Sponsoring a Dependent Child

Under 22 years of age 

A child qualifies as a dependent child if they are under 22 years of age and do not have a spouse or common-law partner. This is the primary category.

Age 22 or above with Financial Dependency Based on Physical or Mental Needs 

A child who is 22 or older may still qualify if they have depended substantially on their parent's financial support since before turning 22, and if they are unable to support themselves financially due to a physical or mental condition. This category is narrowly applied and requires strong medical and financial documentation.

Biological Children

Children born to the sponsor or born to the sponsor's spouse or common-law partner, regardless of whether the parents are married.

Adopted Children

Children legally adopted by the sponsor.

Note: this page addresses sponsorship of children already legally adopted. International adoption is a separate process with its own distinct requirements.

Step-Children

A child of the sponsor's spouse or common-law partner may qualify in certain circumstances, depending on the legal relationship between the sponsor and the child.

Children of a Sponsored Spouse or Partner

When sponsoring a spouse or common-law partner, any dependent children of that spouse or partner can typically be included in the same application.

Importance of Child's Age at Time of Application

A child who turns 22 before the application is filed cannot be included. If your child will turn 22 in the coming months, the timing of your application filing is critical. Contact the MyVisa Team immediately.

Standalone Child Sponsorship

Some parents sponsor a dependent child as the principal applicant in a standalone sponsorship application. This is the right pathway when there is no spousal or partner sponsorship happening at the same time, for example, when a Canadian citizen or permanent resident is sponsoring a child who lives abroad with the other parent, or when a parent is reuniting with a child after becoming a permanent resident on their own.

In a standalone child sponsorship, the child is the principal applicant for permanent residence and the parent in Canada is the sponsor. Any dependent children of the sponsored child may also be included as accompanying dependants in the same application.

Children as Accompanying Dependents

In many family sponsorship situations, dependent children are included as accompanying dependants alongside a sponsored spouse or common-law partner rather than through a separate standalone application.

Children included as accompanying dependants in a spousal sponsorship application are assessed as part of the same application and, if approved, become permanent residents at the same time as the principal applicant.

CRITICAL REQUIREMENT: Declaring all dependent children

All eligible dependent children must be declared in the application, even if they are not accompanying the applicant to Canada. A child who is eligible but not declared and not examined at the time of the application may be permanently barred from being sponsored in the future. This is one of the most serious and most common mistakes in family sponsorship applications.

High Risk: Previously Undeclared Child

Failure to declare a dependent child in a previous permanent residence application can result in that child being permanently excluded from the family class. This is one of the most devastating consequences in family immigration law.

Our approach: We conduct a full analysis of the prior application history and the circumstances of the non-declaration, and identify every available legal pathway.

Paternity or Relationship in Dispute

Where documentation is incomplete or the relationship is disputed, additional steps are required, such as DNA testing, court orders establishing parentage, or documentation of legal adoption.

Our approach: We identify documentation gaps early and structure the application to present the relationship evidence as clearly and convincingly as possible.

Child Approaching Age 22

For families with a child approaching the age of 22, the timing of the sponsorship application is a legal deadline with permanent consequences.

Our approach: We identify age-sensitive dependants at the outset and ensure the application is structured and filed with the age lock-in deadline as a primary priority.

Step-Children & Blended Families

Blended family situations require careful analysis of the legal relationships between all parties.

Our approach: We assess the specific legal relationships, identify which children are eligible for inclusion and on what basis, and clearly document every relationship to the officer's satisfaction.

Child with Admissibility Issues

Medical inadmissibility is the most common concern for dependent children, particularly where a child has a significant medical condition or disability.

Our approach: We identify potential admissibility concerns at the outset and prepare the strongest possible case for the child's admission.

WARNING - Importance of non-accompanying parent consent

If a minor child is being sponsored by one parent or included in an application for permanent resident with one legal parent, the remaining parent has to sign official documentation to confirm that the minor child can be sponsored and is authorized to reside in Canada with the accompanying parent. Without this authorization, the sponsorship application may be refused.