How to Complete Form IMM 1344 for Spousal Sponsorship to Canada

A step-by-step guide for sponsors and sponsored spouses

If you’re sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner to immigrate to Canada, Form IMM 1344 — the Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking — is one of the core documents in your application package. This guide walks through it section by section.

Disclaimer: This guide is for general informational purposes only and is not legal or immigration advice. Requirements and forms can change, so always confirm you’re using the current version of IMM 1344 from IRCC’s website and consult a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer for advice on your specific situation.

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What Is IMM 1344?

IMM 1344 combines three things into one form:

1. The application to sponsor — where you formally ask to sponsor your spouse or partner.
2. The sponsorship agreement — where both the sponsor and the sponsored person acknowledge their respective obligations.
3. The undertaking — where the sponsor legally commits to financially supporting the sponsored spouse (and their dependent children, if any) for a set period, so they don’t need to rely on government social assistance.

For spousal, common-law, or conjugal partner sponsorships (outside Quebec), that undertaking period is 3 years from the date the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident.

Who Fills Out This Form?

For a spousal/partner sponsorship, IMM 1344 must be completed and digitally signed by two people:

• The sponsor (the person doing the sponsoring)
• The principal applicant (the spouse or partner being sponsored)

Important: Unlike parent/grandparent or other-relative sponsorships, you cannot have a co-signer when sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner. If your form has a co-signer section, leave it blank.

Before You Start

• Download the current fillable PDF directly from IRCC’s website (canada.ca) rather than a third-party site, and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 10+) on a computer — not a phone or tablet.
• Have both parties’ passports/travel documents, your marriage certificate (or proof of common-law/conjugal relationship), and any prior divorce certificates on hand before you begin, since names and dates must match official documents exactly.
• Fill it out digitally. When you’re done, the form generates a barcode page automatically so don’t print the form before that step.
• Both the sponsor and the sponsored spouse sign electronically (typing your name counts as a digital signature for this form). Missing signatures are one of the most common reasons applications get returned.
• Once complete, the sponsor gives an electronic copy to the sponsored spouse, who uploads it to their own online application under “PDF Forms.”

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Part 1: Application to Sponsor and Undertaking

Questions 1–6 (About the Application and the Sponsored Spouse)

Question 1 — What happens if you don’t meet requirements: Choose whether you want your application withdrawn (and most fees refunded, except the sponsorship fee) or want it to proceed to a refusal decision, if you turn out not to meet sponsorship requirements. Most sponsors select “withdraw.” Only select “proceed with the application for permanent residence” if you’re specifically asking an officer to consider your case on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Question 2 — Correspondence language: You must choose either French or English.

Question 3 — Co-signer: Select “no co-signer.” You cannot add one for a spousal/partner sponsorship.

Question 4 — Sponsored spouse’s name: Enter the family name and given name exactly as shown on their passport or travel document. If they have no family name on their passport, put all their given names in the family name field and leave the given name field blank.

Question 5 — Sponsored spouse’s date of birth: If any part of the date is unknown, use an asterisk (*) to fill that portion.

Question 6 — Relationship type: Select the option that matches your exact situation:

• Spouse living in Canada (Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class)
• Spouse living in Canada (Family Class)
• Spouse living outside Canada
• Common-law partner living in Canada (either of the above classes)
• Common-law partner living outside Canada
• Conjugal partner outside Canada

If you’re sponsoring a conjugal partner, also provide the date the conjugal relationship began. If you are submitting an application to sponsor a conjugal partner, be sure to understand the meaning of “conjugal partner” before submitting. For sponsorship to Canada, a “conjugal relationship” means that both of you are in an exclusive romantic relationship with each other which would be common law or a marriage if you were able to live together and/or marry.

Sponsor Personal Details

• Name: Exactly as it appears on your passport/travel document, no initials. If you have no family name on your passport, put all given names in the family name field and leave the given name blank.
• Nicknames/aliases: Declare any other names you’ve used (birth name, maiden name, married name, etc.).
• Gender, date of birth, place of birth: Use an asterisk for any unknown part of your date of birth.
• Status in Canada: Citizen by birth, citizen by descent, naturalized citizen, or permanent resident. If you’re a permanent resident or naturalized citizen, provide the date you obtained that status and your UCI (Unique Client Identifier) number if known.
• Marital status: Select your current status and give the date it became official (the date of marriage or the date your relationship legally became common-law/conjugal partner).
• Previous relationships: Declare any prior marriages or common-law relationships. If you were previously married, you’ll need to provide a divorce certificate to proceed with a new spousal sponsorship.

