Spain to Canada Spousal Sponsorship
Last updated: January, 2026
Are you planning to sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner from Spain to Canada? You may be wondering whether IRCC requires any special Spain-specific documents.
The short answer is: Spain has very few country-specific requirements—but you still need to pay attention to the mandatory travel form and general documentation standards to avoid delays.
Based on IRCC’s Spain instructions and the most common Spain-linked issues, here is exactly what you need to prepare to avoid preventable delays.
Between 2016 and 2025, our Toronto immigration consultants assisted 147 clients from Spain, giving us a clear understanding of where Spain-based applications tend to get delayed—and how to prevent it. If you’d like a full overview of spouse sponsorship Canada, you can just book a consultation with our Canadian immigration representatives. Also, you can check our Immigration Consultant Cost.
Country-Specific Documents
Additional forms for residents
Spain requires one additional IRCC form for residents:
Supplementary Information – Your Travels (IMM 5562)
- The principal applicant and all family members 18 or older must complete this form.
- Even if travel history seems simple, IRCC treats this form as mandatory for Spain.
Spain – document instructions
IRCC currently lists no special document-format rules for Spain.
Standard Spanish civil documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, identity records) are generally accepted without extra authentication requirements.
Still, make sure documents are:
- clear
- complete
- issued by the proper authority
Even when no special rules apply, poor-quality scans or inconsistent details can slow the process.
The Hidden Hurdle
Translation
Most Spanish documents are in Spanish, so translations will be required if you submit any document that is not already in English or French.
If a document is not in English or French, include:
- the original document, and
- a certified translation that meets IRCC criteria
Names, dates, and document numbers must match exactly between the original and the translation to avoid clarification requests.
Biometrics
Biometrics are not Spain-specific, but applicants often misunderstand the timing.
After you submit your application, IRCC will issue a Biometrics Instruction Letter (BIL).
You must wait for this letter—biometrics cannot be completed before IRCC requests them.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
Even with minimal country-specific requirements, delays still happen when applicants:
- forget to complete IMM 5562 for every family member 18+
- upload low-quality scans or incomplete civil documents
- submit Spanish documents without a certified translation
- have inconsistent name formatting across documents without including a short explanation
Keeping details consistent and documentation clean will reduce IRCC follow-ups.
With Spain, the country-specific requirements are minimal. The best approach is to follow IRCC’s standard process carefully, complete IMM 5562 for all adults 18+, be ready for biometrics after you apply, and include certified translations whenever documents aren’t in English or French.
