Canada Dependent Child Sponsorship: Requirements, Eligibility, Process & Documents for Indians
Sponsor your biological, adopted, or stepchild for Canadian PR. Under-22 rule, over-age dependents, no income test, ~12-month processing from India.
~12 months
CAD 85 + CAD 175 per child
Permanent Residence
Canada Dependent Child Sponsorship is a permanent residency stream administered by IRCC under the Family Class that allows Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and registered Indians under the Indian Act to sponsor their dependent children (including biological, adopted, or stepchildren) for PR. The IRCC definition of a dependent child is under 22 years old and not a spouse or common-law partner, raised from under 19 effective October 24, 2017. Children aged 22 or older qualify only as over-age dependents if they have been unable to be financially self-supporting due to a physical or mental condition continuously since before age 22.
There is no minimum income requirement for sponsoring dependent children, no language test, no points-based score, and no work experience requirement. Government fees per child are reduced compared to adult applicants, consisting of a CAD 85 sponsorship fee plus CAD 175 child processing fee, with no Right of Permanent Residence Fee for children. The sponsorship undertaking is 10 years or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first, for under-22 children; 3 years for over-age dependents. Processing takes approximately 12 months. Adopted children may alternatively obtain Canadian citizenship by descent under section 5.1 of the Citizenship Act — a separate path from PR sponsorship that bypasses the immigration process.
Eligibility
Who can apply for Canada Dependent Child Sponsorship?
- Canadian citizens aged 18 or older living in Canada or planning to return when the sponsored child arrives
- Permanent residents aged 18 or older with valid PR status, currently residing in Canada
- Registered Indians under the Canadian Indian Act, regardless of citizenship or PR status
- Sponsors of biological children who are under 22 and not in a spouse or common-law relationship
- Sponsors of legally adopted children under 22, where the adoption is recognised in Canada and conforms to the Hague Convention (where applicable)
- Sponsors of stepchildren (the children of a current or former spouse or common-law partner of the sponsor)
- Sponsors of over-age dependants (children 22 or older who have been continuously unable to financially support themselves due to a physical or mental condition since before age 22)
- Sponsors who included the dependent child in their own original PR application as a non-accompanying family member, declared and examined at landing (avoiding the IRPR 117(9)(d) bar)
- Sponsors residing in Quebec who additionally complete the Quebec selection process with MIFI under separate provincial rules
- Sponsors of children born outside Canada who are eligible for Canadian citizenship by descent, through adoption, biological parentage, or otherwise, and who may pursue citizenship under section 5.1 of the Citizenship Act as an alternative to PR sponsorship
The under-22 age cap was raised from under 19 effective October 24, 2017. Over-age dependents (22+) qualify only when the inability to financially self-support has been continuous from before age 22. Adopted children may pursue Canadian citizenship under section 5.1 of the Citizenship Act as an alternative to PR sponsorship.
Requirements
What are the requirements and key details of Canada Dependent Child Sponsorship?
- Sponsor Minimum Age: Sponsor must be 18 years or older at the time of submitting the sponsorship undertaking
- Sponsor Status: Sponsor must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian under the Indian Act
- Sponsor Residence: Sponsor must reside in Canada (Canadian citizens may sponsor while abroad if they intend to return when PR is granted)
- Sponsor Income Requirement: No minimum income for sponsoring dependent children; neither the sponsor's tax records nor LICO is tested
- Dependent Child Age (Standard): Under 22 years old at the time of application (lock-in age preserved if aged out during processing through no fault of the applicant)
- Lock-in Age: The dependent child's age locks in on the date IRCC receives the complete application; children who turn 22 during processing through no fault of their own remain eligible
- Dependent Child Marital Status: Not a spouse or common-law partner at the time of application
- Over-Age Dependent (Continuous Condition): 22+ children qualify only if continuously unable to be financially self-supporting due to a physical or mental condition since before age 22
- Adoption (Hague Convention): Adoptions from Hague signatory countries must comply with the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption
- Adoption (Provincial Approval): Provincial adoption authorities in the sponsor's province must approve the adoption
- Sponsorship Undertaking (Under 22): 10 years from PR or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first
- Sponsorship Undertaking (Over-Age Dependent): 3 years from PR
- Sponsorship Application Fee: CAD 85 per sponsor
- Principal Applicant Processing Fee (Child): CAD 175 per dependent child (reduced from the CAD 545 adult rate)
- Right of Permanent Residence Fee (Child): None; no RPRF for dependent children
- Biometrics Fee: CAD 85 per applicant aged 14 or older; CAD 170 family rate
- Section 117(9)(d) Bar: Dependent children not declared and examined at the sponsor's own PR landing are barred from being sponsored later; this is a hard, no-discretion bar
- Sponsor Inadmissibility Bars: Default on a previous undertaking, certain criminal convictions, undischarged bankruptcy, or being a sponsored spouse within 5 years of own PR
- Quebec Special Rules: Quebec sponsors sign a separate undertaking with MIFI and complete Quebec selection in addition to the federal application
Documents
What are the documents required for Canada Dependent Child Sponsorship?