Sponsor Contact Information

• Provide your full mailing address, written out without abbreviations (e.g., “999 Family Street, Unit #3, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K3J 9T5”).
• Indicate whether your residential address is the same as your mailing address.
• Provide phone number(s) with country and area codes, and email if you have one. Note: if you give IRCC an email address, all correspondence goes there instead of by mail so you better check your spam folder.

Sponsor Residency Declaration

Only complete this section if you’re a Canadian citizen living outside Canada. You must indicate which Canadian province or territory you intend to live in once your spouse/partner becomes a permanent resident, since you’re required to return to Canada to live with them.

Sponsor Eligibility Assessment

This is a series of yes/no questions (18 in total) that determine whether you’re legally allowed to sponsor. A few key rules:

• Answering “no” to questions 1–3 means you are not eligible to sponsor so do not submit the application if you cannot answer yes to any of questions 1-3.
• If you answer “no” to question 4 but are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you can still sponsor, but must complete the Residency Declaration section above.
• Answering “yes” to question 5 (for spousal sponsorships specifically) means you’re not eligible to sponsor.
• Answering “yes” to any of questions 6–15 may affect your eligibility so be sure to check the official program guide (Guide 5289) before proceeding.
• Answering “yes” to questions 13, 16, 17, or 18 requires you to provide full details (date and place), and you should review the “Suspension of processing” section of the guide, as these may pause your application.
• If you live in or intend to live in Quebec, you can skip questions 8, 9, 10, and 15 (Quebec has its own sponsorship undertaking process).

Co-Signer Sections

Leave all co-signer sections (personal details, contact information, residency declaration, eligibility assessment) blank. These don’t apply to spousal, common-law, or conjugal partner sponsorships.

Undertaking by Sponsor

Read this section carefully: it lays out exactly what you’re financially and legally committing to for the 3-year undertaking period. This includes agreeing to repay any social assistance the sponsored spouse receives during that time, and understanding that you can’t sponsor anyone else until any such debt is repaid.

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Part 2: Sponsorship Agreement

Obligations of the Sponsor and the Sponsored Spouse

Both parties should read this section carefully. It spells out what each of you is agreeing to: the sponsor’s financial responsibility, and the sponsored spouse’s acknowledgment of the arrangement.

Declaration

Both parties confirm that everything provided is complete, accurate, and truthful. By signing, you also agree to notify IRCC in writing immediately if your address changes or if any other information on the application changes. False or misleading statements can be grounds for prosecution or removal from Canada, so accuracy matters at every step.

Signatures

Both the sponsor and the sponsored spouse (principal applicant) must digitally sign and date the form. Typing your name is accepted as a digital signature. If any required signature is missing, the entire application will be returned to you, delaying processing so double-check this before submission.

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Tips for the Sponsored Spouse’s Portion

While much of IMM 1344 is completed by the sponsor, the sponsored spouse has an active role too:

• Review and understand the Obligations and Declaration sections before signing; know you are agreeing to the terms of the sponsorship arrangement, not just acknowledging it.
• Make sure your name, date of birth, and other personal details match your passport or travel document exactly, since discrepancies between forms can cause delays.
• Once the sponsor completes and signs their portion, get the electronic copy from them and upload it to your own online application under the “PDF Forms” section. This is a required step, not optional.
• If anything in your part of the relationship history (dates, prior relationships, etc.) doesn’t match what the sponsor entered, resolve the discrepancy before submitting, since both accounts need to be consistent.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Adding a co-signer. Not allowed for spousal/partner sponsorships, leave those sections blank.
• Missing signatures. The most common reason applications get returned.
• Inconsistent names or dates. Everything should match your passport/travel documents and each other’s entries exactly.
• Wrong relationship category in Question 6. Choosing the wrong option (e.g., mixing up “in Canada” vs. “outside Canada” classes) can affect which application stream your file follows.
• Skipping the Residency Declaration when required. If the sponsor is a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, this section is mandatory.
• Printing before validating. Complete and validate the form digitally first; don’t print it partway through.

Where to Get the Form

Always download the current version of IMM 1344 directly from IRCC’s official site (canada.ca), and check the “last updated” date on the form against the date shown on the government webpage to make sure you have the latest version before you start.

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This guide reflects IRCC’s published instructions for IMM 1344 as of mid-2026. Immigration forms and requirements are updated frequently — always verify against the current official form and the relevant IRCC program guide (Guide 5289 for spousal/partner/dependent child sponsorship) before submitting.