponsorship

If you are legally married to your partner, you may be eligible to sponsor them to become a permanent resident of Canada under the spousal sponsorship program. The marriage must be legally valid in the country where it took place and recognized under Canadian law. Once married, the Canadian citizen or permanent resident partner can submit a sponsorship application, provided all eligibility requirements are met.

Spousal sponsorship is the most common pathway for engaged couples once they decide to marry, whether the marriage takes place in Canada or abroad.

For more detailed eligibility requirements, application steps, and processing information, please see our Spouse Sponsorship page.

Common-law partner Sponsorship

If you and your partner have lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least 12 consecutive months, you may qualify under the common-law partner sponsorship category. This option applies to couples who are not legally married but can demonstrate continuous cohabitation and a shared life, including joint housing, finances, and daily responsibilities.

For engaged couples, this pathway may be an option if you have already lived together long enough or plan to do so before applying for sponsorship.

For a full explanation of common-law requirements and acceptable proof, please visit our Common-Law Partner Sponsorship page.

conjugal partner Sponsorship

The conjugal partner category is designed for exceptional situations where a couple has been in a committed relationship for at least one year but has been unable to marry or live together due to serious legal or immigration barriers. This may include issues such as long-term visa refusals or laws that prevent marriage in the partner’s home country.

This category is strictly assessed and is not intended to replace marriage or common-law sponsorship when those options are reasonably available.

To understand whether this rare category may apply to your situation, please see our Conjugal Partner Sponsorship page for more detailed guidance.

Alternative Ways for Fiancés to Come to Canada

When spousal, common-law, or conjugal partner sponsorship is not yet an option, a Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) may provide a temporary way for a fiancé to come to Canada while the couple prepares for sponsorship.

A visitor visa does not grant permanent residence and does not replace family sponsorship. However, it may allow a foreign fiancé to visit Canada temporarily to spend time together, plan a wedding, or get married, provided they meet all visitor visa requirements and can demonstrate strong ties to their home country.

Fiancés applying for a visitor visa must clearly show that their stay in Canada will be temporary, even if they plan to apply for permanent residence in the future. Immigration officers carefully assess these applications, especially when there is a Canadian partner involved, so proper preparation is essential.

Once the couple becomes legally married or otherwise qualifies under a recognized sponsorship category, a permanent residence application may then be submitted separately.

For detailed eligibility requirements, application steps, and important considerations, please visit our Visitor Visa page.

fiancé/Fiancée Sponsorship Canada 2026

Fiancé Sponsorship Options in Canada

Spousal Sponsorship

Common-law partner Sponsorship

conjugal partner Sponsorship

Alternative Ways for Fiancés to Come to Canada

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