How to Write a Joint Letter for Sponsorship: 27 questions and a sample letter

What is a joint letter for a permanent residence sponsorship application

When applying for a spousal or common-law sponsorship, a joint relationship letter can significantly assist IRCC in understanding the genuineness of your relationship. This letter allows you to present information in your preferred format, including references and supporting documents, while also addressing any potential issues or inconsistencies.

In this blog post, Cédric Marin, an Immigration Lawyer, offers valuable insights and shares questions he asks clients when preparing family sponsorships of spouses and partners. At Marin Immigration Law, we typically include a joint relationship letter to facilitate the immigration officer's understanding of your genuine relationship, as it is a crucial aspect of sponsorship under Regulation 4 of the IRPR (Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations).

It's essential to note that providing a joint relationship letter may not be mandatory, but it could help with explaining your relationship.

Although some information in the joint relationship letter may overlap with details already provided in your application, such as the relationship information form and sponsorship evaluation form, it offers you the opportunity to present the information and supporting documents in a more compelling manner. In certain cases, it might be appropriate to refer to the joint relationship letter in your application form.

You may want to ensure that your responses are comprehensive and provide a clear picture of your genuine and committed relationship for a successful family sponsorship application.

Make it easy for IRCC. The general idea for this letter and your whole application is to make it easy for an immigration officer at IRCC to understand your relationship, find it genuine and ideally approve it.

To assist you in preparing this letter, here are some questions and topics to consider. For common-law applicants, you can replace references to marriage with the decision to cohabitate:

Questions for reflection

Relationship Progression:

Please describe the progression of your relationship, including how you met, how your feelings developed over time, and significant milestones in your journey together. If you do not reside together, you should detail each trip.

Tip: if you were rejected multiple visas to visit your spouse, you could consider mentioning this here. For example, “Timothy tried to visit me in Canada on multiple occasions, but IRCC denied three visitor visas applications since we were in a relationship and IRCC believed that I would not return. We have tried to see each other for the last year in Canada but needed to resort meeting in Europe.”

Meeting Family and Friends:

Have you had the opportunity to meet each other's family and friends? If so, please share when and how these meetings took place and how they contributed to strengthening your bond.

Tip: you can reference your letters of support from family and friends with this section. For example, if your uncle met your partner at Thanksgiving dinner, you could mention this here and he can mention it in his letter of support. You add a footnote and cross reference it.

Duration of Knowing Each Other and Dating:

How long have you known each other, and how long has your romantic relationship been ongoing? Provide details about the time you've spent getting to know one another.

Decision to Get Married/Move in Together:

Tell us about the decision-making process leading up to your marriage. When and why did you decide to get married?

Tip: you can use this opportunity to explain any perceived cultural, religious or other societal norms. For example, in your country, if a marriage between two religions or cultures is uncommon, can you explain why it works in your relationship? Why have you decided to get married if this is not culturally accepted in your country? This could explain why you could not have spent more time together, or why you are not living together right now.

Wedding Celebration/Important Life Events:

Did your friends and family attend your wedding? If some family members couldn't attend in person, explain the reasons behind it. Did you opt for a video broadcast of your wedding?

Tip: you can cross reference photos here. In addition, you can add descriptions for each photo to provide more context. For example, “This photo was taken on the day of our wedding in Toronto, Canada.

Honeymoon and Trips:

Have you taken a honeymoon or gone on trips together either before or after your marriage? Describe any memorable experiences you've shared.

Quality Time Together and Hobbies:

How do you typically spend your time together? Highlight activities, hobbies, or interests that you both enjoy.

Tip: be specific. Do not write “we enjoy watching movies and playing sports”. Rather, consider being specific and detailed “We enjoy watching 2000s movies and play in mixed sports leagues after work, where we met our friend Sophie in 2019”’

Communication and Contact:

If you are not currently living together, how often do you communicate, and which methods do you use to stay in contact?

