Visitor Visa for Your Spouse or Partner: Invite Them to Canada
You can invite your spouse or partner to visit you in Canada on a visitor visa if they need one. They must show ties that will take them home, enough money and a plan to leave at the end of the visit. A strong invitation letter helps, but it does not guarantee a visa. We check the file and the timing, especially if you plan to sponsor.
since 1991
Can your spouse visit you in Canada?
Yes, if they meet the visitor visa rules. They need a valid passport, good health, no criminal or immigration-related convictions, ties that will take them home, a plan to leave at the end and enough money. They may also need a medical exam and a letter of invitation from you (IRCC).
What should the invitation letter include?
Include your full name, date of birth, address, phone and job, proof of your status in Canada, details of your spouse, the purpose and length of the visit, where they will stay, how costs are paid and when they will leave. The writer must tell the truth. Read our visitor visa guide, the cover letter post and the spousal sponsorship guide.
Key rules at a glance
- Invitation letter: include your status proof, your relationship and a clear plan for the trip.
- Ties to home: officers look at a job, home, assets and family that will take your spouse back.
- Stay: most visitors can stay up to 6 months. The border officer decides.
- Sponsorship: a visit is not a PR application. Plan visits and sponsorship together.
Which situation matches yours?
Pick the situation that matches yours below.
A visitor visa for your spouse fits if
- You want a short visit, not permanent residence.
- Your spouse needs a visa to enter Canada.
- Your spouse can show ties and funds.
Another route fits if
- You want to bring your spouse to live in Canada: read the spousal sponsorship guide.
- Your spouse has a job offer in Canada: see the work permits hub.
- Your spouse comes from an eTA country and flies: an eTA may be enough.
See the Visiting Canada hub and the family sponsorship hub.
Why spouse visitor visas get refused
Five problems cause most trouble. Source: IRCC.
Weak ties to home
Officers must be convinced that your spouse will leave at the end of the visit. Few ties to home raise doubt.
Not enough money
The funds must cover the stay. Say who pays for what, and attach proof.
Unclear plan
A vague length of stay or unclear reason for the trip raises questions.
Missing documents
An incomplete application may be refused. Upload everything on the checklist.
Inadmissibility
Criminal, security, health or financial problems can make your spouse inadmissible. Read our inadmissibility and refusals hub.
Planning a visit and a sponsorship?
We plan the timing so one application does not hurt the other.
Timing you cannot miss
Apply early
Processing times vary by country. Check the IRCC tool and apply well before your planned trip.
Your spouse’s passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the travel date. Renew first if needed.
Court deadlines are 15 or 60 days under IRPA s.72. Read the refusal letter and officer notes first.
Documents to gather
Your spouse gets a personalized checklist online. Start with these.
How to invite your spouse, step by step
Six stages from your letter to the visit.
Write the invitation
Include your status proof and the trip details.
Check the entry document
Find out if a visa or an eTA applies.
Gather proof
Funds, ties and relationship documents.
Apply online
Your spouse answers the questions and uploads the checklist.
Give biometrics
Do it as soon as the letter arrives.
Travel
The border officer decides the stay.
Costs
From IRCC pages. Last updated: October 2026.
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Spouse visitor visa FAQs
Can my spouse visit me in Canada?
Yes, if they meet the visitor visa rules or the eTA rules. They need ties to home, enough money and a plan to leave at the end of the visit.
Does my spouse need a visitor visa?
It depends on their passport. Some travellers need a visa and some need only an eTA to fly in. IRCC has a questionnaire to check.
Do we need an invitation letter?
IRCC may ask for one. It does not guarantee a visa. It should include details about you, your spouse, the trip and how costs are paid.
What should I put in the letter?
Your name, date of birth, address, phone, job and proof of status in Canada, plus your spouse’s details, the purpose, length and place of stay, how costs are paid and the leave date.
How long can my spouse stay?
Most visitors can stay up to 6 months. The border officer may allow less or more and may give a visitor record with a leave-by date.
Can my spouse extend their stay?
They can apply for a visitor record before their status expires. Read our visitor record guide.
How much does it cost?
The visitor visa fee starts from CAD$100. Biometrics cost CAD$85 if needed. Check the IRCC fee list.
Is a visitor visa the same as sponsorship?
No. A visitor visa is temporary. Sponsorship is a separate permanent residence application. Read our spousal sponsorship guide.
Should we apply for sponsorship first or a visit first?
It depends on your plans and timing. Talk to us before you file either one, so the applications do not conflict.
Can my spouse work while visiting?
No. A visit does not give the right to work. See our work permits hub for work routes.
What if my spouse’s visa is refused?
They can reapply with new information or ask the Federal Court to review the decision. There is no appeal. See our visitor visa refused guide.
Can you help us?
Yes. We check the ties, funds and letter, and we plan the timing with any sponsorship. Book a Strategy Consultation.