How to prepare for your spousal sponsorship interview?

How to prepare for your spousal sponsorship interview?

There has been an uptick in requests for interviews by the Canadian High Commission offices overseas over the course of the last few years. These interviews are incredibly serious and unfortunately, many do not realize the importance of being prepared before actually attending the spousal sponsorship interview. 

How to prepare for your spousal sponsorship interview? 

If you have applied to immigrate to Canada under the spousal sponsorship program, or under the spousal open work permit programs, you may be invited for an interview with the immigration officer. The intention behind conducting a spousal interview is to assess the genuineness of the relationship and rule out any potential fraudulent attempts to gain entry into Canada on the pretext of an existing marital or conjugal status. During this interview, the immigration officer will ask you several questions about your relationship to determine its validity and to decide your sponsorship or open work permit application. 

 Why does a visa officer interview applicants immigrating under the spousal sponsorship program? 

The interview is generally conducted after you submit the required documents supporting your application. Whether your application will be processed further depends on how genuinely you answer the questions during the interview. However, if the immigration officer is convinced that your answers differ considerably from the information provided in the application, or there are other concerns around the credibility of your answers then in that case, they may refuse your application under the provisions of section 4(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. 

What are some tips to help you prepare for a spousal sponsorship interview? 

• Provide honest information:

The easiest way to get through a spousal sponsorship interview is by furnishing truthful and accurate information in your application. It is important to avoid providing incorrect information regarding your relationship status, as the same may render you inadmissible to Canada for submitting fraudulent paperwork. DO NOT PROVIDE AN ANSWER IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER simply for the sake of giving an answer. 

• Take professional help: 

Immigrating to Canada as a spouse or a common-law partner is an important decision. You should be well prepared and be able to answer all the possible questions about your relationship correctly. We recommend taking professional help to help you prepare in advance. A well-trained immigration lawyer should be able to review your application and flag any possible concerns the officer may have. This way, an immigration lawyer can properly prepare and guide you through the process and minimize the chances of refusal. Moreover, an immigration lawyer can help you appeal promptly against the refusal if any.

• What can be asked in a spousal sponsorship interview?

Predicting all the questions that you or your spouse/partner may be asked during the interview is impossible. However, being immigration lawyers, we can guide you about the general nature of the questions. Below is a list of general questions to help you understand the nature of the questions. 

1. How did you meet your spouse/partner?
2. When did you meet your spouse/partner? 
3. Where is your spouse/partner employed, their designation and the duration for which they have been employed there?
4. What are the hobbies of your spouse/partner?
5. When did you get married?
6. Where did you get married?
7. Why did you get married?
8. Who attended the wedding from each side?
9. Where does your spouse live in Canada?
10. What cuisines does your spouse/partner enjoy eating the most?
11. What is their favourite colour?
12. Which school did they go to, and what is their education level?
13. Do you have any pictures of the wedding ceremony?

The questions mentioned above are not exhaustive. Instead, these are merely suggestive and prepared with the intent to help you put forward the personal and intimate aspects of your life accurately before the visa officer. Interviews can go on for hours and are typically tailored to the specific concerns about your file. DO NOT compare your circumstances with that of another application – everyone’s applications are different. Another general tip is avoiding impatience and listening to the visa officer carefully. Try to be succinct with your answers unless it is necessary to furnish details. 

Get in touch with our immigration lawyers if you need any help regarding your spousal sponsorship application or if you have received a refusal. From filing documents to guiding you for the interview and challenging refusals, our immigration lawyers are experienced in dealing with all aspects of spousal sponsorship applications. Contact us at (403) 216-1199 for further assistance.