Visits to Each Other:

In case you are not living together, how often do you visit each other? Describe the efforts you make to maintain your connection despite physical distance and include specific daters when possible.

Tip: you can provide supporting documents to prove your visits, such as flight tickets or visa stamps.

Children and Parenting:

Do you have or plan on having children together? If either of you has children from previous relationships, explain how you manage parenting and spending time with the kids. Are both of your names on the birth certificate?

Financial Support:

Explain how you support each other financially. If you share joint accounts or expenses, please elaborate on those aspects. If you share expenses with bank transfers or excel sheets, explain.

Emotional Support:

Describe how you provide emotional support to each other during challenging times and how you foster emotional intimacy in your relationship.

Supporting Other Needs:

In what ways do you support each other's spiritual, physical, or medical needs? Share any pertinent details related to this aspect of your relationship.

Interwoven Lives:

Detail how your lives are intertwined, such as joint living arrangements, leases, bank accounts, insurance policies, shared bills, or any other aspects that demonstrate the unity of your lives.

Additional Information:

Include any other essential details you believe are crucial for the immigration officer to consider, emphasizing your commitment and dedication to each other.

Supporting Documentation:

If necessary, you can also use this letter to explain how you completed the application forms or organized your supporting information, such as providing additional tables or clarifications for work history, address records, etc.

References and Supporting Documents:

Include references from friends, family members, or acquaintances who can vouch for the authenticity of your relationship. Additionally, attach any supporting documents that validate the details mentioned in your letter.

Use Sub-Titles for Organization:

To enhance readability and organization, consider dividing your letter into sections with sub-titles. You can structure it based on the timeline of your relationship or key moments, such as when you first met, the reasons for your marriage decision, events before and after the marriage, etc.

Address Missing Documents:

‍If you encounter any missing documents in your application, provide an explanation of the efforts you made to obtain them. Be transparent about why certain documents are unavailable and assure IRCC that you have made genuine attempts to fulfill the requirements.

Seek Professional Assistance:

‍If you feel uncertain about how to proceed with your joint relationship letter, don't hesitate to contact Cedric Marin. He can assist you in reviewing your letter and offer advice on what to include or exclude to strengthen your application. Whether you need an hour-long consultation or a comprehensive review of the entire application, Cedric Marin's expertise in handling numerous sponsorship applications can be of immense help in ensuring a well-prepared submission.

Sample letter:

In most cases, the letter will be more detailed, contain more events and have more examples! You could also add photos, citations with more details and descriptions directly in this letter. Cross referencing other letters or documents is a good idea - for example, "See photo 15, when we visited the CN Tower with Timothy's family."

‍
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)[IRCC Address][City, Province/State, Postal Code]

Re: Joint Relationship Letter for Spousal Sponsorship Application of Timothy Smith (Canadian Citizen - the Sponsor) and Margarette Garcia (Foreign National - the Principal Applicant)

Dear Immigration Officer,

We hope this letter finds you well. We, Timothy Smith and Margarette Garcia, are writing to provide comprehensive insight into the genuine and committed relationship we share as a married couple. This joint relationship letter aims to address the questions and topics outlined in your guidelines to assist you in understanding the authenticity of our relationship.

Relationship Progression: Our journey together began when we met in college back in 2015. Over time, our friendship blossomed into a deep romantic connection. We supported each other through academic challenges and celebrated personal milestones, nurturing our bond. For example, we would always study at the library together, and support ourselves during our exams. During the summer, we worked as tour guides at Coolest Caves Ever, since we share a passion for wildlife. Margarette moved to Canada in 2017 for her master's degree, and this marked a turning point in our relationship. We maintained a long-distance relationship for two years before we decided to get married.

Meeting Family and Friends: We have had the privilege of introducing each other to our families and friends. Timothy visited Margarette's family in the Philippines during the summer of 2018, where he spent time with her parents and siblings. Margarette had the opportunity to meet Timothy's parents during Thanksgiving in 2019. Our family and friends have welcomed us with open arms, and their support has contributed to the strengthening of our bond. They have provided letters of support, which contains additional information.