- Valid Indian passport with at least 6 months validity beyond the application date for each sponsored child, plus digital passport-style photographs meeting IRCC specifications
- Sponsor's proof of status: a Canadian citizenship certificate, Canadian passport, PR card, or Certificate of Indian Status (CIS)
- Completed sponsorship application forms, including IMM 1344 (Sponsorship Agreement) and IMM 5532 (Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation, where applicable)
- Completed Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008) and Schedule A (Background/Declaration IMM 5669) for the sponsored child
- Birth certificate of the sponsored child showing the sponsor (or sponsor's spouse, for stepchildren) as parent
- For adopted children: the full adoption decree, Hague Convention compliance documents (where the country of origin is a Hague signatory), home study report, and provincial adoption-authority approval letter
- For stepchildren: the marriage certificate or common-law declaration of the sponsor and the child's biological parent, plus the child's birth certificate showing the biological parent
- For over-age dependants: comprehensive medical records documenting the physical or mental condition, the date of onset (must be before age 22), the continuous nature of the inability to financially self-support, and current status, alongside statements from treating physicians
- Evidence of the dependent child's relationship and continuing dependence: school records, residency proof, financial-support records, photographs, and communication records
- Police clearance certificates from every country the sponsored child has lived in for 6 months or more since age 18 (only if the child is 18 or older at application time)
- Upfront medical examination (eMedical) results from an IRCC-approved panel physician, required for the sponsored child
- Biometrics: fingerprints and photograph collected at a VFS Canada centre in India (required for ages 14-79; under 14 are exempt)
- Sponsorship Undertaking and Agreement signed by the sponsor (and co-signer, where applicable) committing to the relevant undertaking length
- Where the other parent of the child has custody or access rights, written consent from that parent for the child to immigrate to Canada (or court order overriding consent)
- Quebec sponsors only: a separate undertaking with the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) and Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ)
- Additional documents and requirements may vary based on the specific Canada Dependent Child Sponsorship category, applicant profile, or immigration pathway
Application Process
How to Apply for Canada Dependent Child Sponsorship: Step-by-Step Process
Confirm Sponsor and Dependent Child Eligibility
Verify that the sponsor is a Canadian citizen, PR, or registered Indian aged 18 or older with no inadmissibility bars. Confirm the child meets the under-22 dependency test (under 22 and not a spouse or common-law partner) or the over-age dependent test (continuous condition since before age 22). Identify the category: biological, adopted, stepchild, or over-age dependent; each of these categories has a distinct documentary path.
Verify the Section 117(9)(d) Status
Critically check whether the sponsored child was declared and examined as a non-accompanying family member during the sponsor's own PR application. Children not declared at the sponsor's landing are barred from future sponsorship under IRPR 117(9)(d); this is a hard, no-discretion bar with no humanitarian relief in most cases. If unsure, retrieve the sponsor's original PR file via an Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) request before opening a sponsorship application.
Adoption-Specific Path (If Applicable)
For adopted children: complete the provincial adoption process in the sponsor's province, obtain the adoption decree and home study, and ensure Hague Convention compliance where the country of origin is a Hague signatory. Decide whether to pursue PR sponsorship (this stream) or Canadian citizenship by descent under Citizenship Act section 5.1 (a separate, often faster path that bypasses immigration). The two paths are alternatives, not parallel.
Gather Documents and Sign the Undertaking
Collect identity, status, relationship, medical, and (for over-18 children) police-clearance documents. The sponsor signs the Sponsorship Agreement (IMM 1344) committing to either 10 years / age 25 (under-22 child) or 3 years (over-age dependent). For over-age dependents, assemble medical records documenting the continuous condition since before age 22; this is the most-scrutinised part of these applications.
Submit the Application via the IRCC PR Portal
Create an IRCC PR Portal account and upload the sponsorship application alongside the principal applicant's PR application. Pay the CAD 85 sponsorship fee, CAD 175 child processing fee per dependent child, and CAD 85 biometrics fee per child aged 14-79. There is no Right of Permanent Residence Fee for children; the RPRF only applies to adults (over-age dependents pay CAD 575 RPRF).
Complete Biometrics, Medical, and Police Checks
After receiving the Biometrics Instruction Letter, the sponsored child (aged 14 or older) attends a VFS Canada centre in India for fingerprints and photograph. Complete the upfront medical exam with an IRCC-approved panel physician, and the results will upload directly to IRCC. Submit police clearance certificates if the child is 18 or older.
Application Review and Possible Interview
A visa officer reviews the relationship documents, medical and security clearances, and (for over-age dependents) the medical evidence supporting the continuous-condition test. Adoption cases may be flagged for an interview to verify the genuineness of the parent-child relationship and best-interests-of-the-child considerations.
Receive Permanent Residence and Land in Canada
If approved, the sponsored child receives a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and a permanent resident visa. They must land in Canada before the COPR expiry to activate PR status. The sponsorship undertaking begins on the date PR is granted: 10 years or age 25 for under-22 children, and 3 years for over-age dependents.
Canada Dependent Child Sponsorship is the dedicated permanent residency pathway for biological, adopted, or stepchildren under 22 who are unmarried. Sponsoring your child has no income or language requirements, but success requires complete birth records, parental consent forms, and declaring all dependants during the sponsor's own landing to avoid permanent bars under Section 117(9)(d). For adopted children, the citizenship-by-descent pathway remains a fast alternative that bypasses immigration.
For detailed insights on eligibility, document checklist, visa validity, and common refusal reasons, explore Family Sponsorship FAQs guide to know the answers of all your questions.
Related Resources
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