Duration of Knowing Each Other and Dating: We have known each other for eight years, with our romantic relationship lasting for five years. Our relationship has been built on trust, understanding, and shared values, making our connection deep and meaningful.

Decision to Get Married: The decision to get married was a thoughtful process influenced by our shared values and beliefs. We acknowledged cultural differences and societal norms but chose to prioritize our love and commitment. Our marriage decision was made after discussing our future plans extensively, and we felt that it was the right step to take in our journey together.

Wedding Celebration: Our wedding took place on June 15th, 2022, in Toronto, Canada. Family and friends attended the ceremony, both in person and virtually. We decided to broadcast the wedding online to include loved ones who couldn't attend due to travel restrictions. Our wedding day was a joyful celebration of our love, and we have attached photos to provide a glimpse of this special occasion.

Honeymoon and Trips: Following our wedding, we embarked on a memorable honeymoon trip to Banff National Park, Alberta. We also traveled to Margarette's hometown in the Philippines to celebrate with her extended family. These experiences allowed us to create lasting memories and further solidify our connection.

Quality Time Together: We share a love for exploring new places, watching classic movies, and trying out diverse cuisines. Our evenings are often spent enjoying each other's company, whether it's cooking together, going for walks, or engaging in lively discussions about our interests.

Communication and Contact: Given our current living situation, we communicate daily through video calls, messaging apps, and regular phone calls. Our communication has remained consistent and meaningful, allowing us to bridge the physical distance between us.

Visits to Each Other: Margarette has visited Canada twice since our marriage, with her last visit in August 2022. We have kept records of her flights, visa stamps, and shared photos from these visits as supporting documentation.

Children and Parenting: We both have a strong desire to have children and have discussed our parenting styles and responsibilities. As of now, we do not have any children together. Timothy has a son from a previous relationship, and we have included him in our family dynamic, ensuring that he spends quality time with both of us.

Financial Support: We support each other financially through joint bank accounts, where we contribute to shared expenses such as rent, utilities, and groceries. Our approach to finances is transparent and collaborative.

Emotional Support: During challenging times, we lean on each other for emotional support. We provide a safe space for open communication and actively listen to each other's concerns. Our emotional intimacy is a cornerstone of our relationship.

Supporting Other Needs: We prioritize each other's spiritual, physical, and medical needs. Whether it's attending cultural events, supporting fitness goals, or accompanying each other to medical appointments, we are committed to nurturing every aspect of our lives together.

Interwoven Lives: Our lives are intertwined through our joint living arrangements, shared financial responsibilities, and communal decisions. We share a lease agreement, a joint bank account, and are beneficiaries on each other's insurance policies.

Additional Information: We want to emphasize our unwavering commitment to each other and our future together. Despite the challenges posed by geographical separation, we have made genuine efforts to maintain our relationship and are dedicated to building a strong and loving marriage.

Supporting Documentation: Enclosed with this letter are photographs from our wedding, flight tickets from Margarette's visits, and references from friends and family who have witnessed the evolution of our relationship.

In closing, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for considering our application for spousal sponsorship. Our joint relationship letter reflects the authenticity and depth of our bond, and we remain hopeful for a positive outcome. We are open to providing any further documentation or information as required.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Timothy Smith

Margarette Garcia

Remember, a well-crafted joint relationship letter can significantly contribute to the success of your spousal or common-law sponsorship application. So, take your time to compose a thorough and compelling letter, and don't hesitate to seek professional guidance if needed. The goal of this blog post is to provide general information on joint spousal letters. There are other important aspects to a family sponsorship, such as an undertaking, eligibility and admissibility. Nothing on this website, including this blog post, is legal advice. The information may not be appropriate for your circumstances.